About us
Our Mission
The mission of Kids’ Chance of Georgia, Inc. is to provide educational scholarships to the children of Georgia workers who have been seriously or fatally injured. Kids’ Chance of Georgia, Inc. is an IRS approved 501(c) (3) non-profit charity that has helped more than 300 students since its beginning. For academic year 2017-2018, fifty students are being assisted with approximately $200,000 in scholarship funding.
Our Mission is supported by donations, with all funds raised supporting children of Georgia workers. Since 1988, Kids’ Chance of Georgia has raised nearly $6 million and established memorial scholarships and endowment funds. Kids’ Chance of Georgia, Inc. has received numerous recognitions and is the first Kids’ Chance charity established in the country. It is the model for sister charities in 38 other states as well as the national organization, Kids' Chance of America.
Our History
Robert Clyatt, a workers’ compensation attorney from Valdosta, Georgia, founded the first Kids’ Chance organization in 1988. Through his work, he had witnessed the life-shattering impact that a serious workplace injury had on the children those injured, who were now having to fund their own education.
With the assistance of the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Georgia Bar, Bob Clyatt incorporated Kids’ Chance of Georgia and began raising money to fund educational scholarships.
Kids’ Chance of Georgia began reaching out to other states and assisted them in establishing their own Kids’ Chance organizations. Thirty-nine states have organized Kids’ Chance programs that are actively providing need-based scholarships to the families of seriously injured workers, and new organizations are being formed each year.
Our Board of Directors
Robert M. Clyatt, Esq.
Robert M.Clyatt, PC
Founder & Chairman of the Board
main@clyattlaw.com
Mike Coan
Director, Georgia Subsequent Injury Trust Fund
President
mcoan@sitf.ga.gov
Connie Chandler
United Parcel Service
President
conniechandler@ups.com
John Fevier
Director of Facilities Management, Waffle House, Inc.
Secretary/Treasurer
johnfervier@wafflehouse.com
Hon. Carolyn Hall
Chairman, Georgia Board of Workers' (Retired)
Director
qcchall@bellsouth.net
Ann Baird Bishop
Sponsler, Bishop, Koven & Hamner, PA
Director
abishop@sponslerbishop.com
Lisa Capicik
Brasfield & Gorrie
Director
LCapicik@BrasfieldGorrie.com
Polly F. Hale
Builders Insurance Group
Director
phale@bldrs.com
Michelle Lutz Hays
Comprehensive Care Group
Director
michelle@compcaregroup.net
Shirley Hinton
National DCP, LLC
Director
shirley.hinton@natdcp.com
Hon. Jeffrey Kight
Superior Court of Georgia, First District
Director
jhkight@gmail.com
Joseph Leman, Esq.
Leman Law Firm, PC
Director
lemancomp@gmail.com
Hon. Frank R. McKay
Georgia Board of Workers' Compensation
Director
mckayf@sbwc.ga.gov
Lisa Wade, Esq.
Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers, LLP
Director
lisa.wade@swiftcurrie.com
John Quinn
Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO
Director
jquinn@cwa-union.org
Craig Weil
Center for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine
Director
craigweil@mac.com
Management
Lynda Snyder Smith
Executive Director
lyndasmith@kidschancega.org
Lise Weaver
Financial & General Operations Coordinator
liseweaver@kidschancega.org
