ESTABLISHED: July 7, 1998
PURPOSE: The primary purpose of the Association will be to continue to educate the community concerning Foster Care. Bring together all foster parents, foster adoptive parents, agency representatives, and community resources that wish to work together for the betterment of foster children. To work with the community to secure support for the Association, foster children, foster adopted children, the foster parents and foster adoptive parents.

MEMBERSHIPS:

Chapter Membership: Chapter Membership may be conveyed to an individual who is a licensed or approved foster parent or an adoptive parent of a child through foster care. This membership shall have full benefits and voting rights and shall receive all information and mailings about the Association’s activities.

Supporting Individual Membership: Said membership shall be available to any individual or family member wishing to support the purposes and efforts of this Association. This membership shall audit meetings and receive mailings. This membership does not include voting rights or Food Bank Benefits.

Honorary Membership: Said membership can be awarded from time to time by the Association. This membership shall audit meetings and receive mailings. This membership does not include voting rights or Food Bank Benefits.

Organization Membership: Said membership is available to all organizations wishing to support the purposes and efforts of this Association. This membership shall audit meetings and receive mailings. This membership does not include voting rights or Food Bank Benefits.

Members in good standing shall be defined by the Executive Committee and approved by majority vote by the Association.

Membership year is from January 1st through December 31st. Membership fees are due at the January monthly meeting and must be paid no later than January 31st.

All members must be a resident of Gilmer County or have Gilmer County Foster or Foster Adopted children in your home.

MEMBERS CODE OF CONDUCT:

Gilmer Friends of Foster & Adoptive Families core values are Honesty, Integrity, and Hard Work. They are the foundation on which our Association was built, and the key to our success. As our Association grows it is critical that these values guide the behavior of every association member in dealing with our fellow members, businesses, and in the community. Upholding these values is a responsibility we all share.

The Association will not condone unethical activities of members in conducting business in the public, or any activity that would reflect poorly on the Association.

All members are expected to conduct themselves in a businesslike manner at all times, and should treat all other members with respect. Members shall refrain from using profanity while in meetings or public events. Members shall show respect for any and all property in which meetings and events are held. Members must not make or engage in any false record or communication, including; false expenses, meeting attendance, financial or similar reports for reimbursements. If any member becomes aware of any such activity, they have a responsibility to advise an officer of the Association. The officers will then act in accordance with the By Laws.

We all have an obligation to maintain the standards in this code of conduct. While this document cannot cover all situations that may arise, it sets the basic guidelines defining the Association’s expectations of its members. We are each responsible for our individual actions. Should any member not follow this code of conduct the Association Officers will vote on that member’s status in the Association. The Officers will then determine whether to dissolve the individual’s membership in the Association.

FOOD BANK PARTICIPATION:

1. To receive benefits of the Food Bank you must have a foster child in your home for 21 days and be a member in good standing with the Association. A member in good standing must pay yearly dues, help with at least two fundraisers per year, and can not miss more than three consecutive monthly meetings.

2. Members must be present at monthly meeting to receive goods from the Food Bank. If member is not present, items will be distributed in a fair manor among other members.

3. Each Family will receive an equal portion of Food Bank items.

4. A Food Coordinator will oversee distribution and maintain accurate records of all orders. He or She will provide a monthly report of active families and children to the Food Bank. He or She will provide a report of shopping transactions to the Food Bank showing poundage and distribution records for each family.

5. The Association Treasurer will be responsible for providing a monthly financial report detailing fund raising efforts to the Food Bank. This report will also show necessary information on funds to stay active in the Food Bank.

6. The Association will be responsible for its own internal affairs and for compliance with these policies by all member families.

7. The Association will maintain a checking account in the organization’s name.

1.

The affairs of the Corporation shall be controlled and administered by the Officers which shall be composed of six members. The Officers shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Parliamentarian, and Public Relations. No two offices may be held by the same person. No officer shall serve for more than 3 consecutive terms in the same office. Each person may resign his appointment at any time and may be removed with or without cause as follows:

President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Parliamentarian, or Public Relations may be removed by a majority vote of the membership in good standing of the Corporation. Membership in good standing shall be defined as any member family which has paid dues, helped in at least two fundraisers per year, and missed no more than three consecutive meetings for the current term. Upon the death, removal, resignation or incapacity of any officer, a majority of the then remaining Officers shall appoint a successor to fill the remaining term. An Officer shall be considered incapacitated if for any reason he shall be unable to carry on the duties of his office and the remaining

Officers shall have declared him incapable of service by a majority vote of the Officers voting at a regularly scheduled meeting. The Officers shall meet monthly, or as may be deemed necessary, upon call of the President, which shall specify the place, time and date of the meeting. Each Officer shall be notified in writing or by phone by the President at least 48 hours before said meeting is to take place.

2.

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Officers and be the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation. The President shall call all meetings to order. He or she shall present and distribute an Agenda for all meetings. The President may vote as an Officer when there is a tie among the Officers or with the Corporation. The President shall represent the Corporation at the community activities in order to promote the needs and purposes of foster care. The President will be the executive member on the Training Committee. In the absence of the Treasurer he or she will distribute a financial statement.

The Vice President assumes the duties of the President when the President is unable to attend meetings, resigns or is removed from office. The Vice President shall assist the President in any matters of business so requested by the President, solicit memberships, and will be the executive member on the Christmas Committee. The Vice President will make introductions of all new members of the Association.

The Secretary shall accurately keep and read the minutes of the Corporation and Officers, be the custodian thereof, shall dispatch any communication as needed by the President or Officers and shall maintain an accurate roll of members. The Secretary shall send out monthly newsletters, call roll for members present at meetings, and file all minutes for both monthly and officers meetings. The Secretary will be the executive member on the Outreach Committee.

The Treasurer shall have the responsibility and authority of the safekeeping of the funds of the Corporation, be responsible for all record of disbursements as authorized by the Officers or the majority of the membership. He or she shall present a typed or written financial report to the membership of the Corporation at regularly scheduled meetings. The Treasurer will maintain a record of all members and their dues status, and shall also prepare and file any and all tax returns or be responsible for seeing that this preparation is done by another party. The Treasurer will be the executive member on the Financial and Fundraising Committee.

The Parliamentarian shall have the responsibility of assuming the duties of any officer not in attendance at any meeting or event. He or she shall also keep order within the meetings. He or she will be the executive member on the Back to School Committee.

The Public Relations officer will keep the public notified of any upcoming events or fundraisers through publishing, radio or any other type of advertising necessary, publish articles about monthly meetings, fundraising events and special thanks to any contributors to the Corporation in the newspaper every month.

The Officers shall be elected at a regularly scheduled meeting of the membership during the month of January and shall take office following the election.

3.

Association Officers will be the executive members on the committees and other members will be voted on by the Association. They shall consist of Training, Financial and Fundraising, Outreach, Christmas, and Back to School. No two committees may be chaired by the same person.

The Training Committee will plan and implement training programs for the members of the Corporation in good standing. The President will be the executive member on the Training Committee.

The Outreach Committee edits and publishes the Corporation newsletter and notifies membership of activities and programs. The Committee’s goal is to link the Corporation with the community. The Secretary will be the executive member on the Outreach Committee.

The Financial and Fundraising Committee organizes and implements plans to acquire necessary revenue to carry out purposes of the Corporation. The Treasurer will be the executive member on the Financial and Fundraising Committee.

The Christmas Committee’s purpose is to plan ways to fulfill the “Wish List” Christmas needs for the Gilmer County Foster Children, as well as children adopted through foster care for the Chapter Members in good standing. The Vice President will be the executive member on the Christmas Committee.

The Back to School Committee will organize and implement plans to acquire necessary school supplies. The Parliamentarian will be the executive member on the Back to School Committee.

The Food Bank Committee will participate in the purchasing and distributing of all Food Bank items. The Officer’s will appoint a Food Coordinator to maintain all Food Bank files. An Officer will serve as an executive member on the Food Bank Committee.

Special Committees may be appointed by the Officers for a term not to exceed three months and may be dissolved at the discretion of the Officers.

4.

Any sale or transfer of any stock, bond, security or of any other property standing in the name of the Corporation shall be valid only if signed by the President and Treasurer. No Officer may sign such a sale or transfer until a majority vote of approval by the Officers. A written record of the vote must be filed with the Treasurer of the Corporation.

5.

The Treasurer shall at all times maintain records evidencing the property owned by the Corporation and its disbursements and present the same to the monthly meetings of the Officers and the monthly meetings of the Corporation. The records shall always be open for inspection by any member.

6.

Disbursements of any funds are to be paid only after a Request for Check form has been properly filled out and submitted for review. Two officers, other than the President, must sign the request form approving disbursement. Any authorized Officer and Treasurer must sign all checks for disbursement. Disbursements will be made upon availability of funds.

7.

A quorum for the transaction of any business by the Officers shall be a majority of the Officers then in office.

8.

The Officers shall serve without compensation.

9.

The Officers shall have the power to submit to the membership at a regularly scheduled meeting any proposed changes in the by-laws of the Corporation, but said proposed new by-laws may be approved only by a majority vote of the membership in good standing, subject to Article 10 hereunder, and in no event shall they contain any provision inconsistent with the law of Articles of Incorporation.

10.

Anyone may be a member of good standing as long as membership is paid in full, family helps with at least two fundraisers, and misses no more than three consecutive meetings. Suspension or exclusion of any member shall be by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Officers in office, provided that the affected member shall have at least fifteen (15) days notice of the proposed action and the time and place of the meeting of the Officers at which the matter will be voted on. The member shall have the right to appear in person or be represented and present his defense to such meeting before his suspension or expulsion is voted upon. No expelled member shall be entitled to receive any portion of the assets of the Corporation as return of his contribution or otherwise.

11.

These By-Laws may be added to, amended or repealed in whole or part by a majority vote of the members in good standing at any special or regular meeting provided, however, that written notice of intention to ad to, or amend, or repeal the By-Laws in whole or part has been given or mailed to each member in good standing at least (30) days prior to the scheduled meeting.

12.

For purposes of this Article, references to “the Corporation” shall include, in addition to the surviving or new corporation, any merging or consolidating corporation (including any merging or consolidating corporation of a merging or consolidating corporation) absorbed in a merger or consolidation, so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such merging or consolidating corporation, or who is or was serving at the request of such merging or consolidating corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall stand in the same position under this Article with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as such person would if such person had served the resulting or surviving corporation in the same capacity.

13.

No member, director, officer or employee of, or member of a committee of, or person connected with the Corporation, or any other private individual shall receive at any time any of the net earnings or pecuniary profit from the operations of the Corporation, provided that this shall not prevent the payment to any such person of such reasonable compensation for services rendered to or for the Corporation in effecting any of its purposes; and no such person or persons shall be entitled to share in the distribution of any of the corporate assets upon dissolution of the Corporation. All members of the Corporation shall be deemed to have expressly consented and agreed that upon dissolution or winding up of the affairs of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the assets of the Corporation, after all debts have been satisfied, the remaining in the hands of the Officers shall be distributed, transferred, conveyed, delivered and paid over, in such amounts as the Officers may determine or as may be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction upon application of the Officers, exclusively to charitable, religious, scientific, literary or education organizations which qualify under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations issued pursuant thereto as they now exist or as they may hereafter be amended.

14.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of these Bylaws, no member, director, officer, employee or representative of this Corporation shall take any action or carry on any activity by or on behalf of the Corporation not permitted to be taken or carried on by an organization exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations issued pursuant thereto as they now exist or as they may hereafter be amended, or by an organization, contributions which are deductible under Section 170(c)(2) of such code and Regulations as they now exist or as they may hereafter be amended.

Last revised and approved on November 14, 2006