GSW announces strengthened partnership with Rosalynn Carter Institute

Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) announced today that the Rosalynn Carter Institute (RCI) will transition from a unit to an affiliate of the institution. This move will keep the RCI physically on campus, while allowing the organization to expand its profile serving the more than 53 million caregivers nationwide.

At the same time, the RCI is also moving to strengthen its mission to place the unpaid caregiver at the center of its work by changing its name to the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, a small shift with a significant meaning.

“This is an exciting time for the Rosalynn Carter Institute,” said GSW President Neal Weaver, Ph.D. “Former First Lady and GSW alumna Rosalynn Carter is an important member of our University community, and we are happy to be a part of her efforts to reach more caregivers across the country. The RCI’s success reflects our work together, and we look forward to being a part of its continued growth.”

The RCI was established in 1987 at Georgia Southwestern in Mrs. Carter’s honor and is rooted in her belief that there are only four types of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, who are caregivers, who will be caregivers, and who will need caregivers. Since its founding, the RCI has continuously evolved to promote the health, strength, and resilience of the tens of millions of Americans providing unpaid care for their loved ones.

Now, the RCI is becoming an independent organization to fulfill its promise to champion the family caregiver by building cross-sector partnerships, promoting evidence-based programs, and advocating for stronger and more responsive public policy. 

“We are thrilled to announce this next chapter in the RCI story, with a focus on reaching more caregivers,” said Jennifer Olsen, DrPH, executive director of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers. “We are grateful to Dr. Weaver and the entire GSW community for being such a critical part of our three decades of growth. We are delighted to have their support as we make this transition.”

The new organizational structure will allow the RCI to reach more caregivers, in more ways by:

• Expanding outreach to more in the donor community. With its 501c3 status, RCI will be able to explore new partnerships and raise additional support for its work. 
• Building a staff structure that better fits the needs and evolving demands of supporting caregivers. The COVID-19 pandemic reinforced how important flexibility is, especially during times of challenge.
• Creating and implementing a robust, active advocacy strategy to raise awareness about caregivers and the public health systems we must build to support them.

As part of this exciting shift, the RCI also launched a new website with a refreshed brand mark and color scheme. In particular, a long solid bar in the updated brand mark represents a support beam. This is what RCI aims to do: provide support for our nation’s caregivers and advocate for strengthening support beams across government, business, and the community.

Explore the new website, see RCI’s new look, and learn more about the RCI at www.rosalynncarter.org.

About RCI: The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers promotes the health, strength, and resilience of caregivers throughout the United States. Established in 1987 by former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, the Institute’s priority is the unpaid family caregiver: those individuals who care for a relative, friend, or loved one. To learn more about RCI, its advocacy, how to participate in programs or build a partnership, visit www.rosalynncarter.org.