THE CITIZEN BLOG
THE CITIZEN BLOG
Food Insecurity Resource Guide
With the recent cut to SNAP benefits and Atlanta’s rise in food insecurity, our team put together a list of resources to help connect ATLiens with those who can help. So, if you or someone you know is in need of food or a hot meal, we hope this list of trusted organizations can help or someone you know, make it through this holiday season.
Hands On Atlanta’s mission is to mobilize the Atlanta community to tackle our city’s most pressing needs. With the recent cut to SNAP benefits and Atlanta’s rise in food insecurity, our team put together a list of resources to help connect ATLiens with those who can help. So, if you or someone you know is in need of food or a hot meal, we hope this list of trusted organizations can help or someone you know, make it through this holiday season.
Food Pantries
Click the name of each organization for more information.
4755 North Peachtree Rd, Dunwoody, Georgia 30338
(678) 687-5357
Pantry Hours: Wednesday 9:00am - 12:30pm
What they provide: We distribute food and clothing on Wednesdays from 9:00am - 12:30pm
Requirements: No documentation necessary. They will ask for the name and birthdate of every member of your household.
1790 LaVista Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 325-0677
What they provide: a food pantry, and hot lunches. Each individual or family may come once a week to receive a box of groceries that will have dry goods, frozen meat, fresh produce, dairy items, bread, and desserts. Those without access to a kitchen will receive a large bag of non-perishable, easy-open, low-preparation foods.
Who they serve: Zip codes 30030; 30032; 30033; 30319; 30324; 30329; 30340; 30341; 30345. (Will distribute food to veterans and homeless peoples from any zip code)
Requirements: Bring proof of your address: driver's license or other official ID with address or bill with zip code.
Pantry Hours: Tuesday through Thursday 1:00pm - 3:30pm. No appointment necessary.
They have a limited number of “to-go” meals for our friends experiencing homelessness available on a first come, first served basis on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons from 1:00 pm until 2:30 pm. The meal may be eaten at our picnic tables or taken to be eaten elsewhere.
Shallowford Presbyterian Church
2375 Shallowford Road NE Atlanta, GA 30345
(404) 321-1844
Who they serve: Residents of DeKalb County area only. Eligible to receive assistance 4 times per year.
What they provide: Shallowford’s Food Pantry provides temporary or emergency food assistance, including groceries, for over 400 families per year and distributes more than 15,000 pounds of food per year. No client fee or donation is required. Identification cards for all family members are needed at the time of arrival. Shallowford is on MARTA routes 33 and 126.
Pantry Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 1:00pm to 3:00pm. For more information, please call.
First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta
1328 Peachtree St. NE Atlanta, GA 30309
404-228-7724 (Dial 1 for food pantry)
Who they serve: Butts, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding, Rockdale.
Requirements: valid ID, SS card and proof of residency that shows amount paid for rent. Picture ID/driver license, proof of residence or lease (current utility bill), social security card for all members of the household, does not need proof of legal
Clients can only receive food bi-monthly.
Clients must complete an intake form their first visit before receiving any food.
What they provide: The pantry is stocked with food secured from the Atlanta Community Food Bank, local vendors, and church & community members. In a single year, approximately 131,000 pounds (nearly 62 tons) of food are distributed from the Venable Food Pantry.
Ben Hill United Methodist Church
2099 Fairburn Road SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30331
(404) 344-0618
Who they serve: Fulton.
Requirements: Picture ID/driver license, social security card for each child.
Pantry Hours: Saturday 10:00am - 4:00pm.
1966 Lakewood Terr SE Atlanta, GA 30315
(404) 622-7931
Who they serve: Fulton
Eligibility: If you don't have kids in the home but live within our service area (zip code 30315), you can stop by our office on Wednesdays to receive a bag of nutritious, supplemental food.
Pantry hours: Wednesdays from 2:00pm - 5:00pm
Requirements: Picture ID/driver license
Home Delivered Meals
Click the name of each organization for more information.
1705 Commerce Drive NW Atlanta, GA 30318
(404)-351-3889
Who they serve: In order to qualify for Meal Services, applicants must be:
60 years and older
Fulton County Residents
Low-income
What they provide: Our flagship program, Meal Services, provides nourishing meals to low-income and homebound seniors in Atlanta who are unable to afford or access adequate nutrition. Currently, the meal services program delivers meals every Saturday to frail, homebound and low-income seniors residing in Fulton County.
1380 West Marietta St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
(404) 872-8089
Who they serve: Senior Clients, Medicaid Clients & The Elderly and Disabled Waiver Program (EDWP), HIV/AIDS Clients, and Private Pay Clients & Caregivers
What they provide: Medically-tailored meals for Medicaid clients, Care transitions from hospital to home/community, Freshly prepared meals for our senior clients, and Health-promoting, kid-friendly meals for at-risk youth
Need more resources?
Our friends at United Way of Greater Atlanta have an awesome 211 service! This is the place to find the resources you need to keep yourself and your family housed, fed, safe, and healthy. Find services in your area through their database.
Ready to lend a hand? Volunteer with our partners fighting food insecurity!
9/11 Day 2025: Remembering the Good!
On Thursday, September 11, close to 1,400 volunteers spent the day at Mercedes Benz Stadium packing more than 607, 000 meals for families across metro Atlanta, commemorating the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance.
Photos by Montyangelo Productions
For the past six years, Hands On Atlanta has gone big to honor the 9/11 Day of Remembrance—a national day of service created to “take back the day” and remind us what’s possible when we unite in service.
This year, our community showed up in a powerful way.
More than 1,400 volunteers came together to pack an incredible 607,192 meals!
Every single one of those meals will go to the Atlanta Community Food Bank to be shared with families facing food insecurity across our region. That’s real impact, powered by people who care.
For this year’s event we teamed up with Meals of Hope, Brave Public Relations, the Mercedes Benz Stadium, and the Atlanta Community Food Bank (the recipient of the 600,000+ meals) for a meaningful and fun day of service. The energy was electric all day long with our guest emcees—Karyn Greer (WSB-TV anchor), Cheryl Preheim (11Alive anchor), Michele Grear (Atlanta Community Food Bank), and the one and only DJ Smoov, keeping spirits high! We closed out the day with remarks from Greg Sims (Atlanta Community Food Bank) with a powerful reminder of what’s possible when our community comes together, uniting in service and creating change!
Across three shifts, volunteers stood shoulder to shoulder with community leaders and first responders, proving that service is stronger when we do it together. Each shift joined in a moment of silence, followed by performances of “America the Beautiful” by Benjamin Mays High School Choir and Hands On Atlanta’s own Jemarlo Brown!
Learn more about 9/11 Day and how you can get involved at www.911day.org and for more meal packing opportunities and events or to discover other ways to fight food insecurity across metro Atlanta visit www.handsonatlanta.org/food.
feeling inspired?
We’re just getting started with our Fall season line up of service. Next up, we’re keeping the Hunger Action Month momentum alive with 5,000 volunteers at State Farm Arena for the Million Meal Pack on September 27, 2025.
After, you don’t have to wait to do something good. From October 4 -11, 2025, we’re teaming up with The Same House for Hands On Atlanta Week - Atlanta’s biggest week of service. There are hundreds of opportunities and events you can sign up for addressing food insecurity, education, environmental sustainability and more throughout the week.
Connection, fun and impact highlight the 2024 edition of hands on atlanta week
For the 2024 edition of Hands On Atlanta Week, presented by Delta Air Lines, more than 3,000 volunteers supported over 50 nonprofits and schools across 300 projects! The focus for the week prioritized projects around Food Security and Hurricane Helene relief efforts, but volunteers created meaningful impact in all kinds of areas including building bikes, park beautifications, tutoring elementary students and so much more!
For the 2024 edition of Hands On Atlanta Week, presented by Delta Air Lines, more than 3,000 volunteers supported over 100 nonprofits and schools across 300 projects! The focus for the week prioritized projects around Food Security and Hurricane Helene relief efforts, but volunteers created meaningful impact in all kinds of areas including building bikes, park beautifications, tutoring elementary students and so much more!
Here’s a few highlighted examples of some big, impactful projects…
The Service Shakeout kicked off the week with some fun
150 community leaders joined us at Monday Night Garage to learn about food insecurity, pack 2,000 snack packs for students in our Discovery program and laugh with Comedy and Conversations.
“Most awesome atmosphere and program I have experienced as a volunteer!” ”
Delta Air Lines showed up and showed out packing Meals4Kids
Close to 200 employees from Delta turned out to pack more than 6,000 meals for students in our partner elementary schools. The meals were distributed to students and families to help during fall break.
Meals4Kids pack with Endeavor, startups at Wild Leap Brewery
On the heels of Venture Atlanta, about 100 entrepreneurs and members of the startup community joined us in South Downtown for a huge meal pack and happy hour at Wild Leap Brewery.
Kilpatrick and Highwoods build bikes for kids
More than 100 volunteers from Kilpatrick and Highwoods built bikes at their corporate offices in Midtown and Buckhead. Each It wasn’t all building as they raced bikes for bragging rights!
Other meaningful happenings throughout the week included:
Tens of thousands of attendees at community events like Atlanta Pride, Decatur Book Festival, The Race Half Marathon and 5k, the Mayor’s 5k on the 5th Runway - all powered by volunteers!
In addition to the 40 AmeriCorps members serving at our partner elementary and middle schools throughout the week, they took a day and served with our friends at The King Center.
Hundreds of volunteers helped out at food pantries all across metro Atlanta.
Volunteers from Chick-fil-A and the community supported 500 students with STEM enrichment activities at 10 different partner schools for our Discovery program.
48in48 hosted their global hack-a-thon, engaging hundreds of skills-based volunteers to build websites for nonprofits.
Metro Atlanta social impact leaders attended the 2024 Nonprofit Leadership Conference on Wednesday, Oct. 9 over at the Botanical Gardens.
Hands On Atlanta President and CEO, Jay Cranman, joined Purpose Possible for a webinar on “Failing Forward”.
Plus so much more impact!
“It was great experience. I really enjoyed helping and I learned more about gardening.””
“This experience is one that I will not forget and look forward to the next one!” ”
“Felt very warming, almost like I wasn’t even volunteering.””
None of this work happens without the support of all of our Hands On Atlanta Week corporate sponsors. Give these companies a high-five for joining us and supporting Atlanta’s biggest week of service.
Whew, that’s a lot of impact in just a short time, but the reality is - Hands On Atlanta Week is just a snapshot of the work volunteers do every day, and well… the work continues.
Join us and pick up where these volunteers left off and find a project on our volunteer portal or if your company is looking for a fun and meaningful way to support the community during the upcoming holiday season, learn how we can help!
Hands On Atlanta Week Makes Big Impact
For the 2023 edition of Hands On Atlanta Week, presented by Delta Air Lines, more than 2,500 volunteers supported over 50 nonprofits and schools at 250 projects! The focus for the week prioritized projects around our three strategic impact areas - Food Security, Educational Equity and Environmental Sustainability. Check out all the impact in this recap.
Fall in Atlanta is a special time of year. The temps drop, the colors pop, the Braves chase championships, the Dawgs dominate and Hands On Atlanta mobilizes thousands of volunteers to do something good!
For the 2023 edition of Hands On Atlanta Week, presented by Delta Air Lines, more than 2,500 volunteers supported over 50 nonprofits and schools at 250 projects! The focus for the week prioritized projects around our three strategic impact areas - Food Security, Educational Equity and Environmental Sustainability.
Click here to watch a recap of the whole week on Instagram. Here’s a few highlighted examples of some big, impactful projects…
Packing 1,500 Meals at Delta Air Lines HQ
150 volunteers rocked a Fall Break meal pack for students at Kindezi Old 4th Ward, Kindezi West, Kindezi @ Gideons, and Cascade Elementary.
A school beautification at Barack and Michelle Obama Academy
Volunteers removed planter beds, repainted sidewalk games and artwork, built benches and picnic tables, and painted the teacher break room.
A Volunteer Takeover at 970 Jefferson
We teamed up with our friends at Food Well Alliance, Second Helpings and Urban Recipe to pack meals and make garden kits for families. Close to 100 high school seniors from KIPP Atlanta Collegiate volunteered at the takeover!
A Zen Room Renovation and Mural at Hope Hill Elementary
Volunteers helped create a relaxing, quiet space for teachers with a custom zen room makeover! Volunteers also got a chance to mix and mingle with the school staff, write notes of encouragement to students and staff and more.
If we zoom in a little more and focus on the Educational Equity volunteers helped support, we had:
45 Hands On Atlanta AmeriCorps members working with students at 15 different schools – coaching them on social emotional learning and tutoring them in math.
Hundreds of volunteers packed over 3,000 weekend bags of food for students in our partner schools, renovated multiple school buildings and spaces, added colorful signage and improved student walk ways and even installed a new sports field – yes, including the bleachers.
Close to 600 students join our Discovery program, where volunteers led STEM enrichment activities.
To be fair, it wasn’t all science, math and meals, volunteers also cleaned and refurbished around 400 bikes for metro Atlanta youth through our partners at Free Bikes for Kids!
None of this work happens without the support of all of our Hands On Atlanta Week corporate sponsors. Give these companies a high-five for joining us and supporting Atlanta’s biggest week of service.
Whew, that’s a lot of impact in just a short time, but the reality is - Hands On Atlanta Week is just a snapshot of the work volunteers do every day, and well, the work continues.
Join us and pick up where these volunteers left off and find a project on our volunteer portal. Happy volunteering!
9 Ways You Can Support Students Today!
It’s a true comment on Atlanta that we have so many schools, organizations, companies and individuals offering up creative solutions to help students be the best they can be. Want to make a difference for the next generation of leaders, but don’t know where to start? Read on to find the perfect way for you to serve.
It’s a true comment on Atlanta that we have so many schools, organizations, companies and individuals offering up creative solutions to help students be the best they can be. With over a million students in the metro Atlanta area (oh hey Gwinnett – we see you over there with the largest student body in the state!), and 64% of those families in Atlanta Public Schools being economically disadvantaged, these solutions are huge assets to our community. These programs allow our students to thrive, and grow, and succeed – and you can be a part of their success.
Want to make a difference for the next generation of leaders, but don’t know where to start? Read on to find the perfect way for you to serve.
1. Become a tutor.
Studies have shown that talking through assignments with a tutor helps students process and retain information better – so the couple hours you spend giving one-on-one attention, goes a long way. Our partners Star-C, LaAmistad, Agape Youth & Family Center, and Divine Reach Education & Counsel all need volunteers daily across the city to work directly with students & ensure they are keeping up with what’s going on in the classroom. Want to serve virtually? Mind Bubble has you covered.
2. Show off your STEAM skills.
Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math have come to the forefront to teach students how to think creatively & critically, and to prepare kids for high-growth career areas. We’re seeing more and more local schools adopt STEAM curriculums or even get STEM certified, and our nonprofit partners are keeping up by offering enrichment opportunities. During the school year, you could join us for Discovery on Saturdays and introduce local students to reptiles. Host a demonstration table at the Atlanta Science Fair or become a judge with the International Science & Engineering Fair, both hosted by ScienceATL. Or, head over to Johnson STEM Activity Center – founded by Lonnie Johnson, inventor of the Super Soaker – to support students in their state-of-the-art robotics + E-sports arenas.
3. Go all in for the schools.
Did you know that Hands On Atlanta has the largest AmeriCorps program in the state? Yep, last year our members supported 11 schools and managed a gang of impactful programs on top of that! Spend a half or a full year as an AmeriCorps member, working inside our local schools to support students academic and social emotional learning. This is a great way to make deep, lasting impact on the trajectory of a child.
4. Elevate the programs supporting students, behind the scenes.
Magnify your impact by building the capacity of organizations supporting students, so they can offer more of what they do best. Multiple times a year, 48in48 hosts a website building weekend marathon to help organizations increase the impact of their digital presence. You can code, create content, or design sites. Applications are open for Hands On Atlanta’s Civic Leadership Program too – apply to be matched with a local nonprofit, so you can support their staff & volunteers for a 10-month term.
5. Increase access to quality higher education.
Access and admission to college can be a barrier – but it doesn’t have to be. Help students break down those barriers by using your well-earned experience and wisdom to guide them to success. Breakthrough Atlanta needs regular volunteers on Saturdays during the school year & for summer school to mentor students along their path to college. Become a mentor with College AIM, helping students with their applications. Annually, our partner The Posse Foundation needs interviewers to help select their leadership & scholarship students.
6. Get Artsy!
Paint Love is looking for resident artists bring your unique workshops + programing to kids. ARTportunity Knocks hosts an annual showcase, and uses volunteer music & drama instructors. Get your friends or coworkers out to install a mural in a local school lead by Learning in Color. Oh, and don’t forget about our local arts institutions like Woodstock Arts, who use volunteers to make their concert series a smash hit.
7. Support the whole student.
Equally as important as academics, is social emotional learning (SEL). This type of programming exists to encourage students to develop strong relationships, and build skills like responsibility and self-confidence. Role models are needed always! Help kids grow as teammates and leaders as a coach for Soccer in the Streets. Dedicate your positive and uplifting energy to supporting grieving children as a regular buddy or Good Mourning Camp counselor with Kate’s Club. Develop healthy nighttime routines, and encourage literacy, with the Pajama Program, who’s mission is to ensure kids are well-rested and energized once they arrive to the classroom. Welcome new refugee families to the states by helping to set up Co-op housing or creating welcome baskets of basic necessities and comforts with New American Pathways.
8. Transform young women into leaders.
Throughout the year but especially in the summers, we’re looking for women to support younger women by taking on the uniquely important role of informal mentorship. You’re needed to tell your story, share your lessons learned and advice, and offer up encouragement to the next generation of girls. Black Girls Smile has year-round programming, supporting SEL and mental health. Girls of Excellence works directly in schools supporting at-risk girls during the school day, and can always use leadership speakers. Annually, join the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta’s Teen Leadership Summit, in partnership with Communities in Schools, to offer workshops on topics like entrepreneurship and netiquette to 100 elementary and junior high school girls. Girl Talk hosts a summer camp as well, with an emphasis on leadership skills & connecting girls to meaningful role models. If academics are more your style, you could spend the summer as a counselor at STEM Camp with Girls Inc, doing experiments and demonstrations with elementary & junior high school girls – they also use volunteer year-round.
9. Support local educational attractions.
Help our major educational & cultural institutions to be able to offer quality programming for local students and families. Whether you work as a greeter, a docent, with special programming or engaging with exhibits, there is plenty to be done. You can keep the people & animal operations running smoothly at Zoo Atlanta, or hang out with the dinosaurs at Fernbank. Harness the legacy of Atlanta’s history & shape the future for our students by supporting the Center for Civil & Human Rights, or work virtually helping out the Out of Hand Theater so they can continue to offer their Creative Kids programming.
Learn how we’re mobilizing the Atlanta community to build educational equity, and find more ways to support students at https://www.handsonatlanta.org/education.
5 Days of Building Dr. King's "Beloved Community"
Thousands of volunteers helped Hands On Atlanta and over 50 of our nonprofit and school partners improve food security and educational equity for families and students, improved the environment and sustainability across metro Atlanta and so much more throughout the 8 days in September - culminating on Sept. 27, 2022, Arthur Blank's 80th birthday.
From January 12-16, 2023, Hands On Atlanta convened over 2,000 volunteers to serve 5,000 hours in support more than 40 nonprofits and schools as part of the 2023 MLK Days of Service!
With the generous support of presenting sponsor, The Coca-Cola Company, volunteers joined more than 100 service projects and events that had a focus on improving educational and housing equity, food security, and the environment.
Check out some of our highlighted projects and events below and don’t forget to share your MLK Days of Service experience with us on our social channels, tagging #mlkatl.
Mega Hope Kit Pack
Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023
We kicked off our 2023 MLK Days of Service from our warehouse at 970 Jefferson with our friends and partners at Ebenezer Baptist Church, Hope Atlanta, Restoring One’s Hope, and MLK Resource Collaborative!
150 Volunteers from OneDigital, Kilpatrick Townsend, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Change Healthcare and the Atlanta Braves Foundation packed over 2,000 Hygiene Kits, Snack Pack Kits, and Welcome Home Kits with donated items from Brawny, Dixie and Angel Soft!
“It was great event and was great to collaborate with other organizations such as Home Depot. Snapper was a great supervisor and really enjoyed being on his team! ”
Meals4Kids Meal Pack
Friday, Jan. 13, 2023
Food insecure households are often challenged to access nourishing, healthy meals while also covering housing costs on a limited budget.
For Day 2 of our MLK Days of Service, 75 volunteers from Deloitte, the Braves Foundation and Towerpoint joined our partners at Urban Recipe to pack 1,000+ meals (600 meal bags and another 110 food boxes) for families in need across metro Atlanta.
“Very efficient! I was amazed at how much we got done in the amount of time!”
Discovery + House Proud
Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023
We celebrated day 3 on a cold and windy Saturday morning with a couple of service projects and a lot of fun!
50 volunteers from US Bank/Elavon and Morris, Manning and Martin, LLP joined our Discovery program at Parklane Elementary for an educational and engaging morning with students. Georgia Power brought their Learning Power STEAM Truck and volunteers to Belmont Hills Elementary!
We then headed over to the Atlanta Community Toolbank, home of House Proud, where volunteers from Target cleaned and organized their warehouse, painted/branded tools and even built a storage shed!
Photo by Steve Swieter, www.swieterimage.com
9th Annual MLK Sunday Supper
Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023
Thanks to our presenting sponsor, The Coca-Cola Company, 150 corporate and community leaders joined us around the table for an authentic conversation about housing equity at the National Center for Civil & Human Rights.
Featured speakers included Mayor Andre Dickens, Rev. Natosha Reid Rice, and a panel including Renee Lewis Glover and Principal Jovita Wallace, moderated by 11Alive’s Cheryl Preheim.
In partnership with our friends at 11Alive, the evening will air as part of a segment on affordable housing Jan. 21 and 22..
“Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God’s children.” That door to opportunity is home ownership — which, for most Americans, is their single most valuable asset.””
Truly Living Well Farm Beautification
Monday, Jan. 16, 2023
Celebrating the King Holiday with our 5th and final day of our 2023 MLK Days of Service at Truly Living Well - an agricultural hub for the West Atlanta community.
400+ volunteers from The Home Depot Foundation, Salesforce, Microsoft, Clark Atlanta University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, AmeriCorps, Most Valuable Kids and Breakthrough Atlanta joined Hands On Atlanta and our partners at Westside Future Fund to protect the farm over winter and into the spring months.
“I have volunteered in various projects for more than 40 years and I have never felt so appreciated. The event was organized, it was fun, it was purposeful. Well done, Hands On Atlanta.”
More ways to celebrate the 2023 MLK Days of Service:
“Great service project - liked that the shift was manageable, the people at Books for Africa were very nice, able to accommodate a large group, and I’ll definitely be back. ”
“Great cause that I’d like to support more in the future. Very relaxing and informative. The time flew by. I can definitely work with this organization again. ”
On Thursday, Jan. 12, volunteers from Kia and the community joined a fun, virtual project from, where they wrote jokes and letters of encouragement to students in our partner schools. The jokes and notes will be placed in their Meals4Kids meal bags that will be sent when school is on break!
We’re collecting jokes and notes through Jan. 21, 2023. Sign up now and get everything you need to join from home.
In partnership with Inclusivv and as part of our MLK Sunday Supper call to action, volunteers stepped up to host their own “conversation that matters” about equitable housing on Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023.
You can find a conversation to join or host your own here!
Morehouse College hosted their Bonner Office of Community Service Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 16 as part of their King Day Commemoration, but they have a ton of events you can join, happening throughout January.
Explore all of their events and join them here.
Atlanta Public Schools challenged thousands of their students, families and staff to “take the day on” and join a family friendly volunteer project on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023.
You can join the challenge all January long by serving with one of these projects appropriate for kids 14+.
Visit www.mlkatl.org for more information and to explore all of the MLK Days of Service projects and events happening throughout January.
6 Ways to Give Thanks for Thanksgiving
Tis the giving season and we’ve got plenty of opportunities for you to do something good this Thanksgiving. From Saturday, Nov. 19-Saturday, Nov. 26 we have 125+ projects in need of extra hands. So, whether you’re looking to continue your family tradition of service or looking to start a new tradition with your friends, check out these featured opportunities to give back.
Tis the giving season and we’ve got plenty of opportunities for you to do something good this Thanksgiving. From Saturday, Nov. 19-Saturday, Nov. 26 we have 125+ projects in need of extra hands. So, whether you’re looking to continue your family tradition of service or looking to start a new tradition with your friends, check out these featured opportunities to give back.
Fight Food Insecurity
Food is an urgent basic need – and those who struggle to feed their families, feel it each and every day. Students are unable to concentrate in the classroom, families who are food insecure experience more frequent and severe health issues, and socioeconomic growth is affected. The good news is, you can help. Our partner organizations on the frontlines of the fight for food security (often working on shoestring budgets) rely solely on volunteers to collect, organize and distribute food. Join our partners to support their work to feed Atlanta.
Serve with the whole family
Thanksgiving is the perfect time of year to reinforce service as a family value! Volunteering is also a fun, meaningful activity that builds community, empathy, self-worth. We’ve pulled together projects fit for the whole family.
Discovery at Parklane Elementary
This Saturday, Nov. 19, join Hands On Atlanta volunteers at Parklane Elementary and provide enrichment activities, including lessons in STEAM, social-emotional learning, and health and wellness in a structured and fun environment.
Thanksgiving Feast and Food Giveaway
On Saturday, Nov. 19, help Ebenezer Baptist Church with their Thanksgiving feast and food giveaway! Volunteers will assist with breakdown and cleanup of the event and transport items to the respective areas.
Help Feed 500 Families
Join C.H.O.I.C.E.S. on Saturday, Nov. 19 to help them teach 500 families how to make a Thanksgiving meal. You’ll pack bags, load cars and perform other volunteer tasks to ensure they feed 500 families in Dekalb County for Thanksgiving.
Help Before Your Second Helping
Volunteers are needed at the Invesco QQQ Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon, 5k, Mile and Dash on Thanksgiving Day. Fill the important role of ensuring runners are safe and have fun! Jobs vary from hydration stations to course monitors and cheering on runners! Volunteers are the heart and sole of Atlanta Track Club. Without the support of Atlanta Track Club volunteers, they would not be able to put on some of the most successful running events in the US.
BONUS - MAKE A DONATION
If you can’t get away to volunteer for Thanksgiving or if you want to let our hands be yours, consider making a donation! For every dollar donated, we’ll turn it into $6 of economic impact. Your donation can help support food security, educational equity and more impact across metro Atlanta.
Host a drive for the holidays!
The holidays are approaching fast and we’re already getting a lot of requests for donating items or hosting drives to help those in need across metro Atlanta. We’ve laid out a step-by-step guideline and best practices to make your drive a big success.
The holidays are approaching fast and we’re already getting a lot of requests for donating items or hosting drives to help those in need across metro Atlanta. Thank you for thinking of our neighbors and looking for unique and creative ways to help.
Below we’ve laid out a step-by-step guideline and best practices to make your drive a big success.
💥 Decide what kind of impact you want to make.
Think of who and how you want to help your community. For example, maybe you want to collect school supplies to support students returning to school in the fall, or maybe you’d like to support new mothers in need? There are a lot of impact areas where your network of friends, family and colleagues can help with! For a great list, check out the filter on our volunteer portal to find impact areas and organizations working to address them.
🔎 Identify a partner nonprofit to receive the donations.
Do a little research (we have a fantastic list of vetted nonprofit partner organizations you can browse) and find an organization that is working to solve the same community issues you want to make impact in with your drive.
⚙️ Work out the logistics.
Reach out to the partner, and find out if they’re up for receiving donations from your drive. You’ll want to get their specific request list of items, and find out when they need the supplies by. For example – did you know that the best time to deliver school supply donations is in early July? That gives the nonprofit the time to distribute them, before schools starts. Talk to the nonprofit partner about best times and dates for you to deliver, how the supplies should be packaged, and what items should not be avoided.
*NOTE: If you're doing a drive for holiday gifts, be sure not to collect wrapped gifts, unless the organization has requested this. Most organizations prefer for the parents or gift-giver to be able to wrap + give the gift directly to the recipient - and we totally agree with this!
⏳ Choose a timeframe.
Typically, 2 weeks is the ideal timeframe for a supply drive – meaning, the targeted participants have 2 weeks to purchase or find the supplies and deliver them to the collection site. Again, don’t forget to take into account the time when the nonprofit needs the supplies, and the time it’ll take you to inventorize and deliver the supplies – give yourself about a week to do that.
📣 Publicize the drive.
Sharing on social media and within group chats is the easiest and fastest way to spread the word. You can also create flyers with ALL information (supply lists, collection dates + locations, who to email with questions) and get these out to your group via email campaigns, passing them out at existing events like all-staff meetings or placing them in common areas like elevators and cafes. Asking group leadership to introduce the drive to the group can go a long way, too!
🗑️ Place collection bins out.
These should be in common areas, where your group will already be going – hallways and elevator banks are ideal. This also means your participants will walk by them frequently and be reminded.
🚀 Continue promoting!
Continuously remind your participants throughout the drive window, to participate. Remind them of the deadline, any incentives and the meaningful impact they are making!
📊 Take inventory.
After the deadline for donations has passed, count up the supplies and consolidate them into properly sized packaging. Give the nonprofit partner a heads up of the results via email, before delivering them.
🚚 Deliver!
Pack up the car and bring the donations to the nonprofit partner, at the previously arranged date + time!
Bonus tips and suggestions for an extra-awesome drive:
Make it competitive! Have different teams, departments or subgroups have their own collection bins – who’s will be the fullest, the fastest?
Offer incentives for all participants – a social media badge or even a sticker gives your participants a way to feel recognized as well as spread the word to others for you.
Take pictures, post and tag!