THE CITIZEN BLOG
THE CITIZEN BLOG
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.
2024 9/11 Day in Review | Atlanta Remembers What We're Capable of Doing Together
For the last 5 years, we’ve gone big to commemorate the 9/11 Day of Remembrance. The day of service that originated in an effort to “take back the day,” highlights the good that can be created when we unite in service. Together, more than 1,400 volunteers packed 510, 336 meals. The meals were donated to the Atlanta Community Food Bank for distribution to families across the region.
For the last 5 years, we’ve gone big to commemorate the 9/11 Day of Remembrance. The day of service that originated in an effort to “take back the day,” highlights the good that can be created when we unite in service.
This year… y’all, Atlanta’d!
Together, more than 1,400 volunteers packed 510, 336 meals.
The meals were donated to the Atlanta Community Food Bank for distribution to families across the region.
The vibes were high all-day, led by our emcee’s Jay Cranman, Hands On Atlanta President and CEO, Aisha Howard, morning anchor at 11Alive and from the one and only DJ Smoove, who had everyone in the GSU Convocation Center moving. It was a great party, for good, in Summer Hill.
The day was split into 2 shifts, where volunteers served alongside community leaders, first responders from the Atlanta Police and Fire Departments and even Freddie Falcon stopped by to help pack a few meals and give some high fives… or high wings? Other special guests and highlights include Miss Georgia, Lula Louizaire, a performance of “America the Beautiful” by 45 members of Georgia State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble under the direction of Georgia State Director of Bands, Robert J. Ambrose, Andrea Wiggins, Outreach Director, Northwest Georgia Office of U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, and Chandra Harris, State Director, Office of John Ossoff.
Next up, we’re keeping the Hunger Action Month momentum moving and will join 5,000 volunteers at State Farm Arena for the Million Meal Pack on September 21, 2024.
If you’re feeling a little FOMO and want to join our fight against food insecurity, check out our volunteer calendar, where we have 10-20 opportunities EVERY DAY to help feed your neighbors in need.
Thousands of volunteers pack 1.5 million meals for families across Metro Atlanta
Over the course of just 2 days, close to 6,000 volunteers came together to pack almost 1.5 million meals that will be distributed here locally in Metro Atlanta. Hands On Atlanta was there with support staff volunteers to ensure the Million Meal Pack at State Farm Arena and the 9/11 Day of Remembrance at Mercedes-Benz Stadium hit their meal packing goals. Learn more about these fun and meaningful events and how you can get involved in our fight against food insecurity.
On Saturday, September 9, 2023 the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm gathered 5,000 volunteers at the award-winning State Farm Arena to pack more than one million meals as part of the 2023 Million Meal Pack! Volunteers were joined by Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman, Hawks and State Farm Arena Chief Executive Officer Steve Koonin, State Farm Senior Vice President Dan Krause, NBA Hall of Famer and Hawks Legend Dominique Wilkins, Hawks Forward Jalen Johnson and a few other special guests who shared heartfelt gratitude to the volunteers who devoted their time to support the team’s largest single-day community service effort of the year.
Individuals, families, community groups, schools, churches, businesses and more congregated on the arena floor to pack the meals. Together with volunteers from U.S. Hunger and executives from both the Hawks and State Farm, they collectively achieved an impressive total of 1,020,672 meals packed.
“The Million Meal Pack was once again an incredible event, with thousands of volunteers coming together to help our Atlanta neighbors struggling with food insecurity,” said Dan Krause, Senior Vice President at State Farm. “We were proud to bring together local State Farm agents, employees and community volunteers to make a meaningful difference. We appreciate everyone who participated and give thanks to the Atlanta Hawks for our ongoing partnership in giving back and strengthening our communities.”
The packed meals will be distributed throughout the metro Atlanta area with the operational support of U.S. Hunger, a hunger relief organization with innovative programs designed to help feed people struggling with food insecurity. Additionally, 12 other local organizations will help distribute the meals including Atlanta Community Food Bank, Community Assistance Center, Fountain of Hope, Georgia State University Panther’s Pantry, Goodr, Hope Atlanta, Latin American Association, Midwest Food Bank, Meals On Wheels Atlanta, North Fulton Community Charities, Second Helpings and the Salvation Army of Metro Atlanta.
On the following Monday, September 11, 2023, seventeen cities across the country observed the 22nd 9/11 of Remembrance, packing meals for their local communities. In total, more than 6.5 million meals were packed by more than 10,000 volunteers.
Here in Atlanta, Mayor Andre Dickens, several current and former Atlanta Falcons (including our old friend Freddie) joined close to 1,000 volunteers to pack more than 350,000 meals at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
“Today we are packing between 350,000 meals, it’s all going to be oatmeal. It’s going to be distributed to our partners at the Atlanta Community Food Bank, and then they are going to help distribute it to all the food pantries in the metro Atlanta region,” said Jay Cranman, CEO of Hands On Atlanta.
One of the volunteers, Alesha Bell shared, “This is a perfect way to give back and remember the lives lost on 9/11. But also feeding the community is important, it helps us thrive.”
Thank you’s and high-fives to all of our support staff volunteers who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make all of this incredible impact happen! If you want to get involved and do something about food insecurity, click the button below to find an opportunity near you.
Over 172,000 meals packed for metro Atlanta families for the 2022 9/11 Day of Service
On Monday, September 12, close to 400 volunteers spent the day at the Georgia World Congress Center packing more than 172,000 meals for families across metro Atlanta, commemorating the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance.
Photos by City of Atlanta Government
On Monday, September 12, close to 400 volunteers spent the day at the Georgia World Congress Center packing more than 172,000 meals for families across metro Atlanta, commemorating the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance.
Now an annual day of service in Atlanta, this is the 3rd year Hands On Atlanta has partnered with MyGoodDeed (d.b.a. 9/11 Day) the 501(c)(3) nonprofit that created the September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. Their mission is to take back the day, transform the anniversary of 9/11 into a national day of doing good, and in the process rekindle the spirit of unity that arose in America in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Together, we’ve engaged thousands of volunteers and packed over 500,000 meals for metro Atlanta families!
Atlanta Mayor, Andre Dickens and members of the Mayor’s Office joined the meal pack and spoke to the volunteers, sharing his energy, the impact and power of today’s event and thanking all the volunteers and organizers for their efforts.
For this year’s event we teamed up with Meals of Hope, Brave Public Relations, the Georgia World Congress Center, and the Atlanta Community Food Bank (the recipient of the 172,000+ meals) for a meaningful and fun day of service. Guest emcee and WSB-TV evening anchor, Karyn Greer kept the energy in the room electric and brought authenticity to the work and the purpose of uniting in service.
Ashley Graylee, a volunteer from Novelis summed up the event perfectly saying, “Coming together and doing something good for others, it just feels good, and it feels like 21 years later we are still honoring those who have lost so much.”
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?
You don’t have to wait to do something good. From September, 20-27, 2022, we’re teaming up with the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation 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.