Hands On Atlanta Week 2019 | Service Guide

It’s no secret, Atlanta sets the standard for civic engagement, it’s in our DNA. Our history is full of people and organizations who weren’t afraid to stand for making things better; which built the Atlanta we have today. 

So, on Oct. 5 - 12, 2019, we’re rallying the Atlanta community - companies, nonprofits, community partners, events, and our network of changemakers - to help live Atlanta’s legacy. The best part? We want you and 10,000 ATLiens to join in for a week of good!

Here’s how you can get involved:

Volunteer

Thanks to our incredible sponsors, like Delta Air Lines, our nonprofit and community partners, there are a bunch of ways you can volunteer during Hands On Atlanta Week! When I say a bunch, I mean literally hundreds of ways. Check out these featured projects happening on Saturday Oct. 5:

• 1 Million Meal Pack with the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm!

  • Sign up as a Support Staff volunteer for this Signature Hands On Atlanta Week Kick-Off project and help 5,000 volunteers pack 1,000,000 meals for Atlanta families!

• 48in48

  • Sign up to use your creative talents for good and help 48in48 build 48 websites for 48 nonprofits in a 48 hour hack-a-thon for good!

• The Race Half Marathon and 5K

  • Sign up to help this unique and community focused road race where runners pass through Atlanta, GA's historical Westside neighborhoods!

Click the button below to explore ALL of the volunteer opportunities happening on our calendar the week of Oct. 5 - 12, 2019.

Do Something Good

Hands On Atlanta Week is about civic engagement and getting as many ATLiens as we can (with a goal of 10,000!!) out in the community doing something good.

• Beltline Pop Up

  • On your stroll down the Beltline’s East Side trail on Saturday, Oct. 5, stop in the Beltline Center and help assemble STEAM kits that will be donated back to students at our partner schools!

• Host/Attend a Civic Dinner

  • This October, Civic Dinners will launch The Lovable City conversation in 100 cities across the United States. Join residents and civic leaders as they gather around the dinner table to co-create a better future for their city.

• Answer College and Career Readiness Questions

  • Sign up for CareerVillage.org and help students get advice on their next step. You can help students at your convenience from anywhere! Click here to get started.

• Live on Purpose

  • Sign up to get weekly notifications from Purposity and help support needs in our local community from verified nonprofits. If you want to help, it takes less than a minute! Click here to learn more.

But wait, there’s more…

Looking for some issue education and to learn more about some of the challenges facing our community and the solutions to solve them? Check out these must attend happenings around town during Hands On Atlanta Week.

• Attend the Center for Civil and Human Rights

  • Click here to get exclusive $12 tickets to the Center for Civil and Human Rights during the entire Hands On Atlanta Week!

• Attend the Inaugural Human Rights Film Festival at Morehouse

  • Check out (or volunteer with) the Human Rights Film Festival at Morehouse on Oct. 10-12. Experience film submissions from across the globe, right here in the heart of Atlanta! Click here to learn more.

• Attend Atlanta Pride and Festival

  • Oct. 11-13, the Atlanta Pride Committee will host the annual Atlanta Pride parade and festival to support the LGBTQ community. Show your pride and them serve as an advocate of and resource to gender and sexually diverse communities in Atlanta. Click here to learn more.

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For a full list of volunteer opportunities, community and corporate partners, visit www.handsonatlantaweek.org. We’d love it if you shared Hands On Atlanta Week with your network and we’ve made it really easy for you. Click here to check out our marketing toolkit and thank you for sharing!

Hands On Atlanta Week to Shine a Light on Community Changemakers

Hands On Atlanta, with presenting sponsor Delta Air Lines, will inspire an impactful week of service, highlighting the people, organizations, companies and events doing good across metro Atlanta.   

For over 25 years, the first Saturday of every October has become synonymous with Hands On Atlanta Day, the city’s largest, single day of service. For 2019, the first Saturday in October will kick-off the largest week of service, with a goal of engaging 10,000 Atlantans to do something good.

Whether you’re a part of an organization or event in need of volunteers, a company with a passion to create positive impact, a changemaker with a desire to change your community, Hands On Atlanta Week wants to elevate your reach to maximize the impact.

“Civic engagement is at the core of the Atlanta culture, it’s in our DNA. We believe Hands On Atlanta Week will become the open platform for the next generation of changemakers to solve the growing, complex challenges facing our communities and inspire everyone across metro Atlanta to do something good,” said Jay Cranman, Hands On Atlanta President and CEO.

There will be over 150 service projects happening from Oct. 5-12, 2019, “pop-up” projects at community hotspots along the Atlanta Beltline, at the tailgate of the GSU  vs. Arkansas State football game, and more. Delta Air Lines will host a KABOOM! playground build for employees and members of the neighboring community. Volunteers can support festivals like Atlanta Pride or the A3C Festival and Conference, seniors during the Second Annual Senior Day at the Home Depot Backyard. Volunteers can serve with their skills during a “hack-a-thon” for good at 48in48 and for those wanting a more intimate experience, you can host or attend a meaningful conversation through Civic Dinners. These are just a few of ways the Atlanta community can participate in Hands On Atlanta Week. 

Hands On Atlanta Week will take place from Saturday, Oct. 5 through Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. Get your company, organization, or event involved, and/or serve with your family and friends!

It Takes a Village

Photo by Chris Rank

Pulling off a massive day of service isn’t easy, or for the faint of heart, and to make this past weekend’s Hands On Atlanta Day happen, we had to dig deep and rally the troops. We had 35 corporate sponsors come through (thank you, thank you, thank you and high fives) to support more than 50 projects at nonprofits and schools throughout metro Atlanta. We leaned on our title sponsor, Delta Air Lines, to set the tone for the day at Bolton Academy with 150 employees and another 150 families and community members who rolled up their sleeves to build a Kaboom! playground and outdoor classroom in just 6 hours! But that’s just the start…

Photos by Chris Rank

Each one of our staff and members of our board lead projects, our friends and sponsors at iVision not only put a team together to volunteer at Helping Mamas, but they also joined Jay Cranman, Hands On Atlanta President and CEO on a guided tour of 3 projects, filming the entire adventure (coming soon). Almost 150 task leaders and Hands On Atlanta Civic Leaders stepped up to lead teams and oversee specific project tasks. Hey, someone had to show all these volunteers how to build the bench and plant the tree!

“I had a great day visiting our school sites and seeing so many Atlantans serve on a Saturday! Special shout out to Louis on your team and the volunteers from IBM who painted 3 levels of Price! We appreciate you and your partnership. Congrats on another great Hands on Atlanta Day and always encouraging us to #dosomethinggood.”

— Dr. Meria Carstarphen, Superintendant Atlanta Public Schools

Around 10:00am we were the top trend on Twitter (lasting until almost 4:00pm) and that was thanks to everyone sharing their service! Over 100 volunteers stopped by the Delta Vacations pop up projects along the Beltline. Our new friends (and gracious hosts) at New Realm Brewery gave us the green light to experiment with this wild idea of 4 nonprofits - Atlanta Beltline Partnership, Trees Atlanta, Park Pride, and Hands On Atlanta all coming together to build park benches and bikes, pull weeds and paint terra cotta pots. The team at 48in48 lead a design day, where skills based volunteers came together to create an awareness campaign, highlighting some of Atlanta’s biggest challenges and how you can help be a part of the solution (coming soon).

Our Changemaker Board of young professionals volunteered at Frank L. Stanton Elementary, while for the first time ever, we had all of the Hands On Atlanta Discovery program sites buzzing at 8 partner schools across metro Atlanta. That means parents were engaged, volunteers tutored and mentored, and more than 500 kids had fun doing STEM activities!

You might be asking yourself, self that all sounds amazing (a real community effort) but what does it all mean? Well, I’m glad you asked because we ran a few numbers and here’s a few things we accomplished:

• 34 community spaces and parks were built or improved

• 18 gardens were built or improved

• 9 schools received a makeover, including 4 new outdoor classrooms

• 65 benches and 28 picnic tables were built

How does all this happen? Here’s a quick snap shot of some of the nuts and bolts:

• 1385 pair of gloves

• 235 shovels

• 57 wheel barrows

• 400 paint brushes

“The support this year was phenomenal! We truly appreciate all the supplies and equipment, the snacks and t-shirts, the leadership, our corporate sponsor, LabSolutions and the other volunteers, who provided the smiles, sweat and commitment. They really worked hard and it was really hot out there! So keep up the good work. ”

— Shirley Coleman, Director of Development & Marketing, Sadie G. Mays

And who could forget the Hands On Atlanta Day Kick-Off Party at the Monday Night Brewing Garage on Wednesday?! 300 ATLiens came out for brews and fun, 20 nonprofits showed off the awesome work they’re doing, and we unveiled our volunteer t-shirt design contest winner! Thanks to all the designers, the sponsors and judges, and of course YOU for more than 1,600 votes to help determine the final 5.

“Saturday was flawless! You guys did such an amazing job especially with multiple projects going on at one time in one space. There was never a time in which I thought we needed more people or more supplies. You guys had it all planned and ready to go for us. I look forward to next year’s Hands on Atlanta Day!”

— Meagan Brooks, Atlanticus

There’s more, so many more incredible, selfless individuals who helped pull off another impactful Hands On Atlanta Day. Thank you to everyone, it really does take a village. This was year 29 of Hands On Atlanta Day and we’re already looking forward to seeing so many of you back for our “dirty” 30 next year. Stay tuned!

Top 10 Hands On Atlanta Day Projects to Sign up for Right Now!

Trying to pick your favorite Hands On Atlanta Day volunteer project is like trying to pick your favorite King of Pops flavor... You're leaning towards Chocolate Sea Salt because duh, Chocolate Sea Salt, but that Raspberry Lime is so dang refreshing!

We get it. It's tough. So, to help make it a little easier on you, we hand selected our Top 10 (11 actually, we tossed in a bonus at the end) Hands On Atlanta Day volunteer projects that you can sign up for right now! There's a little bit of something for everyone - get dirty, work with kids, volunteer your creative skills, and more! 

1. TREES ATLANTA  
OCT. 6: 9:00AM - 1:00PM, Thomasville Heights

We're looking for 40 more volunteers will pull nuisance weeds, control invasive plants and protect native trees and plants along the trail.

2. INCOMMUNITY (ROCKDALE CARES) 
OCT. 6: 9:00AM - 1:00PM, CONYERS

There are 50 positions left open for volunteers to help with pressure washing, moving gravel and landscaping.

3. HANDS ON ATLANTA DISCOVERY
OCT. 6: 9:45AM -12:00PM, METRO ATLANTA

The Hands On Atlanta Discovery program is a Saturday morning tutoring program that offers one-on-one and small group enrichment activities for at-risk children. We are looking for volunteers across multiple schools to lead activities and help with reading and math skills for students in kindergarten through 5th grades. Click the button below to view a list of all the schools and locations!

4. KABOOM! PLAYGROUND BUILD WITH WOMEN'S RESOURCE CENTER TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 
OCT. 6: 9:00AM - 1:00PM, METRO ATLANTA
 
8 more volunteers are needed to help with yard clean up, playground building, mulch distribution and cooking.
*All volunteers must complete a background check and sign a confidentiality agreement in order to serve.

5. FRANK L. STANTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
OCT. 6: 9:00AM - 1:00PM, VINE CITY

We’re looking for 30 more volunteers to help assemble & stock the food pantry, assemble holiday hygiene kits and landscape the campus.

6. PEOPLE TV
OCT. 6: 9:00AM - 1:00PM, METRO ATLANTA

25 more volunteers are needed to help repaint hallways and green room, packing + labeling tapes, clean and organize and shred documents.

7. CHASTAIN HORSE PARK
OCT. 6: 9:00AM - 1:00PM, CHASTAIN PARK

We're looking for 50 more volunteers to help remove invasive plants, sweep & clean out barns, sand and repaint existing trail manipulatives and clean jump poles.

8. KIRKWOOD NEIGHBORS ASSOCIATION - CLAY CEMETARY
OCT. 6: 9:00AM - 1:00PM, KIRKWOOD
 
We're looking for 25 more volunteers will clean and maintain the historic Clay Cemetery. Tasks are based on current needs and may include weeding, spreading mulch, cutting grass and cleaning headstones.

9. REDEEM COMMUNITY OUTREACH
OCT. 6: 9:00AM - 1:00PM, NW ATLANTA
 
There are still 65 volunteers positions available to help spread mulch in the fruit orchard, and community garden and cut the grass.

10. CRAWFORD LONG MIDDLE SCHOOL BEAUTIFICATION
Oct. 6: 9:00AM - 1:00PM, METRO ATLANTA
 
20 more volunteers is all it takes to beautify the schools by painting, building picnic tables and benches, beautification, and building a dry erase board.

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Discover Your Impact at Discovery

For the last 28 years, volunteers have been working with students at elementary schools teaching health and wellness, STEM concepts, social and emotional learning (SEL), and more through the Hands On Atlanta Discovery program.

To learn more about this impact program, I sat down with Candice White, Discovery Program Manager, to learn more about why Discovery is so important (now in 11 Title 1, public schools covering from Smyrna to East Point, serving nearly 1,400 students - almost 90% of them receiving free and reduced lunch) and how volunteers, like you, can get involved.  

TIM: For starters, 11 schools, 1,400 students… how do you manage to get it all done?

CANDICE: Well, we’ve added 6 new schools this year and honestly, it’s been a whirl wind! I love it! It’s been a lot of fun, and we’ve received a ton of support from the staff at the schools, our awesome AmeriCorps members, and of course the volunteers who come out each week are fantastic. We have some great School Captains (the point person at each Discovery school) and Grade Captains (running the actual sessions with the students, implementing the curriculum) working hands on in the schools.

“No matter where we come from we’re all a part of the greater Atlanta community and we have to support each other. I feel like it really does take a village to raise each and every child and why not be a part of that village?”

TIM: That’s awesome. [High five!] What do the students learn at Discovery?

CANDICE: Our curriculum varies from school to school, crafting each program to meet the unique needs of the students. We touch on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) which are essential life skills and how the students interact with themselves and each other, as well as health and fitness. We don’t have a ton of time with the kids each Saturday (just a couple of hours) so, it may be a quick experiment learning how an airplane flies or a challenging team building project to create something brand new.

We know that across Atlanta literacy is a huge issue, but we try to be really mindful to not make it like sitting in a classroom for the students. Discovery is a fun addon to weekly learning! It’s also a time to build meaningful relationships between the volunteers and the students.

TIM: I like how the students are learning in fun, creative ways, but Discovery offers more than just the curriculum, right?

CANDICE: Correct. We provide a breakfast and take home snack for the students - mostly fruit or breakfast bars. One day, last year I noticed 1 little girl trying to take more than we are supposed to pass out. At first I didn’t realize what was going on but then it was 3 girls and then more and more. They were just hungry. Then I noticed some of the students coming in with torn shoes and clothing. It was a shock for me and it’s a often a little unsettling for some of our first time volunteers to experience some of the poverty levels these students and families are facing. So Discovery schools are part of our wrap around services we provide to help enrich students’ minds and bellies.

TIM: This sounds like a great program for the students, but also like a really meaningful opportunity for volunteers to get involved.

CANDICE: Most volunteers come for the first time to just see what it’s all about (it’s challenging to explain the “secret sauce” it’s like Disney, you just have to experience it) and they end up having a great time, making connections with the students. We encourage volunteers to come back, because the connection is reciprocal and even if it’s just once a month or a few times a year, the students look forward to seeing the familiar, friendly faces of our volunteers.

If you’re looking to mentor and enjoy making an impact on youth, while also learning something new from them, I think Discovery is the way to go. I think it’s important for people to understand the needs and challenges these students face, as well as getting to know someone that’s a little different than you. No matter where we come from we’re all a part of the greater Atlanta community and we have to support each other. I feel like it really does take a village to raise each and every child and why not be a part of that village?

TIM: So, you have 2 daughters, do they attend Discovery?

CANDICE: I have 2 that are ages 10 and 6 with another on the way! They always give me feedback and they love going to Discovery. Once I can get them out of bed, they really do look forward to going. This year projects they do in Discovery are even coming home and we get to continue the learning and experimenting!

TIM: After 28 years of Discovery, what’s next for the program?

CANDICE: Richard and Debbie Goldsmith kicked things off 28 years ago and still serve at Discovery today! The success of the program is largely due to the incredible support and energy of people like them to help keep it going. As we expand into 11 schools this year, we’re also launching at the Centers of Hope, an after school program at C.T. Martin Recreation Center, implementing some of our curriculum with a big focus on literacy. A lot of the students need help with homework and with reading, so that’s what we’ll be supporting. Again, our AmeriCorps team has been great, stepping in and leading this experiment.

TIM: Well, I’m sold on Discovery. How do I get started?

CANDICE: I thought you’d never ask! Volunteers can get started by signing up to serve for Hands On Atlanta Day. For the first time ever, we’re going to have all 11 schools participating in Discovery on the same day. There are plenty of opportunities at most of the schools and we’re hoping for a big turn out.

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Send Candice your baby name suggestions and any questions or ideas you have for Discovery at cwhite@handsonatlanta.org. If you’d like to help support the meals and materials for Discovery, consider making a donation to Hands On Atlanta.

All Things Hands On Atlanta Day 2018

We're going big

Every year, on the first Saturday of October, ATLiens come together for the city's biggest, single day of service - Hands On Atlanta Day presented by Delta. On just one day, more than 2,500 volunteers will:

• Work on 50+ service projects

• Serve 10,000+ hours in the community

• Support programs that will give over 10,800 kids safe places to learn

• Plant over 100 trees

• Serve over 570 seniors and

• Provide over 15,500 pounds of food and medical supplies for those in need.

For our 29th edition of Hands On Atlanta Day, we're also introducing some new ways to get involved. Thanks to our friends at Delta Vacations, we're bringing "pop-up" projects to the Atlanta Beltline for a bench and bike build (and more). Plus, we're partnering up with 48in48.org for a "Design Day" to create an awareness campaign, and we're also offering online volunteering through CareerVillage.org! 

Y'all, it's going to be awesome. Learn more and sign up to be the first notified when public registration opens the week of Sept. 17!

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Tune into our latest episode of The Weekly High 5, where our Director of Development, Julianna Cagle, sits down for a fun convo to talk all things Hands On Atlanta Day, and a whole lot more!

Still not sure what it's all about?

Check out this recap of last year's Hands On Day and Kick-Off Party.

The Weekly High 5: Getting Ready for Kick-Off

College football season isn't the only thing getting ready to kick-off.

Join the Hands On Atlanta team, corporate and nonprofit leaders, and plenty of changemakers on Wednesday, October 3 at the Monday Night Brewing Garage for a fun evening to kick-off Atlanta's largest, single day of service!

Come for the tasty brews and scenic views of the Atlanta Beltline westside trail, and stay to connect with a nonprofits to learn more about the challenges facing our community and how you can help. Plus, we'll have food and treats from a few of our partners, and unveil our volunteer t-shirt design winner!

$20 gets you in the door, 2 beer tickets and complimentary high fives!

Don't know about Hands On Atlanta Day? On Saturday, October 6, thousands of volunteers will layer fresh paint, landscape, plant gardens, read with kids, work with seniors, build meal kits, and more at 50 schools and nonprofits across metro Atlanta. It's going to be awesome!

Thousands of Volunteers Rise Up for Hands On Atlanta Day

In a word, wow! 

You did it Atlanta. You showed up by the thousands and helped celebrate the city's biggest day of service in grand fashion. From helping raise funds for hurricane relief efforts at our Kick-Off Party, to rolling up your sleeves and getting to work, you showed what it means to be an ATLien. You showcased what empathy and inclusion looks like and more importantly, what can be accomplished when service unites!

Let's take a look back at some of the special moments from the 64 projects and 3,000 volunteers that made the 28th Annual Hands On Atlanta Day such a success.

The Kick-Off Party

Photo by Steve Swieter

Photo by Steve Swieter

Photo by Steve Swieter

Photo by Steve Swieter

Changemakers turned up and turned out for the Hands On Atlanta Day Kick-Off Party. The fundraiser for our sister HandsOn Affiliate organizations impacted by the recent hurricanes saw over 300 attendees who helped with a service project, enjoyed the finest brews Monday Night Brewing has to offer, ate delicious BBQ and helped honor Mayor Reed and First Lady Sarah-Elizabeth Reed with our Changemaker Award for their commitment and dedication to service.

The Mayor and his family surprised attendees with an announcement to match all donations during the event, giving us a total of $5,000 that we'll donate to hurricane relief!

Kaboom! Playground Build with KIPP Vision

Photo by Chris Rank

Photo by Chris Rank

Photo by Chris Rank

Photo by Chris Rank

Photo by Chris Rank

Photo by Chris Rank

Delta and Kaboom! got things started at KIPP Vision Primary School with the energy and excitement we've grown to expect from their annual playground build. The DJ blasted tunes, the volunteer vibes were plentiful, and Atlanta's own Silento surprised everyone with a fun performance! The build ended with King of Pops and a surprise $20,000 donation from Delta to KIPP! The tone was set for the rest of the day as 63 other projects were rockin' and rollin'.

We couldn't make it to all of them, but check out these highlights from around the day. 

 TREES Atlanta at Oakland City MARTA

Photo by Steve Swieter

Photo by Tim Adkins

Photo by Steve Swieter

Photo by Tim Adkins

Photo by Steve Swieter

Photo by Steve Swieter

More than 150 volunteers chipped in for a beautification project with TREES Atlanta. Lee Street was buzzing with community leaders and teammates from Mercedes-Benz, Nebo Agency, and Crosslink. Planting a tree is no easy task, so the pro's started the day with step-by-step instructions and then the volunteers broke out into groups and got to planting. A camera crew from Major League Soccer's Beyond the Stands was on-site to feature the community focused work Atlanta United support club, Terminous Legion gets into every month.

By 1:00pm we were the top trend on Twitter!

Not only did volunteers show up in person, but they shared their volunteer vibes all across the internet! Our Instagram and Twitter accounts were on fire all day, and for the week #handsonatl surpassed 3.7 million impressions. 

Discovery at Parklane Elementary

Photo by Steve Swieter
 

Photo by Steve Swieter
 

Photo by Steve Swieter
 

Photo by Steve Swieter

Photo by Steve Swieter

Over 100 kids showed up for a morning full of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programming. Volunteers from FirstData and Mercedes-Benz worked through the curriculum and finished the day with plenty of high fives!

Changemakers at Peyton Forest Elementary

The all-new Hands On Atlanta Changemakers Board teamed up with FirstData at Peyton Forest Elementary to help with some paint projects throughout the building. They arrived ready to add some color and energy, but ended up taking away much more than they gave. 

“What we’re trying to do here is change the trajectory of children’s lives. And the way we do this is to offer them an alternative to what life can be. And one of those things is coming to a place that makes them feel like they deserve it, to let them know that they are worth it.”

— Cynthia Gunner, Principal at Peyton Forest Elementary

Hustlin' with 48in48

Photo Credit: 48in48 Facebook Page

Skills based volunteers crammed into an all-new co-working space in Underground Atlanta to build 48 websites for 48 nonprofits in 48 hours. The social innovation hack-a-thon brought together some of Atlanta's top creatives and developers to pull it all off.  

Thank You!

Thank you to the 3,000+ volunteers who came out, to the more than 30 corporate sponsors who helped make it happen (especially our Title sponsor, Delta). Thank you to the 64 nonprofits and schools for your hard work in planning and preparation. Thank you to our partners (TEDxPeachtree, 48in48, and A3C), and a special thanks our team - the hardest working service nerds in the business! THANK YOU all for the impact you helped create.

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What's next?

Go volunteer! We have projects listed on our site every day of the week. Our next annual day of service will be our MLK Day of Service, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the King Holiday.