THE CITIZEN BLOG
THE CITIZEN BLOG
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!
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.
A Smashing Success: Reviewing the 2022 Spring for Service
For Hands On Atlanta, spring is the season where we take time to recognize the people, the organizations and the events that make Atlanta a little more engaged and equitable and fundraise to continue our essential work. In celebration of Global and Georgia Volunteer Month, this past April, was one of our best spring’s ever! Here’s a recap of what happened.
Spring in Atlanta can be a lot of things to a lot of people. It can be a season of anticipation - the kick-off to festival season, the World Champion Atlanta Braves, and the 17’s favorite, Atlanta United and every students’ favorite - the end of the school year. Spring in Atlanta can also be pretty miserable if you’re the kind of person who’s into consistent weather and prefer to live pollen free. 😜
For Hands On Atlanta, spring is the season where we take time to recognize the people, the organizations and the events that make Atlanta a little more engaged and equitable and fundraise to continue our essential work. In celebration of Global and Georgia Volunteer Month, this past April, was one of our best spring’s ever!
In total, we mobilized close to 3,000 volunteers to serve more than 15,500 hours across metro Atlanta throughout April, 2022.
Here’s a quick recap of what happened.
As a result of the pandemic, last year we pivoted to an online, peer-to-peer fundraiser. In addition to it being safe, it was also a great alternative to the rather off-brand “gala” style events we’ve hosted in the past. We learned a lot and with the help of a huge match from our board, we smashed our fundraising goal, bringing in over $140,000 from close to 400 donors!
The dollars raised will help us continue to address food insecurity and further close the education gap by mobilizing the volunteer workforce that powers Atlanta’s nonprofit sector. In total, the campaign will generate more than $850,000 in economic impact across metro Atlanta.
Watch to learn what more volunteers mean to our nonprofit partners, Urban Recipe and Truly Living Well.
Special thanks to our Spring for Service campaign sponsors!
Throughout April, we celebrated some huge, annual days of service, and hosted a few large projects - in addition to over 1,000 volunteer opportunities on our calendar! We kicked off the month with Good Deeds Day and supported a “women’s build” event with 48in48 and settled into National Volunteer Week before closing out Global Volunteer Month with Earth Day, Global Youth Service Day and a massive skills-based opportunity at the 2022 DECA International Career Development Conference.
Other notable projects included some fun and impactful meal packs with 100+ employees from Mingledorffs and LexisNexis Risk Solutions, who packed 1,200 meals. All the meals packed will benefit students and families at our partner schools.
As if it wasn’t enough, our team also worked tirelessly to pull of a massive effort in partnership with the Atlanta Braves Foundation, to celebrate Hank Aaron Week (May 3-7). The Braves front office staff volunteered at Browns Mill Urban Food Forest, planting gardens with all kinds of vegetables, repairing the greenhouse and building little “free libraries,” all while celebrating a chance to serve the community. In addition, they installed an edible wall, where the vines of raspberries, blackberries and other fruit will grow vertically, giving Browns Mill Park neighbors more healthy food options. Learn more here.
Throughout the month, nominations poured in from nonprofits, corporations and individuals, recommending we spotlight a special volunteer who’s made a difference for Atlanta. We’ve shined a light on students, community activists, teachers and others doing good. Explore ALL of these volunteer spotlights, highlighting the incredible efforts from volunteers across metro Atlanta here!
BUILDING A BELOVED COMMUNITY WITH CAPTAIN APRILLE MOORE
KIP THOMPSONA IS RUNNING FOR INCLUSION AND INSPIRING THE NEXT GEN
Ready to do something good?
If you’re feeling inspired by the impact donations can create, the projects and events that support our community or the people doing the work, we’ve made it easier than ever to get involved. Click here to donate or explore our volunteer calendar, where we have 200+ weekly opportunities waiting for you to sign up for!
Make a Difference with DECA
DECA is a nonprofit student association that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management, and they will be hosting their annual International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Atlanta in April. DECA is bringing 20,000 high school students to Atlanta for the event, and they need more than 1,000 VOLUNTEERS to participate as judges for career-related competitive events at the Georgia World Congress Center on April 24 and/or 25.
DECA, a nonprofit student association that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management, is bringing 20,000 high school students to the Georgia World Congress Center on April 24-25, 2022 for their annual International Career Development Conference.
Over 1,000 (yes, 1,000!) volunteers are needed to participate as judges for career-related, competitive events. Some perks for volunteering as a judge include free parking, on-site training, breakfast and lunch.
3 reasons TO BE A VOLUNTEER JUDGE:
1. Feel inspired
Witness the business world through a different lens and gain a fresh perspective while listening to student presentations and engaging in role play opportunities. Students will bring a sense of enthusiasm, creativity, and professionalism that is bound to impress.
2. Cultivate the future
The International Career Development Conference is the culmination of an entire year of the hard work, preparation and dedication by students and competitors internationally. Empower these youth and help develop the future workforce! Your insight, feedback and time is integral in propelling high school students beyond the classroom and getting them ready to take on the world.
3. Make an impact
When you do good, you feel good. Volunteering will not only boost your morale and sense of purpose but will do the same for high school students. There’s no stage, no awards, no pinnacle achievement without you, the judge. Your service is crucial to the success of emerging leaders and makes a tangible change in a student’s life.
If you're looking for a unique way to support education or if you're a professional looking to share your expertise with the next generation, this is the volunteer opportunity for you!
“Our judges are the final obstacle a DECA member must overcome before earning the coveted DECA Glass. Without judges acting in the role that they do, our members would not be able to gauge their growth as a speaker, competitor or leader. The impact a judge makes in the development of the next generation of emerging leaders and entrepreneurs is monumental. The business model of this organization relies on quality, professional individuals to act as judges to provide them with feedback, skills, and tools they can use to change the world.” ”
Please email volunteer@deca.org for more information.
The Art of Moving Forward | A look back at the 2022 MLK Days of Service
Dr. King once said, “If you can’t fly then run. If you can’t run then walk. If you can’t walk then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”
It’s relentless forward motion, and as we all know, trying to tackle Atlanta’s most pressing needs is never easy. During the 2022 Hands On Atlanta MLK Days of Service, some of us went from flying to crawling in the matter of a few hours.
Dr. King once said, “If you can’t fly then run. If you can’t run then walk. If you can’t walk then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”
It’s relentless forward motion, and as we all know, trying to tackle Atlanta’s most pressing needs is never easy. During the 2022 Hands On Atlanta MLK Days of Service presented by The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, some of us went from flying to crawling in the matter of a few hours. With a mix of Covid concerns and a winter storm, projects and events that took months to plan were flipped on their head. But Atlanta, you kept moving forward. It took some old fashioned hard work, determination, quick thinking, patience, a little bit of luck and a pure passion to help build Dr. King’s “Beloved Community” that made this year’s King Holiday so meaningful. It’s surely the kind of thing we’ll be talking about for year’s to come.
Together, 1,500 volunteers and participants attended over 200 volunteer projects and events, supporting 60 nonprofits and schools. In addition, thousands of engaged citizens visited the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, the King Center and the Atlanta History Center to learn about Dr. King’s life and legacy and to share their own personal experiences with each other. Morehouse College will continue their King Holiday programming throughout the month.
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 #mlkatl22.
8th annual mlk Sunday Supper
On Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, close to 200 corporate and community leaders from across metro Atlanta united, virtually, for our 8th annual MLK Sunday Supper presented by The Coca-Cola Company. This year’s event provided guests an intimate, vulnerable, and thought-provoking experience, with guided conversations about What We Teach Our Kids About Race.
The evening featured special guests Brandon Fleming, founder and CEO of the Harvard Diversity Project and Dr. Beverly Tatum, president emerita at Spelman College, as well as 30 Atlanta changemakers as breakout facilitators. Hosted by 11Alive’s Cheryl Preheim, the evening also including moving performances (above) from spoken word poet Ashlee Haze and sensory artist Siana Altiise.
Heart is full, mind is focused after engaging in the @HandsOnAtlanta #MLKATL22 #SundaySupper - Joined with many Atlantans to talk about our experiences as children in learning about race. My big take away - being a courageous parent for Bleu as it relates to race. pic.twitter.com/iTivnzUrmi
— Adrienne Annice 🍑🫐 (@LadyA08) January 17, 2022
Joining community leaders as a facilitator for @HandsOnAtlanta #MLKSundaySupper for a conversation about engaging our kids on the topic of race. As a new father, it’s important that we lean into these uncomfortable conversations — our silence itself, is a (1/2) pic.twitter.com/ArborRYmxW
— Phil Olaleye (@PhilForGeorgia) January 16, 2022
SERVICE WITH SCALES AT Disco’S POP-UP
Disco, our virtual Saturday enrichment program, had some special guests for our in-person pop-up event on Saturday, Jan. 15! Students from our partners schools got hands on with some critters like snakes, spiders, and even a baby hedgehog! Volunteers from NCR and our AmeriCorps team helped ensure the students (and the animals) had a great atmosphere for learning and discovery.
FEEDING NEIGHBORS WITH EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH
Today we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As a sponsor of the 2022 MLK Days of Service hosted by @handsonatlanta, we joined colleagues across the Blank Family of Businesses to pack meal kits.
— Arthur Blank Foundation (@BlankFoundation) January 17, 2022
We hope you’ll join us in Dr. King’s call to service. pic.twitter.com/9ES0dqFrrb
There was no better place to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. than at his home at Ebenezer Baptist Church. In partnership with the Ben Crump Single Parents in Need Feeding Initiative and the hard work of volunteers from the surrounding community and from The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, 1,000 meal bags were packed! Volunteers also wrote letters of encouragement that went in each bag of food. The meal bags were then distributed on Dr. King’s birthday, Saturday, Jan. 15.
URBAN FOREST RESTORATION WITH WAWA
So proud of my mentee, Solomon Seaborn, for this well-deserved honor! His ❤️ for service was evident even as our @KIPPWAYSAcademy 6th grader 18 years ago! As a @HandsOnAtlanta board member, I love that we are celebrating men and women who lift up their communities!@BTCHiewet https://t.co/KOSLVd0lRk
— President/CEO Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (@BGCMA_CEO) January 17, 2022
Volunteers (including Senator Jon Ossoff pictured above with members of our AmeriCorps team) braved the elements and worked hard to provide actions to maintain stewardship, history, and beautification, as a “Beloved Community” with the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance (WAWA). Volunteers cleared trail paths, marked trails, spread mulch, removed limbs and invasive plants, and more at their Outdoor Activity Center in the historic Oakland City neighborhood.
In addition to this huge, hard working day of service. Hands On Atlanta Civic Leader and dedicated WAWA volunteer, Solomon Seaborn received the January, 17 2022 Points of Light, Daily Point of Light Award.
Learn more about Solomon’s story!
lEARNING IN COLOR MURAL AT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL
Thank you @HandsOnAtlanta for planning so many great volunteer projects this weekend. We made today a day ON, not a day OFF at the International Community School, sorting books in the library. #MLKDay pic.twitter.com/L3Z5fKqMgx
— Rep. Betsy Holland, HD54 (@BetsyforGeorgia) January 17, 2022
It was all smiles and lots of fun at the International Community School, (an educational haven for refugee students from all over the world) where volunteers from the community and WarnerMedia teamed up to paint and beautify the school with a mural from Learning in Color! The mural represents the core values that the school stands for and the core values that Dr. King dedicated his life for; equity, inclusion, diversity and acceptance of all cultures and ethnicities. The project added aesthetic value and cultural significance to International Community School and as you can see in the video above, the kids love it!
Office Meal Pack
Spent #mlkday volunteering with Hands on Atlanta to help school kids affected by food insecurity. No one should go hungry in a first world/developed nation. pic.twitter.com/2uWAYklc9Z
— Tyler Lee (@tylercampaigner) January 17, 2022
Over at the Hands On Atlanta office, 50 highly motivated and energetic volunteers from Coca-Cola, MAPP, Towerpoint and our AmeriCorps team spent MLK Day packing 800 meal bags for students at Love T. Nolan Elementary School! In addition to packing meals, volunteers also wrote notes of encouragement for the kids, and placed finished kits in boxes to deliver to the school later this week.
Beautification at InCommunity
The volunteers that served at InCommunity had a big job on their hands, to improve a day program center that provides educational, creative, and social opportunities for up to 55 adults with disabilities. Community volunteers revitalized the center with tasks like raking leaves, clearing branches, painting, decorating and organizing classroom spaces.
VIRTUAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
EDUCATION EQUITY With DR. CHANIKA PERRY
Throughout our MLK Days of Service, participants from NCR, KaVo Kerr and American Tower spent their lunch hour virtually with Hands On Atlanta's resident education expert, Director of Education Programs, Dr. Chanika Perry, to learn more about education inequities in our country. After a brief issue education presentation and thought starters, attendees participated in a facilitated, curated discussion and thought sharing on how to build a more equitable future for the next generation.
FOOD SECURITY WITH ATLANTA COMMUNITY FOOD BANK
Participants from CRH Americas, Change Healthcare, HOK, Norfolk Southern, OneDigital, and NCR virtually came together for a presentation from Hands On Atlanta and the Atlanta Community Food Bank to learn more about Atlanta's fight against food insecurity. The attendees joined an interactive simulation that put themselves in the shoes of others to experience the realities of food insecurity and economic life choices that need to be made daily. Guests left empowered with resources to advocate and participate in the fight against hunger.
SHARE YOUR MLK DAY EXPERIENCE
Now that you’ve read some of the highlighted moments and projects of our MLK Days of Service, we’d love to know how you celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. King. Share your activity or reflection points with us across our social channels by following @handsonatlanta and using the hashtag #mlkatl22.
If you’re feeling inspired to get involved, there are still several MLK Day related activities throughout the rest of the month. Hop over to mlkatl.org for more info and to find an opportunity to engage.
9 PROJECTS TO RING IN THE HOLIDAYS
Are you in the giving spirit and looking for a fun and meaningful way to give back this holiday season? With a focus on fighting food insecurity, we’ve got your back with 9 hand selected projects (and a lot more) that are serving the community for the holidays.
Are you in the giving spirit and looking for a fun and meaningful way to give back this holiday season? With a focus on fighting food insecurity, we’ve got your back with 9 hand selected projects (and a lot more) that are serving the community for the holidays.
Community Food Box Build Out
HOPE Atlanta is looking for volunteers on Wednesday, Dec. 8 to help pack food into boxes for an upcoming distribution. You can join their efforts to help Georgians avoid homelessness and hunger. Every year HOPE Atlanta supplies more than 40,000 food boxes to neighbors in need, and they rely on volunteers to make this possible.
Amazing Virtual Info Session for Free99Fridge
Ok, so you’ve heard of Free99Fridge, and now you’re interested in learning more about how you can help them fight food insecurity in Atlanta? Here’s your chance! On Thursday, Dec. 9 anyone in the community wanting to learn more about supporting their Solidarity Fridges (located at Best End Brewing, Refuge Coffee, Hodgepodge Coffeehouse and North Decatur Presbyterian Church) is welcome to attend an Amazing Virtual Info Session. Expect a fun, super informal and COVID-safe way to learn more about getting involved, donating food, navigating Slack and all things Free99Fridge.
Gift Sorting
Antioch Urban Ministries is looking for volunteers Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings through Dec. 16 to sort (not wrap) toys for kids who are in need. You’ll be sorting toys by age and gender and bagging them in preparation for distribution.
Clark Howard's Christmas Kids
For 26 years, Clark Howard has been providing Christmas gifts to foster children in the state of Georgia. St. Vincent de Paul Georgia, along with WSB TV/Talk Radio, the Georgia Department of Human Services, and Walmart, work with Clark to ensure that every child has gifts to open on Christmas morning. They need energetic volunteers to help organize the gifts everyday through Friday, Dec. 17. Volunteers will help load and unload trucks, sort and combine gifts for children, help label gifts by county, and ensure each child receives the correct gifts.
Christmas in Coweta
Christmas in Coweta is a program organized by Bridging the Gap, to provide toys, clothing, and other needed items to children in need. Bridging the Gap is a nonprofit organization based in Coweta County, Georgia that provides food, clothing, and ministry to people who are struggling in their community. They are in need of volunteers for various roles and shifts the week of Dec. 12 and Friday, Dec. 17 to help with their event.
6th Annual Christmas Dinner and Toy Giveaway
For this Holiday season, Area in Need Missionary House is looking for volunteers on Saturday, Dec. 18 to assist them in serving men, women and children that live in 4 of their partner hotels and extended stays in the surrounding areas. Volunteers will setup with the tents, tables and items, serve a spagetti dinner, distribute toiletries, gifts, toys and more!
StreetWise Christmas Event and Mobile Food Pantry
On Saturday, Dec. 18, StreetWise Georgia will serve 300 registered families with a Take Home To Cook Christmas Meal and a new gift to unwrap for every child attending this special event. Volunteers will help sort food, prepare food boxes, load boxes into client vehicles, hand out Christmas gifts and so more!
Helping Hands Holiday Dinner
On Saturday, December 18, 250 disadvantaged children will be able to celebrate the holidays as part of the 33rd Annual Helping Hands Holiday Dinner. Volunteers are needed at the Union City, GA location to help give out pre-bagged toys, free giveaways and to hand out drinks and/or snacks.
Christmas Community Food Box Giveaway
Area in Need is hosting a Christmas Community Food Box Giveaway on Tuesday, Dec. 21 where they will provide anyone in the community free food items. Volunteers will assist in preparing boxes, sorting different food items, handing out information sheets and loading food boxes into clients’ vehicles.
But wait, there’s more…
We’ve got even more ways you can volunteer during the holidays - a lot more, actually. There are close to 500 opportunities to give back on our calendar from now through the end of the year. Don’t wait until 2022 to do something good, get started today!
How volunteering can feed those in need & soothe the soul
Traditionally, this time of year brings up many feelings of altruism. As we gather around our tables enjoying meals prepared by and shared with loved ones on dark, chilly evenings, the knowledge that others might not have a holiday meal or food in their cupboards is striking in contrast. Volunteering at a food bank, soup kitchen, or stocking a local free pantry are all wonderful ways to share the love with those who might not otherwise have access to healthy, fresh food.
Traditionally, this time of year brings up many feelings of altruism. As we gather around our tables enjoying meals prepared by and shared with loved ones on dark, chilly evenings, the knowledge that others might not have a holiday meal or food in their cupboards is striking in contrast. Volunteering at a food bank, soup kitchen, or stocking a local free pantry are all wonderful ways to share the love with those who might not otherwise have access to healthy, fresh food.
I spoke with Tim Adkins, Director of Marketing and Communications for Hands On Atlanta about Atlanta’s hunger problem and what is being done to address it. “We can’t keep up with the need from our partners, specifically our food pantry partners,” said Adkins.
Between August of 2020 and July of 2021, Hands On Atlanta has supplied more than 9,500 volunteers to support the Atlanta Community Food Bank as they distribute a whopping 8.6 million meals to 22 food pantries located throughout the city and far into the suburbs. Additionally, Hands On Atlanta’s Meals 4 Kids program and COVID-19 specific relief efforts have supplied 8,000 meals to families in that same timeframe.
“Last year we engaged about 15,000 people in service to serve approximately 130,000 hours in the community,” Adkins explained, and while Hands On Atlanta is an organization dedicated to a myriad of nonprofits in a variety of sectors, Adkins says that the pandemic has really highlighted an increased need specifically centered around food insecurity. Of those 15,000 volunteers engaged by Hands On Atlanta nearly 10,000 were focused on providing healthy meals to those in need.
Calling the issue “just staggering,” Adkins and the Hands On Atlanta team are committed to activating people, both as individuals and within the context of corporate teams, in an effort to facilitate the distribution of donations from organizations to the communities that need them.
“We really wanted to lean in,” said Adkins, who says he has seen exponential growth in the amount of food that has come into the Food Bank and then back out into the community.
While one of the biggest impacts can be seen from companies bringing in teams of employees to volunteer their time, COVID has restricted those opportunities and today most volunteering efforts employ less than 50 people at a time. Nonprofits such as Urban Recipe and the Community Assistance Center regularly post their opportunities with Hands On Atlanta, but are typically seeking between four to six volunteers for a given activation.
Some local companies that have regularly given back through volunteering with Hands On Atlanta include Home Depot, Chick-fil-A, the Coca-Cola Company, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, United Postal Service, NCR, and the Norfolk Southern Railroad.
“Even if you couldn’t physically help, there are things you can do to be supportive like writing a letter in support of someone who may have fallen on hard times. It really does mean a lot, just having some encouragement means a lot. To really understand why, and why it matters, is to create empathy,” said Adkins. And it’s not only good for the community, giving back has benefits for the volunteer as well.
“Studies have shown that volunteering meets all of the things that the pandemic has caused: isolation, stress, feeling no sense of purpose,” Adkins continued. “It has been proven that volunteering gives you confidence, a sense of community, and a sense of purpose. There is intrinsic value as well, it’s great for the community but also for the individual.”
As we talked, Adkins shared a few local organizations that he feels are making great strides in the battle against hunger. Free99Fridge.com, Second Helpings Atlanta – Assemble and Pack Food Donations, and Open Hand Atlanta are all dedicated to providing not only non-perishable and shelf-stable foods, but also fresh fruit, produce, and whole meals to those in need throughout the city.
So this year, if you find that you’ve got enough love to share, whether it be in the form of food or monetary donations or through actual physical assistance to soup kitchen, food pantries, and all of the auxiliary organizations that support the efforts to get food into the hands of those who need it, there are some truly remarkable ways you can aid in the fight against food insecurity.
Get started right now by searching this list of food insecurity related projects on Hands On Atlanta’s calendar. Here are some other projects to explore throughout Thanksgiving:
Volunteer with Atlanta Community Food Bank as an individual or a group
Virtual Meals on Wheels which includes projects people can do from home
Thanksgiving Dinner and Coat Giveaway with Area in Need Missionary House on November 13 and 20
The Pantry at Chapelhill Atlanta on November 20
Thanksgiving Event and Mobile Food Pantry Distribution with Streetwise on November 20
Grady Fresh Food Cart with Grady Health System in Brookhaven on November 24
Stock the Pantry with Grace Community Food Pantry on November 24
Thanksgiving Give Back with SSA, delivering nourishing meals to low-income and homebound seniors in Fulton County on November 20 (Registration required by November 15)
Giving Tuesday with Hosea Helps, this annual Thanksgiving drive-through event at the Georgia World Congress Center Blue Parking Lot seeks volunteers age 12+ to fill 10 shifts on November 19
Volunteer with the Atlanta Mission, serve meals to men residing at The Shepherd’s Inn or the women and children at My Sister’s House, many dates available
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Vaccine Volunteers needed to boost school re-opening
In order to vaccinate thousands of APS educators, APS will need hundreds of volunteers—both medical professionals who will be able to administer the vaccine as well as non-medical volunteers to help staff the events.
With yesterday’s news announcing pre-K-12 educators and school staff to be eligible to receive the vaccine starting March 8, 2021, there is now a sense of urgency around staffing these vaccination events with volunteers. Vaccinating as many staff members as possible will be critical for continuing to open schools safely.
In order to vaccinate thousands of Atlanta Public Schools (APS) educators and staff, APS will need hundreds of volunteers—both medical professionals who will be able to administer the vaccine as well as non-medical volunteers to help staff the events.
“The COVID 19 pandemic has highlighted what educators have known for decades: schools are critical centers of our community and the heartbeat of our ecosystem. Therefore, we are eager to get all of our students and staff back in schools safely and vaccinating all of our educators is the pathway to achieve that goal. As such, we are grateful to any and all medical and non-medical volunteers who will help us with our vaccination events!” ”
GET STARTED!
If you are a medical professional and are willing to help vaccinate APS educators, please consider signing up to volunteer! If you’re not sure if you have the authority to vaccinate, click here to review the Georgia Department of Public Health’s list of healthcare professionals who are authorized to administer vaccinations.
If you are not a medical professional, your help is still needed to serve at the events.
All volunteers must pre-register with the Georgia Department of Public health to volunteer. Don’t wait! With March 8, approaching fast, get started now:
Register at https://servga.gov/ with the organization: Fulton County, Medical Reserve Corps. See below for step-by-step instructions on how to sign up.
Once registered through the state, sign up for a volunteer role for the Atlanta Public School events here.
Specific event/shift dates and times will be emailed to you including volunteer details and more information once confirmed. Anticipated events will likely take place on the weekends. Lunch will be provided for volunteers.
Sign up through the Georgia Department of Public Health
Here’s a quick step-by-step overview to getting signed up. It’s easy and will only take a few minutes to complete your registration.
Visit https://servga.gov and click “Register Now”
At the top section under Volunteer Opportunities click the box for option 2. This will populate a new dropdown for you to choose your organization.
Select your county and click the organization dropdown. Choose “Fulton County Medical Reserve Corps”
Fill out the rest of the information on the page: name, email, etc. to create your profile and click Next at the bottom of the page.
Nice job, you’re almost done!
One the next page click “My Profile” in the top left.
Go through the 8 sections to add the required information to complete your profile. Required information will be marked with an * and a green check mark will appear when each step is finished.
Once this is complete go to your inbox and read the message from Fulton County Medical Reserve Corps.
Follow the instructions about any additional forms you need to complete
Congrats, you’re now eligible and ready to volunteer!
**Don’t forget to sign up for a shift with APS once you’ve registered with DPH.