Celebrate 8 days of service!

It’s time to celebrate! Today is the 8th and final day of the 2022 edition of Hands On Atlanta Week, and it also happens to be Atlanta legend, Arthur Blank’s 80th birthday! We’ve been working side-by-side with our presenting sponsor, Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, all week long - tackling our city’s most pressing needs.

Today is your last chance to get in on all the action. Click below to find a project and get out there and do something good!

last chance to join hands on atlanta week

Books for Africa

Volunteers help us to sort and pack books for shipment, spreading literacy and education all over Africa.

Oakhurst Community Garden

The Oakhurst Garden is our flagship greenspace. We have a mini-farm, chickens, bees, and plots for community members to grow food.

Food Sorting and Distribution

Volunteers are needed to restock inventory on pantry shelves, replenish refrigerators and freezers, and prepare emergency bags for families.

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HANDS ON ATLANTA WEEK

Join Atlanta’s biggest week of service Sept. 20 - 27, 2022! Explore more in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities and events here.

Make the Assist | Help1 million meals get packed

It’s no secret, we’re passionate about fighting food insecurity across metro Atlanta. With more than 22% of Atlantans living below the poverty line, food insecurity is a growing concern in our community. In fact, hunger will impact 1 in 4 Atlanta children at some point this year.

The Atlanta Hawks are rallying the Atlanta community to pack more than 1 million meals for Georgia families facing food insecurity. The Million Meal Pack happens July 16 at State Farm Arena and we need about 200 Support Staff volunteers to help ensure the meals get packed so families get fed.

As a Support Staff volunteer, You will NOT be packing meals. You’ll be assisting the event, leading groups of volunteer meal packers as a Table Captain or by running food, replenishing supplies and packing boxes as a Logistics volunteer. We’ve outlined roles and responsibilities below.

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Volunteer Perks

Those in attendance will be volunteering alongside influencers from the worlds of sports, entertainment, government, and business, during a fun-filled day with music, performances, free swag and more! Everyone who completes a volunteer shift will receive a voucher for a pair of free tickets to a select upcoming Hawks home game. Exact game dates will be available following the release of the 2022-23 season schedule. Volunteers will also get an event t-shirt and a meal at the start of their shift.

Support Staff Roles + Responsibilities 

Table Captains
As a Support Staff volunteer, you’ll be a part of the production team that supports and assists the 5,000 Meal Packing volunteers to ensure we hit the total meals packed goal. As a Table Captain, you’ll be assigned to a table and lead the 10-15 volunteers in packing meals. You will train the meal packing volunteers, oversee the packing process for their table for the entirety of the event and be responsible for cleanup in between meal packing shifts. You should be comfortable speaking in front of and instructing groups, comfortable with ensuring that safety protocols are followed by all volunteers (provided by Meal Pack partner), and ready to help keep energy high and atmosphere fun during packing. You’ll be on your feet and moving throughout your shift.

SIGN UP NOW —>
 
Operations + Logistics
As a Support Staff volunteer, you’ll be a part of the production team that supports and assists the 5,000 Meal Packing volunteers to ensure we hit the total meals packed goal. The Operations + Logistics volunteer will fill and refill meal ingredients from their bags, keep a continual supply at individual packing lines, and work with Table Captains to ensure efficient/proper packaging of individual bags into boxes and onto the pallets. This is a very active role where volunteers need the ability to lift 50 lbs and be on their feet and moving throughout their shift.

SIGN UP NOW —>

Shifts

• 6:30am – 1:00pm: Breakfast and training provided on-site before you volunteer

• 11:00am – 5:30pm: Lunch and training provided on-site before you volunteer

Impact from 2019’s Million Meal Pack

Are you ready to fight food insecurity and have some fun with the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena? Make the assist and sign up now!

A Smashing Success: Reviewing the 2022 Spring for Service

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

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KIP THOMPSONA IS RUNNING FOR INCLUSION AND INSPIRING THE NEXT GEN

READ NOW —>

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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, 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.” ”

— O’Brian Martin, ’21-’22 DECA High School President

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 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.

We hope you’ll join us in Dr. King’s call to service. pic.twitter.com/9ES0dqFrrb

— Arthur Blank Foundation (@BlankFoundation) January 17, 2022

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.

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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.

Atlanta gives back BIG for Hands On Atlanta Week

For over thirty years, the first week in October in Atlanta, has been synonymous with perfect weather (well, maybe not this year), college football, and the city’s largest day/week of service! The 2021 edition of Hands On Atlanta Week, presented by The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, carried our city’s tradition, where thousands of volunteers stepped up and helped tackle our city’s most pressing needs!

Quick Stats, Big Impact

Featured Projects + Events

During Hands On Atlanta Week, over 300 volunteer projects and community events took place! While we can’t highlight all of them, the following in-person and virtual projects and events give you an inside look at the good work that happened.

Virtual

Learning in Color STEAM Mural

Volunteers from LexisNexis Risk Solutions painted a large STEAM mural for M. Agnes Jones Elementary School. The twist? The mural was broken into 100 individual canvases and half of the canvases were painted by volunteers in Atlanta and the other half were painted by a remote team in Florida. The project was organized by Learning in Color. Each volunteer was given their own paint kit with instructions, sketched guidelines, paint, and supplies.

Letters of Encouragement for APS Teachers

Volunteers from Norfolk Southern joined Hands On Atlanta for a Zoom call to learn about the challenges teachers are facing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Together they wrote over 200 cards/letters of encouragement to teachers at Hands On Atlanta partner schools and packed incentive snack bags for students.

Hands On Atlanta Disco Program

Chick-fil-A sponsored 3 Disco sessions (our virtual Saturday, STEM enrichment program) engaging 100 students across 5 of our partner schools. 27 volunteers put in over 50 hours in total, including several Hands On Atlanta Civic Fellows of our recently launched Civic Leadership Program!

In-Person Projects

Fun on the Farm at Truly Living Well

Hands On Atlanta Week presenting sponsor, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation showed up and showed out at Truly Living Well! Volunteers from various Blank organizations (Falcons, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta United, etc.) came together to remove invasive plants from a hillside, spread mulch, and cultivated new usable land for the farm. 12 volunteers from Chick-fil-A rolled up their sleeves and cleared garden beds to prepare for the fall crops. It was a fun, fantastic day on the farm!

International Community School Meal Distribution

Volunteers from ShopCore, an affiliate of the Blackstone Group, packed 440 meal kits for the International Community School (ICS) and 260 meal kits for McLendon Elementary School. The meals were distributed by Hands On Atlanta volunteers and school staff. You can learn more about this distribution here.

Meals 4 Kids Pack - Love T. Nolan

Volunteers from RYAN Companies, Coca-Cola, and Atlanta Select Properties joined a Hands On Atlanta Meals4Kids meal pack and distribution for students at Love T. Nolan Elementary School! Together they packed 700 meals and wrote 900 notes of encouragement!

Barack and Michelle Obama Academy Service Saturday

30 volunteers from Kilpatrick Townsend polished up the school's campus with various concurrent painting and landscaping projects, including 6 of these cool garden beds! They also painted 2 interior walls, 2 trails of footprints on the sidewalk and 2 sidewalk games, assembled 10 pieces of furniture and staged the new Parent Resource Suite.

A Bright Day at Hollis Innovation Academy

Just in time for Fall break, volunteers from NCR’s Black Professionals Forum hosted a Service Saturday! The day focused on polishing up the Hollis Innovation Academy campus by installing 30 inspiring affirmation decals on the outside of restroom stall doors, weeded and layered 5 planter beds, cleaned 4 huge flower pots, planted roses and removed a bunch of rotted wood.

Atlanta ToolBank

The Atlanta ToolBank powered Atlanta's biggest week of service and they received a little love from volunteers too! Teammates from Chick-fil-A helped with tool order logistics for all Hands On Atlanta Week projects and sanded and painted 6 hand sanitizer stands, washed and painted 25 shovels, pressure washed 50+ wheelbarrows, and cleaned and organized the warehouse.

The Kick-Off Party

Oh and let’s not forget about our Kick-Off Party we hosted last Thursday in our parking lot! Sponsors, volunteer leaders and friends of the family stopped by to enjoy good company, good food (donated by Chick-fil-A) and good times (donated Wild Heaven) at our office.

Thank You + High Fives to ALL of our Sponsors!

Hands On Atlanta Week doesn’t happen without the incredible support from our sponsors. Together they powered 300+ projects, supported thousands of families, hundreds of students and helped make a more equitable and civically engaged Atlanta!

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Inspired to get to work?

Hands On Atlanta Week is a snapshot of the work volunteers do every day! If you want to get involved and serve our community, explore our opportunity calendar and do something good!

HANDS ON ATLANTA WEEK TO BRING UNITY AND IMPACT TO METRO ATLANTA

Metro Atlanta’s largest week of service will share over 200 volunteer projects and social good events from Oct. 2-9, 2021

Hands On Atlanta Week, presented by The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, will engage 5,000 people to support 50 nonprofits and schools with more than 200 unique and meaningful volunteer projects and events from Oct. 2-9, 2021. Participants can expect traditional in-person volunteer projects, engaging virtual projects and more during metro Atlanta’s largest week of service. 

Hands On Atlanta Week will focus on the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. With a series of safe, small group in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities, the top priorities will focus on fighting food insecurity and education. In addition, with more than a third of Americans experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression throughout the pandemic, Hands On Atlanta will also focus on the benefits of volunteering as a proven way individuals can regain their feeling of self-worth, purpose and to find human and social connection.

“2021 has been another challenging year for everyone in Atlanta, but the overwhelming feedback from our volunteers has been how helping others has renewed their sense of purpose and connection to their community. Our hope is that Hands On Atlanta Week will give anyone and everyone a way to discover new, safe, and unifying ways to do something good,” said Jay Cranman, Hands On Atlanta President and CEO. 

Hands On Atlanta Week will kick-off with 48in48’s global hack-a-thon for good, where skills based volunteers will build 48 websites for 48 nonprofits in 48 hours. Other marquee projects include a Learning in Color STEM mural for M. Agnes Jones Elementary School by volunteers from LexisNexis Risk Solutions, a meal pack for students and families at Love T. Nolan Elementary School by volunteers from Coca-Cola USA, and a technology boost and beautification at Hollis Academy by volunteers from NCR.

“Hands on Atlanta has a long history of addressing the city’s most urgent needs, and The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation is pleased to support their efforts to provide Atlantans with safe, meaningful opportunities to volunteer in our community. Many of our own associates will be volunteering, and we’re looking forward to gathering together and giving back,” said Fay Twersky, president, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.

Hands On Atlanta Week will take place from Saturday, Oct. 2 through Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. To get your company or organization involved, or to serve with your family and friends, visit www.handsonatlanta.org/week 

Atlanta unites around virtual projects and social justice for the 2021 MLK Days of Service

From Jan. 14-18, 2021, 1,500 people from Atlanta to India (yes, India) engaged in our MLK Days of Service, presented by The Home Depot. More than 30 nonprofits and 30 companies joined the action, hosting or supporting volunteers at 150 in-person and virtual projects and events. Taking the day (and their computers) ON, volunteers rallied behind a unifying message of helping to build Dr. King’s Beloved Community.

Explore some of the highlighted projects, events and impact below.

Featured Virtual Events

7th Annual MLK Sunday Supper

On Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, close to 300 corporate and community leaders from across metro Atlanta joined our virtual MLK Sunday Supper, presented by Coca-Cola. Hosted by 11Alive’s Cheryl Preheim, the evening addressed the Fierce Urgency of Now. With appearances by DeRay McKesson, Stacey Abrams and conversations around racial equity, solutions to systemic problems and moving performances from award-winning poet Alysia Nicole Harris and students in the Atlanta Music Project, it was an evening to remember.

“This is Atlanta.”

— Jenn Graham, Founder of Civic Dinners

“CHILLS, That was incredible and this as a truly inspirational event and beautiful way to start the year.”

— Myra Sky, On-Air Personality and Cause Marketing Manager at 11Alive

Food Equity Lunch & Learn

40 attendees from The Home Depot spent about an hour and a half with Hands On Atlanta to learn more about food inequities in our country. Jon West, VP of Partner Relations led an educational presentation that was followed by curated discussions in small groups, sharing how to build a more equitable future for the next generation.

Hands On Atlanta DISCO

Hands On Atlanta AmeriCorps members and Civic Fellows handed out books, snack bags, building kits, blankets and gloves, stuffed animals and arts & crafts kits to 50 students in our DISCO program.

Letter writing to metro Atlanta Healthcare workers

Volunteers from Coca-Cola, NCR, ADP and Kia rallied together to write over 600 letters of thanks and encouragement to our healthcare heroes!

Advice Mob with Career Villageworkers

Close to 100 volunteers from NCR and CNA answered 150 questions on college and career readiness on CareerVillage.org.

“Use Your Voice Art Project”

This program was designed to give young scholars a chance to share their thoughts and feelings about the protests and violence from this passed summer through art.  Additionally, the process gave students an opportunity, empowering them to talk about ways to make their voices heard through non-violent actions, using Dr. King’s philosophy. Alston and Bird created this unique project in partnership with Andrew P. Stewart Center, Southern Center for Human Rights and UPS. 

Featured In-person Projects

Meal Pack and Drive Through Distribution at Ebenezer Baptist Church

Volunteers from OneDigital, Chick-Fil-A, The Home Depot and the community bundled up and braved the cold to pack over 1200 bags of food, make 57 fleece blankets and distribute the items to 400 families in need! Volunteers were joined by Assistant Pastor of Outreach & Young Adult Ministries, Reverend Bronson Elliott Woods and Georgia’s 58th District Rep., Park Cannon for the full-day of service.

Learning in Color Mural

Volunteers from Coca-Cola and the Atlanta community came out to help Learning in Color paint a mural capturing the memories of Atlanta Public High School's graduating class of 2020.

Chastain Park Beautification

Over 40 volunteers from Target came together to plant 2000 daffodils, clear tons of debris and open vistas for all to enjoy!

Even more impact

• 900+ hours of civic engagement around racial equity in America

• 700+ letters of appreciation were written to metro Atlanta healthcare workers

• 300+ letters of encouragement were written to seniors at A.G. Rhodes

• 550 letters of encouragement were written to students across metro Atlanta

• 35 stories were recorded and virtually played for kids in the Pajama Program

• 20 wellness calls were placed to seniors living in NPU-S neighborhoods

• 7 parks and urban gardens were beautified and improved

celebrate the king holiday

If you didn’t get a chance to join us for our MLK Days of Service, don’t worry, you still have time to join these meaningful projects and events from our community partners throughout January!

We Share The Dream: King's Beloved Community

Join The National Center for Civil and Human Rights for a conversation examining King’s Beloved Community and how the concept of our collective responsibility to the struggles of others is informing modern social justice movements.

REGISTER NOW

Where Do We Go From Here? Facing 2021 and Beyond.

Join Morehouse College for a webinar where panelists will discuss systemic racism, poverty, militarism, and other forms of injustice in our times.

REGISTER NOW

MOREHOUSE COLLEGE HUMAN RIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL VIRTUAL SCREENING

Join a live screening of “Lillian Smith: Breaking the Silence” and a post-film conversation with filmmaker Hal Jacobs, Charles Black and Dr. Vicki Crawford.

Learn more

Do Something Good

Pitch in at Piedmont Park, have fun on Truly Living Well’s urban farm, write thank you letters to our healthcare heroes - there are all kinds of in-person and virtual ways you can help build the Beloved Community throughout January.