THE CITIZEN BLOG
THE CITIZEN BLOG
MLK as a Role Model for Business
As CEO of Dragon Army, a mobile and innovation company headquartered in Atlanta, I believe I have a responsibility to not only rally my team to support our community, but also expose them to new ideas. To challenge their built-in stereotypes and prejudices, and to expand their ability to accept and cherish the differences in their peers.
It’s been over 55 years since Martin Luther King, Jr. led his famous March on Washington. Standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, the world watched as Dr. King gave his famous “I Have A Dream” speech. In his dream, Dr. King spoke of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all, regardless of race, religion or background.
At Dragon Army, we stand for the ideals that Dr. King compelled the world to see; that all people are to be respected and cherished for their diverse backgrounds, not discriminated against because of them. And while he started the march, it’s our job to continue it.
Atlanta strives to carry on Dr. King’s dream today, and that’s one of the many reasons I love this city. It’s a bustling, growing metropolitan that credits its rise to its diverse community, not in spite of it. Atlanta is home to The Center for Civil and Human Rights, and it is home to the Atlanta BeltLine — the most extensive transportation and economic development effort this city has ever seen, and among the largest, most widespread urban redevelopment programs happening in the United States. Atlanta is also a tremendous business community whose bedrock is home to the Civil Rights Movement.
If you believe, like I do, that companies have a responsibility to do good in the world and give back to their community, then there’s no better place to run a business than Atlanta, Georgia — the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the region where he made his biggest impact.
Check out all of our volunteer opportunities and help live Dr. King's dream.
After fighting for human rights for all Americans, Dr. King began to focus on employment and corporations as the next evolution of equality. He believed that companies have a responsibility to be forces of good in the world, and that their influence could make powerful change. We share the same belief at Dragon Army.
As CEO of Dragon Army, a mobile and innovation company headquartered in Atlanta, I believe I have a responsibility to not only rally my team to support our community, but also expose them to new ideas. To challenge their built-in stereotypes and prejudices, and to expand their ability to accept and cherish the differences in their peers.
One of our company values is “Celebrate Diversity.” We believe that diversity is key to our ability to build a strong, accepting culture. Diversity in backgrounds, experiences, demographics and viewpoints. We celebrate our differences and see them as strengths that help us move closer to creating a better world.
Reflecting on the last 50+ years since Dr. King was so unfairly taken from us, I recall the speech that Bobby Kennedy gave the evening of April 4th, 1964. He said:
… we can make an effort, as Martin Luther King did, to understand and to comprehend, and to replace that violence, that stain of bloodshed that has spread across our land, with an effort to understand with compassion and love.
What we need in the United States is... love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or they be black.
We all have heroes, people that we look up to for inspiration and guidance. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a hero to all of us. Not just as citizens of Atlanta or the United States, but of this great world in which we’re all connected. He was a beacon of light and hope, taken from us too early, and it’s incumbent upon us to follow his lead.
He started the march, and it’s our responsibility to continue it.
This guest post is from Jeff Hilimire, the Co-Founder and CEO of Dragon Army; a mobile and innovation company headquartered in Atlanta. Learn more about their work at dragonarmy.com.
Drive for Discovery
Hosting a drive for our Discovery program is fun, free and an impactful way for groups of folks to help their local community.
The season of giving is upon us, Atlanta. As Scrooge’s unflappably cheerful nephew Fred puts it, the holidays are “a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time,” and we are inclined to agree. Here at Hands On Atlanta we have a slew of ways for folks to give back: volunteering through our calendar, gifting money and sponsoring custom projects (just to name a few). In addition to all those avenues of service, drives for our Discovery program are a fun, free and impactful way for groups of folks to help their local community.
Discovery is Hands On Atlanta’s longest running program. Every other Saturday, Hands On Atlanta Discovery volunteers tutor, feed and mentor nearly 800 students from Title I public schools. This puts Hands On Atlanta in the unique position of being intimately familiar with the struggles of families facing the greatest needs. Across the board, students we work with don’t have adequate winter clothes or school supplies and come from food insecure families.
If you want to giving back in a way that makes a direct impact on a truly vulnerable, at-promise population, this is your opportunity. Here how you do it:
- Rally a group of your co-workers, neighbors, book or wine club, trivia or bocce team, golf buddies… you get the picture.
- Check out the list below of items that are dearly needed by our Discovery students. You can pick one category or call for donations of everything listed.
- Let us know about your drive and we'll gladly come grab the items from you OR you can always drop items off at our office.
Warm weather clotheS
- Socks, hats, gloves, coats, etc... for students grades K-5
Educational materials
- School supplies like crayons, butcher paper rolls, batteries, markers, lined/writing paper, name tag labels, construction paper, pens, etc...
- Fun leisure books for students in grades K-3
Snacks
- Nut-free nonperishable food - Nutrigrain bars, pretzels/popcorn, fruit juice, fruit snacks, etc...
Go ahead, have a drive. Make Fred proud. Enjoy the holidays knowing that somewhere in Atlanta a child is walking a little warmer, reading a little better and growing a little taller because of you.
Questions? Holler at Lara Wagner at lwagner@handsonatlanta.org or (404) 979-2838 for more about hosting a drive for Discovery.
This post is made possible with the support from:
3 Easy Ways to Give Back This Giving Season
Tis the season, Giving Season!
It's here. That time of year where you get ALL the emails, pretty brochures, social media posts, phone calls, and even a carrier pigeon or two asking you to donate. It's pretty exciting to learn about the incredible work so many nonprofits are doing, but it can also be a little overwhelming, leaving you wondering where your dollars should go or how you actually donate.
Well, fear not. We've come up with 3 easy ways for you to give back to your favorite nonprofit (Hands On Atlanta ;)) to make a lasting impact throughout next year!
1. Join Georgia Gives Day on Giving Tuesday!
Since 2012, Georgia Gives Day has helped raise over $13 million for Georgia nonprofits. On November 28th, they've teamed up with Giving Tuesday to prove giving a little--together, will do a lot for the causes you care about. Whether you can donate $10 or $10,000 (we'd love the latter), it all adds up to more volunteers solving more problems in Atlanta. That's more tutors to read to kids, more backpacks to fill with food, and more shovels to dig up dirt in parks.
Getting started is easy. Click the button below to make a donation OR to start a fundraiser. If you start a fundraiser you can raise money for Hands On Atlanta from your friends and family.
2. Become an Annual Member of Hands On Atlanta
So you're short on time, but want to make a consistent, meaningful donation? Becoming an Annual Member of Hands On Atlanta just might be the right choice for you! In less than 2 minutes and just $8/mo, you can help us provide Atlanta with:
- 1 Meals4Kids backpack for a weekend for 6 months OR
- Education materials for tutoring 2 students per year OR
- Snacks for 3 students at Saturday Discovery sessions for the year
A little goes a long way. Plus, you'll be an official Hands On Atlanta member! Members will get access to exclusive news and events, a private Facebook group (starting in 2018), unlimited high-fives, and you'll own bragging rights with your friends. It's a pretty great deal.
3. Click the Donate button.
Ahh, yes. The ol' Donate button. In case you forgot where it was located. Head on over to our Home page and look for that blue button in the upper right hand corner. You can't miss it. Simply fill out the quick form, tell us what impact program you'd like your donation to go to and voila, you're done.
You can toss funds towards our Civic Leadership Program, Americorps, TeamWorks!, Discovery, Meals4Kids, and more!
On mobile?
From the home page, just click the sandwich in the upper right corner to show the menu. Then, just hit the that big Donate button at the bottom of the menu.
Now, we know what you're thinking, and the answer is "yes!" We're still going to send you an email or two, post our impact and the importance of our work on social media, and deliver a fancy little note in the mail in case you really like seeing all those things. Don't worry though, this year we've pardoned all pigeons from any volunteer work.
Thousands of Volunteers Rise Up for Hands On Atlanta Day
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!
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
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
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
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
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.”
Hustlin' with 48in48
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.
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.
Fun and Easy DIY Volunteer Ideas
If you’d like to make a difference in your community on your time, check out one of these fun and easy to do DIY volunteer projects.
Can’t make it out to Hands On Atlanta Day, but still want to do something good? Don’t worry, you know we’ve got your back with some projects you can do without us!
Yes, Hands On Atlanta Day is the city’s biggest day of service, but it’s not the only one! We have volunteer opportunities posted on our site every day of the week. While we try to make sure there’s something for everyone, sometimes schedules (and the stars) just don’t align.
If you’d like to make a difference in your community on your time, check out one of these fun and easy to do DIY volunteer projects to do for Hands On Atlanta Day (then document and share it with us):
Help an elderly or disabled neighbor with yard work or minor home repairs
Do you have a fresh, healthy back you can donate? With the change of the season, you can rake a neighbor’s leaves as they start to fall. Help prep any plants or flowers for the colder weather, trim branches, and overgrown plants. Grab a ladder and help clean out the gutters, then clean any garden tools, getting them ready for storage.
Are you a handy(wo)man? Can you change an air filter? Replace light bulbs, touch up paint on the outside of the house, check/replace batteries in carbon monoxide and smoke alarms, check windows and moldings for any gaps and fill with caulk or weather stripping, replace screens with storm windows.
Try walking around your neighborhood and identify some of these areas where you can help. One minor thing usually snowballs into making a huge impact for a homeowner.
Make homeless care packages
Schedule a game night or dinner party with your friends or family. Add a service project to the mix by making homeless care packages. Make it a “pot luck” and ask guests to bring a dish to pass AND 10 specific items to fill a package with. For example, Johnny can bring 10 pairs of socks, Sally can bring 10 granola bars, etc…
Lay out all the items in sorted groups on a large table or the ground, making an assembly line like station. Take a plastic or recyclable bag and start filling with things like wet wipes and personal sanitary items, quick bites of nutritious food, $2, bottled water, and other essentials. Hop on Google and find out what is needed most for those experiencing homelessness in your community.
Keep the bags in your car and the next time you see someone who could use a little help, give them one of the packages. This is a fun, cheap, social, easy thing you can do.
Pick up your neighborhood
Grab a garbage bag, a pair of gloves, some friends, get started! Head to the nearest park and pick up litter and trash, remove any obvious debris, and help keep it clean. You never know, someone could see you and get inspired to do the same!
No park? No problem. You can do the same thing, simply walking down the street. Get some exercise and clean your block. If you’re flying solo, crank up the jams on your phone, and make it a party!
It’s almost too easy to pick up your neighborhood, we sometimes forget how simple it is to get involved.
Here are a few more fun and easy things you can do to help your community:
- Take the neighbor’s dog for a walk
- Babysit for a friend or family member (just because)
- Donate food, toys, clothes, & books
- Write hand written letters thanking teachers, police officers, firemen and women, veterans and those serving in the military.
Share your project with us!
Share your own Hands On Atlanta Day project with us on social media and we'll count it towards our Hands On Atlanta Day total impact. Here's what you'll do:
- Select your volunteer project (can be anything, not just what we've listed above).
- During your project take a picture of you or your group in action, include where you are (neighborhood) and what you're doing.
- Post it to Instagram and tag us (@handsonatl) and use #handsonatl in the post.
- Some posts will get re-shared by us, but all will count towards our one day goal!
Celebrate Atlanta Changemakers and Support Hurricane Relief
We're throwing a bash on Wednesday, October 4 from 6:30pm - 9:00pm at the all-new Monday Night Brewing Garage (West End). We'll highlight the impactful work of ATL lovin' changemakers and honor the commitment to service from long time Hands On Atlanta supporters, Mayor Kasim Reed and Atlanta's First Lady, Sarah-Elizabeth Reed.
How do you celebrate Atlanta's biggest day of service? With a big ol' party, that's how!
To kick-off Hands On Atlanta Day, we're throwing a bash on Wednesday, October 4 from 6:30pm - 9:00pm at the all-new Monday Night Brewing Garage (West End). We'll highlight the impactful work of ATL lovin' changemakers and honor the commitment to service from long time Hands On Atlanta supporters, Mayor Kasim Reed and Atlanta's First Lady, Sarah-Elizabeth Reed.
You'll connect with fellow volunteers, and rub elbows with Hands On Atlanta Day partners and sponsors over all the hoppy goodness Monday Night Brewery has to offer (first 2 are on us)! There will be service Jenga, live music from Crooked Wits, some tasty High Road Ice Cream, a fun service project from Stars of Hope, BBQ from 4Rivers, and plenty of volunteer vibes!
Not enough to get you moving on a Wednesday night? Cool, because there's more! Over the last couple weeks we've received a ton of requests asking how you can get involved and help those impacted by the recent barrage of hurricanes. So, we've partnered up with our sister Hands On Network affiliates in the most devastated areas and we'll be donating ALL PROCEEDS of this event to them - to help mobilize volunteers to continue (or in some neighborhoods start) the recovery process. While we don't have an affiliate in Puerto Rico, you can donate directly at United for Puerto Rico, or this GoFundMe page, or this Generosity page.
To recap, for $20 you'll be donating directly to disaster relief efforts in Houston and Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale and Miami), you'll be a part of history as we celebrate the outstanding commitment to service from the Mayor and First Lady, get 2 micro brews, smash some delicious BBQ, dance and sing to your favorite tunes, explore mini acts of service, AND get exclusive access to one of the first events at The Garage.
We double dog dare you to find a better way to spend a Wednesday evening.
Can't make it and still want to help? You can donate here.
Not registered to volunteer on Hands On Atlanta Day? Fix that here.
5 Ways To Help With Hurricane Relief
We know you want to help and you’re chomping at the bit to get moving. So, here are 5 things you can do to help with hurricane relief efforts from here in Atlanta.
When disasters like Hurricanes Harvey and Irma reign, your natural instincts kick in and you want to rush to help those impacted by the devastation. You come to the aid of those in need, you host fundraisers, you rally your friends around the dinner table and talk about how you can solve problems. You’re a volunteer.
Unfortunately, volunteers often run in blind, not really knowing what the community needs most. Hint: making a donation to a nonprofit on the front lines is the most helpful thing you can do. It takes time for the pros involved to assess the situation and flush out details for a recovery plan. It’s then when volunteers are needed most. When they can be managed and put to work on the most urgent matters.
Our friends at VolunteerHouston have done this and are now ready to help recovery for Harvey, but please, be patient with Irma. DO NOT self-deploy. Please, don't blindly run into the chaos. Yes, sign up, stay involved, stay alert, but the damage is still very much in the assessment process. While you wait, get trained on becoming a disaster volunteer with the Red Cross or through the Georgia Center for Nonprofits and Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD).
We know you want to help and you’re chomping at the bit to get moving. So, here are 5 things you can do to help with relief efforts from right here in Atlanta:
1. Volunteer with Feeding Children Everywhere
All weekend long, the Georgia World Congress Center will be rockin’ as volunteers help package 1.2 million meal kits for hurricane relief. There will be great music, good fun, and an awesome volunteer experience. Ages 6 and up welcome, and there’s virtually no limit to the amount of volunteers they can take.
2. Volunteer with Open Hand
Volunteers are needed to help pack emergency boxes into bags for stocking food.
3. Attend Atlanta Humane Society’s Bark ‘n Brew
This is a fundraiser (and good time) at SweetWater Brewery on Saturday, from 7:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m. to help save those furry family members who’ve been left behind, relocated, or just need help.
4. Run for Relief with Atlanta Track Club
The Atlanta Track Club will donate $1 for every mile a participant registers to run or walk in three of the Club’s premier events: the Publix Georgia Marathon & Half Marathon, Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon & 5K, and PNC Atlanta 10 Miler & 5K. So if you run 26.2 miles (marathon), $26.20 will be donated to the American Red Cross.
5. Sign up to Volunteer with Hands On Atlanta
Nonprofits and schools are called upon to help most when putting the pieces of a disaster back together. Volunteering with Hands On Atlanta puts you in front of our partner network to help them fulfill their missions 365 days a year.
For more ways to help and for the latest news on relief efforts, check out what Points of Light and their team is doing to help.
The complete guide to Hands On Atlanta Day 2017!
Hop over to our Hands On Atlanta Day page to view a map of our projects, quickly sign up to volunteer, and to access tools and resources to help share the service.
On Saturday, October 7, 2017, Hands On Atlanta will mobilize thousands of volunteers to serve metro Atlanta communities, schools, and nonprofits for the 27th Annual Hands On Atlanta Day.
If you've been looking for an excuse to do something good for your community, this is your chance! Volunteers will help out with projects throughout metro Atlanta focused on primary community needs including: education and youth development, literacy, child hunger, and parental engagement.
We have over 50 organizations and schools participating this year. That means a ton of fresh paint, new landscaping and gardens, essential hygiene kits, safe playgrounds, and more!
What are you waiting for? Stop reading this...
Hop over to our Hands On Atlanta Day page to view a map of projects, access tools and resources to share, and more!
Innovation, inspiration, and social justice all packed into an eventful first week of October.
As Atlanta's hub for all things volunteering and service, we've partnered up with some of the coolest events to hit "The city too busy to hate" for a weekend of good. Learn how (or join) skills based volunteers will transform the future of 48 nonprofits in just 48 hours, take a deep dive into innovation and inspiration with stories from some of Georgia's top changemakers, and uncover how hip culture is influencing social change. Meet our partners:
From Oct. 6th - 8th, 48in48 will deliver over $1,200,000 of value to 48 nonprofits in the form of 48 websites, a few logos, and other marketing collateral to help nonprofits grow.
The ninth annual TEDxPeachtree is Oct. 6 and will feature some of Georgia's most innovative thinkers and doers who will each go beyond the headlines to share ideas that drive the future, help spark change and that celebrate human ingenuity!
GET YOUR TICKETS
The A3C Action Summit invites activists, academics and artists to discuss and address social justice challenges. The 2-day summit (Oct. 5th - 6th) will host a series of panels, workshops, the 3rd annual A3C Action Pitch Competition.
RSVP NOW
Do you love Atlanta? Do like rubbing elbows with fellow changemakers?
If you're nodding yes, then don't miss our Hands On Atlanta Day Kick-Off Party!
Join us, Wednesday, October 4 from 6:30pm -9:00pm, in The Garage at all-new Monday Night Brewery West End location! Tickets are $20 in advance, but Hands On Atlanta Day volunteers get in FREE! Simply sign up for a project to get your discount code!
We know what you're thinking, how can we possibly pull all of this off?
It's possible because of our awesome sponsors. These companies not only financially support Hands On Atlanta Day, but engage their employees to participate on the day of service as well. A tip of the cap to those who make it happen:
Still want more?
Hop over to our Hands On Atlanta Day page to view a map of our projects, quickly sign up to volunteer, and to access tools and resources to help share the service.