THE CITIZEN BLOG
THE CITIZEN BLOG
Hands On Atlanta Awarded $500,000 Grant from The Marcus Foundation
Hands On Atlanta has received a 3-year, $500,000 grant from The Marcus Foundation to engage the next generation of Atlanta changemakers.
The grant will help Hands On Atlanta deliver several volunteer focused initiatives, with a goal to make serving Atlanta more accessible than ever. Currently only 24% of Atlantans volunteer, placing the city 36th among the 50 largest metropolitan areas. With this grant, Hands On Atlanta will expand digital and virtual volunteer offerings, as well as “pop-up” service projects in high-traffic areas, like the Atlanta Beltline.
“The issues facing our community continue to change, and the ways Atlantans can solve these challenges continues to evolve. Our volunteers want to use all their skills to do something good. It’s our responsibility to provide these opportunities and meet Atlantans where they are. The opportunity The Marcus Foundation has given us is an incredible lift for metro Atlanta as a whole,” said Jay Cranman, Hands On Atlanta President and CEO.
The Marcus Foundation has been a long-time supporter of Hands On Atlanta and other organizations that seek to improve the greater Atlanta community.
“On the 30th anniversary of our organization, we are grateful for the support and leadership from Bernie Marcus, who has been with us since the beginning. Being awarded this grant will significantly impact our ability to tackle Atlanta’s most pressing needs, while positioning us to lead Atlanta in becoming one of our country’s most civically engaged cities,” added Cranman.
Hot Projects: Week of June 10
Check out this week’s Hot Projects that include awesome volunteer opportunities with Trees Atlanta, Open Hand, Grant Park Conservancy and more!
Beautification of the Farm @ Truly Living Well East Point
Tuesday, June 18, 2019 From 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM (East Point)
TLW, a 501(c)3 based in Atlanta, works to engage the community in developing local food systems through education and food production. In addition, TLW demonstrates urban agriculture as a sustainable and economic solution for helping people to eat and live better. It is their mission to grow better communities by connecting people with the land through education, training, and demonstration of economic success in natural urban agriculture. Volunteer tasks will include clearing all weeds and overgrown debris with rakes, creating rock borders with rocks provided on site, applying fresh paint on herb benches and clearing out tall planters at mailbox entrance.
Morning Project- Project Grant
Saturday, June 22, 2019 From 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Grant Park)
Project GRANT (Greenspace Restoration and Neighborhood Teamwork) convened monthly in the park for morning (9am-12pm) and afternoon (1pm-4pm) work sessions. Both sessions will tackle labor-intensive projects throughout the park including invasive plant removal, tree canopy care, trash pick-up and more. Volunteers are welcome to sign up for one of both sessions and these work days are great for small groups or those in need of community service hours.
Open Hand Meal Delivery
Saturday, June 15, 2019 From 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Various Locations)
Open Hand helps homebound seniors and others suffering from disability or chronic disease by providing Comprehensive Nutrition Care™(CNC), a combination of nutritious, home-delivered meals, and nutrition education. Open Hand prepares, packages, and delivers 5,000 nutritionally-appropriate meals a day, six days a week with the support of volunteers. Volunteer drivers are a critical part of the service Open Hand provides to the community, since a majority of the organization’s clients are homebound. In fact, a volunteer driver is quite often the only person a client may see on any given day. Volunteers will pick-up meals, deliver meals to clients using their own vehicles and gas, and return the delivery list and delivery bags back to the Open Hand site.
Trees Atlanta Forest Restoration Invasive Plant Removal
Saturday, June 15, 2019 From 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (East Point)
Trees Atlanta is a nationally recognized non-profit citizens’ group that protects and improves Atlanta’s urban forest by planting, conserving, and educating. The vast majority of Trees Atlanta’s work is accomplished with the help of volunteers including all the trees we plant and much of our invasive plant removal! Volunteers will be removing woody invasive plants form the Connally Nature Park in East Point.
Girls Inc. Summer University- Wellness Program Helper
Monday, June 17, 2019 From 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM (Marietta)
Girls Inc. Summer University serves girls between the ages of 5 - 18 for six weeks in the summer. Each morning the girls will have wellness hours, where they will feature self-care practices such as meditation, yoga, healthy nutrition, etc. During this time, volunteers will greet girls upon arrival, socialize with them and help supervise and interact with girls during free time. Volunteers will also assist staff members in implementing programming, making sure girls understand the instructions and are staying on task, assisting them with the activity or helping the staff member with supplies etc.
Points of Light and The Starbucks Foundation Expand Innovative Service Model in 20 Cities Across the United States
Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, and The Starbucks Foundation announce the expansion of The Starbucks Foundation Service Fellows Program, an innovative service model inspired by national service.
Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, and The Starbucks Foundation announce the expansion of The Starbucks Foundation Service Fellows Program, an innovative service model inspired by national service.
Following a successful six-month pilot last year, the full-scale program will expand to 7 new markets, reaching 20 cities and engaging 100 Starbucks partners (employees). The program is designed to provide needed day-to-day support to local nonprofit organizations while providing an opportunity for Starbucks partners to pursue their personal passion to get involved in their communities.
“The Starbucks Foundation Service Fellows program is a promising model that provides companies with a new way to think about the role they can play in promoting and enabling service opportunities,” says Natalye Paquin, president and CEO of Points of Light. “We believe that by partnering together, the Service Fellows will significantly enhance the capacity of nonprofit organizations to effectively leverage human capital to meet their missions. We are excited to see this program grow and look forward to supporting fellows as they unlock their own potential to create meaningful change through service.”
Points of Light received a $3.5 million grant from The Starbucks Foundation to expand the infrastructure and impact of The Starbucks Foundation Service Fellows program by 2020, which includes direct support of Points of Light’s commitment to strengthen the capacity of the nonprofit sector through resources, programs and partnerships.
The Starbucks Foundation will fund support for local nonprofits affiliated with the Points of Light Global Network. As part of this service model, Points of Light will match the 100 fellows with their local network member. During their service term, the fellows will work part-time for Points of Light, expanding the capacity of the local nonprofit and their community partners to meet their missions, while continuing to work part-time at Starbucks. This experience plays an important role in exposing the Fellows to future civic and community engagement opportunities, while expanding their professional skills and experiences.
“Each Starbucks store is part of a community, and we’re committed to strengthening the neighborhoods we serve,” says Virginia Tenpenny, executive director of The Starbucks Foundation. “We believe service goes hand in hand with our mission to inspire and nurture the human spirit, one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time. This program is an evolution of Starbucks long-standing commitment to serving our communities, year-round.”
Following an application process that kicked off this week, the first group of 50 Starbucks partners across 20 cities will be selected as Service Fellows, to begin in September with sector education and organizational onboarding, and their service terms will run from October 2019 through March 2020. The second group of Service Fellows will serve April through October 2020.
Members of the Points of Light Global Network that will host Service Fellows are: Hands On Atlanta, HandsOn Bay Area, HandsOn Birmingham, Boston Cares, HandsOn Broward, Chicago Cares, VolunteerNow, Spark the Change Colorado, Volunteer Fairfax, Volunteer Houston, HandsOn Miami, Hands On Nashville, New York Cares, HandsOn New Orleans, United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey, HandsOn Twin Cities, HandsOn Greater Phoenix, HandsOn San Diego, Seattle Works, United Way of King County, and United Way of Greater St. Louis, as well as Points of Light headquarters in Atlanta.
To learn more about the impact of The Starbucks Foundation Service Fellows program, visit the Points of Light blog or Starbucks Stories for impact stories.
About Points of Light
Points of Light – the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service – mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. Through affiliates in 250 cities across 37 countries and in partnership with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages 5 million volunteers in 20 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of people to bear where it’s needed most. For more information, go to www.pointsoflight.org.
About The Starbucks Foundation
Established in 1997, The Starbucks Foundation strengthens communities around the world by advancing opportunities for youth, veterans, refugees and coffee, tea and cocoa farmers and their families, supporting communities affected by disaster, and promoting civic engagement. The Starbucks Foundation is a U.S. 501 (c)(3) charitable organization under U.S. law, and receives funding primarily from Starbucks Corporation and private donations. Learn more at https://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/community/starbucks-foundation.
Hot Projects: Week of June 3
Check out this week’s Hot Projects that include awesome volunteer opportunities with West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, Open Hand, AXYS Conference and more!
West Atlanta Watershed Alliance 2nd Service Saturdays
Saturday, June 8, 2019 From 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM (SW Atlanta)
This program facilitated by the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance and made possible by a grant from USDA Forest Service for our Atlanta Children’s Forest Network, provides the opportunity for youth 10 years and older to participate in meaningful activities encouraging conservation, stewardship and experiential learning on the second Saturday of every month (excluding January and July). Tasks: Trail building and maintenance, Invasive Plant Eradication, Habitat Restoration and other activities needed to manage the facility and grounds of this unique urban resource!
C3 Ministries’ Food Pantry Distribution
Thursday, June 13, 2019 From 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM (Marietta)
C3 Ministries’ missiong is to provide resources of four various ministries in order that families can become whole, independant and ultimately able to return to serve others. C3 has served over 250 families every Thursday and with over 471,508 pounds of food this year. Give back to your community while having fun and meeting new friends, while re-stocking food shelves, loading boxes with food items and assisting in carrying boxes to attendees vehicles.
Open Hand Meal Delivery
Saturday, June 15, 2019 From 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Various Locations)
Open Hand helps homebound seniors and others suffering from disability or chronic disease by providing Comprehensive Nutrition Care™(CNC), a combination of nutritious, home-delivered meals, and nutrition education. Open Hand prepares, packages, and delivers 5,000 nutritionally-appropriate meals a day, six days a week with the support of volunteers. Volunteer drivers are a critical part of the service Open Hand provides to the community, since a majority of the organization’s clients are homebound. In fact, a volunteer driver is quite often the only person a client may see on any given day. Volunteers will pick-up meals, deliver meals to clients using their own vehicles and gas, and return the delivery list and delivery bags back to the Open Hand site.
Pajama Program Volunteers for Hotlanta Marathon
Sunday, June 9, 2019 From 6:30 AM - 9:30 AM (Atlanta- Old Fourth Ward)
At Pajama Program, they promote a comforting bedtime routine for children affected by instability to help them thrive. At the Atlanta Reading Center, their programming focuses on shared reading between a child and an adult volunteer. Volunteers needed to distribute water to runners! Fun opportunity to beat the heat with an early start and then you have the rest of the day free!
AXYS 2019 Family Conference at Emory University
Various Shifts daily Thursday June 27 through Sunday June 30 (Emory University)
The Association for X and Y Chromosome Variations (AXYS) is dedicated to addressing the needs of those affected by one or more extra X and/or Y chromosomes. AXYS focuses on sharing knowledge, offering support and initiating action to help improve lives of individuals and families. Learn more at genetic.org. The 2019 AXYS Family Conference furthers our mission by bringing together nearly 300 attendees and presenters from the X and Y variation community. Volunteers will help by prepping conference materials, staffing the registration table, directing attendees and more.
Hot Projects: Week of May 27
Check out this week’s Hot Projects that include awesome volunteer opportunities with Books For Africa, Piedmont Park Conservancy, Pajama Program and more!
BOOKS FOR AFRICA
Monday, June 3 From 9:00 AM - 11:00 PM (NW Atlanta)
Most African children who attend school have never owned a book of their own. For many children in Africa, the gift of books is truly a gift of hope. Since 1988, Books for Africa has sent over 20 million books to the children of Africa. They rely on volunteers like you to sort and pack the books for their shipments. Volunteers give two or more hours of their time by collecting, sorting and packaging books. If you’re looking for a fun and satisfying volunteer experience, this is the perfect fit for you!
GREEN TEAM – PITCH IN FOR PIEDMONT PARK!
Wednesday, June 5 From 9:00 AM - 11:00 PM (Atlanta- Midtown)
Branch out and head outside to have some fun while making a dramatic difference in Piedmont Park! Green team volunteers sustain and transform Piedmont Park by working together to make the park a more beautiful place. All projects take place outdoors and are based on the current needs of the park. Volunteers will have one of the following roles: pruning, weeding, mulching, collecting trash, and rooting out invasive species.
FEEDING AND HELPING GEORGIANS FOOD PANTRY DISTRIBUTION
Saturday, June 8 From 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM (SW Atlanta- Sylvan Hills)
The goal of Feeding and Helping Georgians is to nurture and enhance the community where we live. Their team is dedicated to creating change in many different parts of the surrounding community in the hopes that they can improve lives, one person at a time. Their team is filled of many dedicated individuals, but they’re always looking for more help. Volunteers with be assisting with food distribution, assisting clients with food selection and registering clients for food.
PATCHWORK CITY FARMS VOLUNTEER SUNDAYS!
Sunday, June 9 From 10:00 AM - 2:00 AM (SW Atlanta- West End)
Patchwork City Farms (PCF) is a 1.2 acre independently-owned urban farm located in Atlanta. Its original inception began in the Historic West End neighborhood of Atlanta and has now moved to its permanent location of Oakland City. PCF continues to be at the leading edge of Farm to Table, Slow Food and Sustainable Agriculture movements to name a few. Volunteers will help with building the soil, weeding, planting, watering, harvesting and site beautification projects. Tools will be provided!
SHARE A STORY WITH A CHILD
Tuesday, June 11 From 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (East Atlanta- Glenwood Park)
At Pajama Program, they promote a comforting bedtime routine for children affected by instability to help them thrive. At the Atlanta Reading Center, their programming focuses on shared reading between a child and an adult volunteer. Volunteers will be paired with school aged children during a one-hour Reading Party to do shared reading. Reading Buddies may read between 1 and 4 books and engage in conversations that inspire creativity.
Hot Projects: Week of May 20
Check out this week’s Hot Projects that include awesome volunteer opportunities with Trees Atlanta, Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, Clarkston Community Center and more!
ATLANTA DEKALB CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL
Saturday, May 25 From 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM (Lithonia)
The mission of the Atlanta Carnival Bandleaders Council (ACBC) is to promote a broader understanding and a deeper appreciation of Caribbean culture among the Atlanta community by seeking the interest of carnival bands and steel bands and using the Atlanta Caribbean Carnival as a vehicle for the promotion of Caribbean culture. Volunteers will have one of the following roles: Set-Up and Take-Down Crew, Patron Service Attendants, Cleanup Crew, Runners, Gate Monitors, Parking Attendants, Marketing and Social Media Specialist, and Kids Corner Assistants.
Trees Atlanta Forest Restoration Invasive Plant Removal
Saturday, May 25 From 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (West Atlanta)
Trees Atlanta is a nationally recognized non-profit citizens’ group that protects and improves Atlanta’s urban forest by planting, conserving, and educating. The vast majority of Trees Atlanta’s work is accomplished with the help of volunteers including all the trees planted and much of the invasive plant removal! Volunteers will be working on removing large Chinese privet that's across the stream from the walking trail. Rain boots will be available so that all the volunteers can cross easily.
InCommunity: Memorial Day Cleaning
Saturday, May 18 From 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (East Point)
InCommunity partners to enrich and sustain the lives of individuals who have developmental disabilities, their families, and their communities. This volunteer opportunity helps InCommunity carry out its mission by bringing awareness within the community of the mentally disabled and bringing a sense of normalcy for our individuals that are treated differently. Volunteers will assist in cleaning floors, stairs, kitchen tables and dressers and organizing pantries.
Movie Event Volunteers Needed
Saturday, June 1 From 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM (Atlantic Station)
Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Girl Scout's Cookie CEO Movie Premier is an event to celebrate girls during the 2019 Cookie Program. The event is being held at Regal Theaters Atlantic Station on Saturday, June 1 and we are looking for adult volunteers from 9:00am-11:30am (volunteers can stay to enjoy the premier of Aladdin after the shift if they choose). Volunteers would be needed to assist with check-in, as greeters and as ushers.
Caring for Clarkston Food Pantry
Saturday, June 1 From 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM (Clarkston)
The Clarkston Community Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with a mission of creating a place for Clarkston residents to come together for art, education, recreation and community building. Volunteers are needed to assist with mantaing the inventory of the food pantry, communicating pantry stock levels to ensure proper ordering/purchasing for pantry, help assemble food boxes for clients, assist with tracking client visits, performing interviews with clients to determine food security status, and family size.
Hands On Atlanta Week to Shine a Light on Community Changemakers
Hands On Atlanta Week will take place from Saturday, Oct. 5 through Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. Get your company, organization, or event involved, and/or serve with your family and friends!
Hands On Atlanta, with presenting sponsor Delta Air Lines, will inspire an impactful week of service, highlighting the people, organizations, companies and events doing good across metro Atlanta.
For over 25 years, the first Saturday of every October has become synonymous with Hands On Atlanta Day, the city’s largest, single day of service. For 2019, the first Saturday in October will kick-off the largest week of service, with a goal of engaging 10,000 Atlantans to do something good.
Whether you’re a part of an organization or event in need of volunteers, a company with a passion to create positive impact, a changemaker with a desire to change your community, Hands On Atlanta Week wants to elevate your reach to maximize the impact.
“Civic engagement is at the core of the Atlanta culture, it’s in our DNA. We believe Hands On Atlanta Week will become the open platform for the next generation of changemakers to solve the growing, complex challenges facing our communities and inspire everyone across metro Atlanta to do something good,” said Jay Cranman, Hands On Atlanta President and CEO.
There will be over 150 service projects happening from Oct. 5-12, 2019, “pop-up” projects at community hotspots along the Atlanta Beltline, at the tailgate of the GSU vs. Arkansas State football game, and more. Delta Air Lines will host a KABOOM! playground build for employees and members of the neighboring community. Volunteers can support festivals like Atlanta Pride or the A3C Festival and Conference, seniors during the Second Annual Senior Day at the Home Depot Backyard. Volunteers can serve with their skills during a “hack-a-thon” for good at 48in48 and for those wanting a more intimate experience, you can host or attend a meaningful conversation through Civic Dinners. These are just a few of ways the Atlanta community can participate in Hands On Atlanta Week.
Hands On Atlanta Week will take place from Saturday, Oct. 5 through Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019. Get your company, organization, or event involved, and/or serve with your family and friends!
Hot Projects: Week of May 13
Check out this week’s Hot Projects that include awesome volunteer opportunities with Atlanta Carnival Bandleaders Council, AID Atlanta, Open Hand and more!
ATLANTA DEKALB CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL
Saturday, May 25 From 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM (Lithonia)
The mission of the Atlanta Carnival Bandleaders Council (ACBC) is to promote a broader understanding and a deeper appreciation of Caribbean culture among the Atlanta community by seeking the interest of carnival bands and steel bands and using the Atlanta Caribbean Carnival as a vehicle for the promotion of Caribbean culture. Volunteers will have one of the following roles: Set-Up and Take-Down Crew, Patron Service Attendants, Cleanup Crew, Runners, Gate Monitors, Parking Attendants, Marketing and Social Media Specialist, and Kids Corner Assistants.
PHONE BANKING
Thursday, May 16 From 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM (Midtown)
AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run will be held on September 29, 2019. Produced by AID Atlanta, AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run is the largest AIDS-related fundraising event in the Southeastern United States. AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run continues to raise much needed funds for AIDS Service Organizations throughout the metro-Atlanta area. Volunteers will make calls to our past participants to register for this year’s event. These calls are very important to the event.
OPEN HAND MEAL DELIVERY
Saturday, May 18 From 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Various Locations)
Open Hand helps people prevent or better manage chronic disease through Comprehensive Nutrition Care, which combines home-delivered meals and nutrition education as a means to reinforce the connection between informed food choices and improved quality of life. Volunteer drivers are a critical part of the service Open Hand provides to the community, since a majority of the organization’s clients are homebound. Volunteers will pick-up meals, deliver meals to clients using their own vehicles and gas, and return the delivery list and delivery bags back to the Open Hand site.
FIVE POINTS GARDEN VOLUNTEER DAY
Saturday, June 1 From 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Downtown Atlanta)
Mayor’s Office of Resilience works to make Atlanta better prepared to physical, social, and economic challenges that are a growing part of the 21st century. Join Five Points Garden for their monthly volunteer day on the 1st Saturday of every month! Help get dirt off the ground and plots setup before Earth Day! There is work being done with raised beds and prepping them for Spring.
LIVABLE BUCKHEAD'S BUCKHEADRUNS! 5K RACE
Saturday, June 1 From 6:00 AM - 10:00 AM (Buckhead)
Livable Buckhead is hosting it's very FIRST 5K race in Buckhead. This 5K race is intended to be a wrap-up event to the walk challenge, meant as a celebration of the hard work put in for the walk challenge. Volunteers are needed to assist with handing out waters, cheering on runners and general assistance with setup & breakdown. .