THE CITIZEN BLOG
THE CITIZEN BLOG
Hot Projects: Week of February 17
Check out this week’s Hot Projects that include awesome volunteer opportunities with EcoAddendum, Partners in Action for Healthy Living, Blue Heron Nature Preserve and more!
ATLANTA SCIENCE FESTIVAL 2020
Friday, February 21 Multiple Events (NW Atlanta)
Join the Curious Corp, the volunteer team that makes the annual Atlanta Science Festival possible! From March 6-21st, 50,000 children and adults will celebrate local science and technology at more than 100 events throughout metro Atlanta. Volunteers are needed for every event and in the weeks leading up to the Atlanta Science Festival. We will need greeters, tweeters, ushers, wayfinders, schleppers, lifters, marketers, and more.
LIONEL HAMPTON BEECHER HILLS STEWARDSHIP WALK/INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL
Sunday, February 23 From 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM (W Atlanta)
Eco-A, Co-Host James Tyler, and Friends of Lionel Hampton Beecher Hills Nature Preserve invites you to learn more about one of Atlanta's largest parks and help with light forest restoration. Volunteers will spend a little time removing a few "upstart" invasive species in a few key locations before they have a chance to expand into an area that is, so far, mostly free of invasive species.
BEAVER-INSPIRED WETLAND RESTORATION VOLUNTEER EVENT
Saturday, February 22 From 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Sandy Springs)
Come join us as we work to restore an important urban wetland for our community using an innovative, natural restoration technique. The project will restore the function of the Mill Creek waterway by reconnecting it to the adjacent floodplain using a technique that mimics beaver dam-building activity. You will be preparing the materials to be used for the project to build the Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs). This involves removing and storing the plant material for later use. We will also be planting willow stakes to help stabilize the creek bank.
PAHL - BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AT PEACHCREST LEARNING GARDEN WORKDAY
Saturday, February 22 From 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Decatur)
Partners in Action for Healthy Living installed and maintains a learning garden at The Boys and Girls Club at Peachcrest right across the street from Peachcrest Elementary. The garden allows children at the club to learn how to grow food from seed to market and learn leadership skills along the way. We prepare food in their wonderful kitchen and give lessons on nutrition and plant-based food. We will finish the herb garden, remove invasive plants along the border fence, move wood chips, plant additional pollinator plants and weed the beds if necessary.
HIS LOVE EXTENDED - PRAISE BEAUTY SALON VOLUNTEER
Saturday, February 22 From 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Decatur)
We encourage and uplift our clients by providing hair services to women, men, and children. The Praise Salon seeks to remove outward physical barriers that limit personal/professional growth and success in employment, continuing education, and securing permanent housing by providing beauty and confidence-building tips to those experiencing financial hardships. Those with skills to serve as stylists, braiders/loc specialists, and shampooers. We also need child care teachers/helpers – and people who can assist with administrative tasks. Orientation is provided, and shampoo and stylist training sessions are offered.
Hot Projects: Week of February 10
Check out this week’s Hot Projects that include awesome volunteer opportunities with Southwest Ecumenical Emergency Assistance Center, Partners in Action for Healthy Living, Action Ministries and more!
CLIENT MEAL PACKING
Wednesday, February 12 From 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM (NW Atlanta)
At Open Hand, people from all walks of life come together to touch the lives of thousands of others who are not as fortunate. The Morning Meal Packing event involves portioning food into individual containers and snack bags on the packing assembly line. With over 5,000 meals to package every day, your help is essential. This is a great project for individuals and families, and a great team-building exercise for school, business, and church groups!
SWEEAC JOSHUA’S MARKETPLACE
Thursday, February 20 From 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (W Atlanta)
Southwest Ecumenical Emergency Assistance Center (SWEEAC) provides assistance to southwest Atlanta residents in the form of monthly food distribution. SWEEAC serves more than 50,000 families & distributes over 1,000,000 pounds of food to the families in Atlanta. Volunteer tasks include: set up and breakdown of distribution area, unpacking and organizing food to be distributed, bagging or boxing of food for recipients and assist recipients to their vehicle or help them carry food.
BEAVER-INSPIRED WETLAND RESTORATION VOLUNTEER EVENT
Saturday, February 22 From 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Sandy Springs)
Come join us as we work to restore an important urban wetland for our community using an innovative, natural restoration technique. The project will restore the function of the Mill Creek waterway by reconnecting it to the adjacent floodplain using a technique that mimics beaver dam-building activity. You will be preparing the materials to be used for the project to build the Beaver Dam Analogs (BDAs). This involves removing and storing the plant material for later use. We will also be planting willow stakes to help stabilize the creek bank.
PAHL - BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AT PEACHCREST LEARNING GARDEN WORKDAY
Saturday, February 22 From 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Decatur)
Partners in Action for Healthy Living installed and maintains a learning garden at The Boys and Girls Club at Peachcrest right across the street from Peachcrest Elementary. The garden allows children at the club to learn how to grow food from seed to market and learn leadership skills along the way. We prepare food in their wonderful kitchen and give lessons on nutrition and plant-based food. We will finish the herb garden, remove invasive plants along the border fence, move wood chips, plant additional pollinator plants and weed the beds if necessary.
ACTION MINISTRIES FOOD BOX BUILDING
Saturday, February 22 From 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (East Point)
Be a part of ending hunger for families across Georgia! Action Ministries' hunger program supplies over 40,000 food boxes to help thousands of families each year, provides 2,500 kids in Georgia with meal packs that help end hunger over the weekend, and delivers lunch and enrichment activities to over 7,000 kids during extended school breaks and summer! We invite you to join us at our next service event, where we will have fun and make a difference at the same time. Volunteers will assemble flat food boxes, fill food boxes with a pre-determined box menu following overhead instructions and more!
Hot Projects: Week of February 3
Check out this week’s Hot Projects that include awesome volunteer opportunities with Aglanta, Margie’s House, Bridging the Gap Community Outreach and more!
SATURDAY DATA ENTRY (CLIENT INFO/NON-FOOD NEEDS)
Saturday, February 8 From 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM (Newnan)
The mission of Bridging the Gap is to provide assistance to hungry, homeless, and hurting people by feeding, serving, and restoring guest. The Data entry volunteer will be responsible for registering clients for a box of food on Saturday mornings. This person answers directly to the Director of Operations. This position allows the BTG staff to be able to assist clients in a timely manner, while giving them greater opportunities to determine the needs of our clients.
MARGIE’S HOUSE INTAKE GIVEAWAY
Saturday, February 15 From 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Fairburn)
Margie’s House mission is to bring food and assistance to the communities around South Fulton. Assistance with serving our clients is needed on Saturday. Client assistance includes being posting in a distribution area to make sure the clients receive the correct items as it appears on their intake form, assisting clients taking items to their form of transportation, and provide directions to clients when needed. Other duties that may be required is taking out trash, set up, break down and clean up before leaving for the evening.
VOLUNTEER WEDNESDAY: URBAN FOOD FOREST AT BROWNS MILL
Wednesday, February 5 From 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (NW Atlanta)
The Urban Food Forest at Browns Mill team is a member of the AgLanta Grows-A-Lot program. This site will become Atlanta's first Community Urban Food Forest, as well as a new model for a City of Atlanta park. The food forest will produce a wide variety of fresh, flavorful, and healthy nuts, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and mushrooms, which will become available for public consumption. Volunteers will help with building the soil, weeding, planting, watering, harvesting and site beautification projects. Tools will be provided.
YCFP - MOBILE FOOD PANTRY (FIRST AFRICAN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH LOCATION)
Tuesday, February 11 From 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Lithonia)
Your Community Food Pantry's (YCFP) mission is to eliminate hunger, and to improve the overall sustainability of communities. In partnership with the Atlanta Community Food Bank, FACDC has distributed over 2,000,000lbs of food to more than 100,000 persons. Volunteer positions include: Food Pantry Table Distributor, Food Pantry Product Handler, Food Pantry Client In-Take Coordinators, Food Pantry Traffic Manager and Client Assistant.
DISCOVERY PROGRAM @ PARKLANE ELEMENTARY
Saturday, February 8 From 9:45 AM - 12:00 PM (East Point)
Parklane Elementary Discovery is a Saturday morning tutoring program that offers one-on-one and small group enrichment activities for at-risk children. Volunteers lead activities and help with reading and math skills for students in kindergarten through 5th grades. Volunteers who speak Spanish are especially needed.
Starbucks Foundation Service Fellows: A Mission Put Into Action
There is no doubt that hunger and poverty plague all parts of the world, but here at Hands On Atlanta, we make it our mission to mobilize the Atlanta community to tackle our city’s most pressing needs - providing opportunities to help serve the thousands of families who are in need of food and other essential resources. Each year, an estimate of 755,400 (1 in 7) people in Georgia turn to Food Bank partner agencies for food. 1 in 5 kids in Georgia live in food-insecure households. While we can’t solve all of the hunger problems facing our community, thanks to an impactful partnership with the Starbucks Foundation, Points of Light, and the Atlanta Community Food Bank, we’re now able to get more food to those in need.
There is no doubt that hunger and poverty plague all parts of the world, but here at Hands On Atlanta, we make it our mission to mobilize the Atlanta community to tackle our city’s most pressing needs - providing opportunities to help serve the thousands of families who are in need of food and other essential resources. Each year, an estimate of 755,400 (1 in 7) people in Georgia turn to Food Bank partner agencies for food. 1 in 5 kids in Georgia live in food-insecure households. While we can’t solve all of the hunger problems facing our community, thanks to an impactful partnership with the Starbucks Foundation, Points of Light, and the Atlanta Community Food Bank, we’re now able to get more food to those in need.
Towards the end of May 2019, The Starbucks Foundation and Points of Light announced the expansion of the Starbucks Foundation Service Fellow Program, following a successful six-month pilot in 2018. As a result of the good news, we were able to welcome two new members to the Hands On Atlanta team, Shelly Banks and Steen Stuckey in September of 2019!
““I’ve always been interested in community service, and Starbucks continues to create new opportunities to stay within the company and get involved in new ways like this program, and I felt like it was a perfect fit!” ”
Here’s how the program works.
The goal of the Starbucks Foundation Service Fellow Program will do 2 things:
Enable local food pantries to provide more food to those in need.
Provide the Starbucks Foundation Service Fellows a unique opportunity to address a pressing community need.
The Starbucks Foundation Service Fellows work 20 hours in their store, while spending another 20 hours with Hands On Atlanta, helping build volunteer capacity at Atlanta Community Food Bank affiliate food pantries.
Shelly and Steen will provide training and consultation on volunteer management to 8 food pantries around metro Atlanta. Stretching from Lithonia to Newnan, more people will have access to more food, thanks to the help of their work! By helping the food pantries better engage volunteers in serving more food to their clients, our amazing fellows (Steen and Shelly) are tackling one of Starbucks’ global social impact priorities: hunger.
“The ultimate goal, from the Starbucks lens, is that these partners [Starbucks employees] are truly catalytic in their communities and that they inspire more partners to get engaged” ”
Thanks to the program that the Starbucks Foundation and Points of Light have delivered, we can now strengthen our storied partnership with the Atlanta Community Food Bank by providing customized 1:1 support to their food pantries.
Meet the 2020 Hands On Atlanta Starbucks Fellows
Shelly Banks
“And now I’m doing this service fellowship, so it’s truly a great experience to work for a company that lets me explore so many different possibilities.””
Shelly has been a partner at Starbucks since 2013, and enjoys working for the company because they provide so many different opportunities that she’s been able to be apart of. She went to college through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan program and obtained her degree. Shelly also completed the Coffee Master program, which provided her with a higher level of coffee knowledge and a cool black apron!
Steen Stuckey
“I think one of the best things about working at Starbucks is how much we focus on helping people develop professionally. And I think this is a very, very cool opportunity for that. I hope that more people get to take advantage of it.””
Arkansas native, Steen, moved to Atlanta about 2 ½ years ago with her wife of three years. Since the big move, she has been apart of the Starbucks family. After hearing about the Starbucks Service Fellows Program, she was excited to be apart of the fellowship since it aligned with her idea of a fulfilling life: giving back to the community. In the future, Steen hopes that the program continues to expand so that more opportunities are created for those interested in becoming a service fellow.
Learn more about this unique partnership happening in 20 cities across the country!
Hot Projects: Week of January 27
Check out this week’s Hot Projects that include awesome volunteer opportunities with Grant Park Conservancy, Atlanta Public Schools, Action Ministries and more!
ACTION MINISTRIES FOOD BOX BUILDING
Saturday, February 1 From 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (East Point)
Be a part of ending hunger for families across Georgia! Action Ministries' hunger program supplies over 40,000 food boxes to help thousands of families each year, provides 2,500 kids in Georgia with meal packs that help end hunger over the weekend, and delivers lunch and enrichment activities to over 7,000 kids during extended school breaks and summer! We invite you to join us at our next service event, where we will have fun and make a difference at the same time. Volunteers will assemble flat food boxes, fill food boxes with a pre-determined box menu following overhead instructions and more!
ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICT AND REGIONAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR
Thursday, January 30 From 8:30 AM - 11:30 PM (SW Atlanta)
Atlanta Public Schools Office of Science is hosting its annual District and Regional Science and Engineering Fair at APS Coan Building. The purpose of this fair is to allow students in grades three through twelve an opportunity to present their original science and engineering research projects. We are requesting your support in judging student projects on January 29, 2020, and/or January 30, 2020. The science fair is a fun and engaging time for students. Students are excited to share their authentic research projects.
MORNING- PROJECT G.R.A.N.T. FEBRUARY 2020
Saturday, February 8 From 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (NW Atlanta)
Please join the Grant Park Conservancy in our mission to care for historic Grant Park - we depend on volunteers like you to help keep the park healthy and beautiful! Project G.R.A.N.T. (Greenspace Restoration and Neighborhood Teamwork) convenes monthly in the park for morning (9am– 12pm) and afternoon (1:30pm-4:30pm) work sessions. Both sessions will tackle labor-intensive projects throughout the park including invasive plant removal, tree canopy care, trash pick up and more.
YCFP - MOBILE FOOD PANTRY (FIRST AFRICAN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH LOCATION)
Friday, February 7 From 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Lithonia)
Your Community Food Pantry's (YCFP) mission is to eliminate hunger, and to improve the overall sustainability of communities. In partnership with the Atlanta Community Food Bank, FACDC has distributed over 2,000,000lbs of food to more than 100,000 persons. Volunteer positions include: Food Pantry Table Distributor, Food Pantry Product Handler, Food Pantry Client In-Take Coordinators, Food Pantry Traffic Manager and Client Assistant.
DISCOVERY PROGRAM @ PARKLANE ELEMENTARY
Saturday, February 8 From 9:45 AM - 12:00 PM (East Point)
Parklane Elementary Discovery is a Saturday morning tutoring program that offers one-on-one and small group enrichment activities for at-risk children. Volunteers lead activities and help with reading and math skills for students in kindergarten through 5th grades. Volunteers who speak Spanish are especially needed.
MLK Day 2020 in Review
The 2020 edition of the King holiday fell on a pivotal point in our city’s history. 2020 will bring an election, the census, the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment, and more events that will require us, as a community and as a nation, to unite. For us, while incredibly important, that means more than volunteering and serving others. Knowing we’ve got some of the country’s top civic engagement and social justice organizations right here in our backyard, we partnered with The King Center, The National Center for Civil and Human Rights and Morehouse College to deliver over 2 weeks of events and programming.
Hundreds of volunteers planted 200 trees and 5,000 daffodil bulbs. Volunteers were welcomed by Dunwoody Mayor, Lynn Deutsch.
Photo by Paul Ward Photography
The 2020 edition of the King holiday fell on a pivotal point in our city’s history. This year will bring an election, the census, the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment, and more events that will require us, as a community and as a nation, to unite. For us, while incredibly important, that means more than volunteering and serving others. Knowing we’ve got some of the country’s top civic engagement and social justice organizations right here in our backyard, we partnered with The King Center, The National Center for Civil and Human Rights and Morehouse College to deliver over 2 weeks of events and programming.
““The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.””
For the King holiday, Atlanta, once again, rose to the occasion and set the standard for how to commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. King. There have been opportunities to learn, to listen, to serve, to engage, to disrupt and to do. Below are some highlights from the MLK Sunday Supper and our annual day of service. To the changemakers, the corporate community, our partners and everyone who participated in an MLK Day event or program - THANK YOU!
MLK SUNDAY SUPPER
Photos by Steve Swieter Photography
For the 6th year in a row, Hands On Atlanta kicked-off the MLK Day of Service with our annual MLK Sunday Supper. What’s become one of our favorite annual events, this year’s conversation centered around THE defining social justice issue of 2020: women’s rights. With the upcoming election and census, we know 2020 will be a pivotal year for everyone, but it will be specifically pivotal for women. There isn’t an issue…from affordable housing to income inequality, that doesn’t’ dis-proportionally affect women in our community.
The evening’s conversations were sparked by vignettes from Andrea Young, Executive Director of ACLU of Georgia, Cheryl Preheim, evening anchor at 11Alive, and Kwame Johnson, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta. The evening’s program was designed in partnership with Civic Dinners, and facilitated by women leaders from across Atlanta.
Highlights of the evening included two incredibly moving performance from the Atlanta Music Project and a motivational challenge for change by Jill Savitt, the CEO of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights!
Day of Service
On the coldest day of the year, tens of thousands of ATLiens turned out for city wide volunteer projects, church services, the King Center’s annual march, and other MLK Day related events and programs. We tallied over 3,000 changemakers, serving almost 10,000 hours at 20 projects hosted by our corporate, nonprofit and school partners across metro Atlanta. Here’s a snap shot of the day:
400 volunteers turned up at Truly Living Well to assist with winterization for the fruit trees, composting, cleaning a pond and re-mulching pathways. Volunteers spread 800 pounds of mulch, built 5 cold frame/mini greenhouses, installed a new garden bed and more!
Our friends at Livable Buckhead hosted about 75 volunteers from Accenture and ADP at Loridians Park, where volunteers helped create a new nature trail and a community education space.
In partnership with Trees Atlanta, 300 volunteers planted 200 trees and 5,000 daffodil bulbs at Brook Run Park! Special guests included Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch, volunteers from project sponsors Coca-Cola, Newell Brands, and The Home Depot, plus the Atlanta-Dunwoody chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
ATLiens strolling down the Beltline stopped at our “pop up” project and helped build 200 STEM kits for students in our partner Atlanta Public Schools.
Volunteers stayed warm by working hard, beautifying 5 partner schools from Atlanta, Dekalb and Fulton County School systems. Projects covered a wide range of needs and included painting, landscaping, bench and picnic table builds, outdoor classrooms, garden beds and more!
More than 200 volunteers stopped into City Hall for the City of Atlanta Day of Service making hats and scarves, no sew blankets and more for City of Atlanta Warming Centers (temporary homeless shelters open during frigid temperatures) and several partner nonprofits.
What’s next
Our official King Holiday festivities began back on January 13 and will conclude on Jan. 31. On Thursday, Jan. 23 from 5:30pm-7:30pm catch Stacey Abrams at the Morehouse College Annual MLK Lecture Series and on Friday, Jan. 31 from 8:30am - 10:00am, grab your seat for an uplifting and engaging talk from Dr. Vicki Crawford at Creative Mornings. Dr. Crawford, the director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Collection at Morehouse College and general editor of the Morehouse College King Collection Series on Civil and Human Rights.
As Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The time is always right, to do what is right.” We’ve got you covered to do what is right, all year round:
Find volunteer opportunities to fit your schedule and the issues you can about most!
Explore one of our digital volunteering partners and help someone in real-time.
Host or attend a Civic Dinner.
THANK YOU SPONSORS!
Please join us and toss a high five to the companies paving the way for a more equitable and civically engaged Atlanta! The support from these leaders made the MLK Sunday Supper and Day of Service possible.
Hot Projects: Week of January 20
Check out this week’s Hot Projects that include awesome volunteer opportunities with Sweetwater Mission, New Life Community Ministries, Your Community Food Pantry. and more!
YCFP - MOBILE FOOD PANTRY (BIG MILLER GROVE LOCATION)
Saturday, January 25 From 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Lithonia)
Your Community Food Pantry (YCFP) is a subsidiary of FACDC. FACDC is a 501(c3) non-profit organization that brings free/low cost services to churches, schools, community organizations, and directly to the people. Our mission is to eliminate hunger, and to improve the overall sustainability of communities. For more than 20 years, FACDC has been providing services in the East Dekalb communities. In partnership with the Atlanta Community Food Bank, FACDC has distributed over 2,000,000lbs of food to more than 100,000 persons. Volunteer positions include: Food Pantry Table Distributor, Food Pantry Product Handler, Food Pantry Client In-Take Coordinators, Food Pantry Traffic Manager and Client Assistant.
TEAMWORKS! KICKOFF
Saturday, January 25 From 9:45 AM - 12:00 PM (NW Atlanta)
Hands On Atlanta TeamWorks! is a program that betters metro-Atlanta through meaningful service projects. It’s a program that affords you the opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others and our communities, and to develop friendships with your fellow volunteers along the way. It’s an opportunity to challenge yourself and get involved! Kick-off is the first meeting of every round. It is an orientation - a chance for volunteers to meet, form teams, and learn about the projects planned for that round. We are switching up this round and adding a mini-service project that will benefit one of ournonprofit partners.
FOOD PANTRY ASSISTANT
Saturday, January 25 From 8:30 AM - 1:00 PM (Austell)
Sweetwater Mission is the largest food pantry in the state of Georgia, according to the Atlanta Community Food Bank. We are open to serve the community Monday - Saturday (excluding holidays) from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., Our food pantry is a client choice and mimics a small grocery store completely with shopping carts. With this type of service we need plenty of volunteers to make it happen - that's where you come in! While serving in our Food Pantry you will be assisting the clients as they go through the food pantry, this opportunity is standing on our cement floors - reaching and lifting food items. You will have the chance to meet our clients face to face as well share the love we all have for serving with a smile and kind heart.
HIS LOVE EXTENDED - PRAISE BEAUTY SALON VOLUNTEER
Saturday, January 25 From 9:00 AM - 1:00 AM (Decatur)
We encourage and uplift our clients by providing hair services to women, men, and children. The Praise Salon seeks to remove outward physical barriers that limit personal/professional growth and success in employment, continuing education, and securing permanent housing by providing beauty and confidence-building tips to those experiencing financial hardships. Those with skills to serve as stylists, braiders/loc specialists, and shampooers. We also need child care teachers/helpers – and people who can assist with administrative tasks. Orientation is provided, and shampoo and stylist training sessions are offered.
FOREST RESTORATION IN MORNINGSIDE NATURE PRESERVE MORNINGSIDE/LENOX PARK
Saturday, January 25 From 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (North 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 the work we do is accomplished with the help of volunteers including all the trees we plant and much of our invasive plant removal! Help care for our urban forest by removing invasive plants in Morningside Nature Preserve, a beautiful greenspace along Peachtree Creek. Our focus is to promote a healthy, sustainable plant community. Activities include pulling and cutting invasive plants such as Chinese privet and English ivy and replanting native plants.
Hot Projects: Week of January 13
Check out this week’s Hot Projects that include awesome volunteer opportunities with Open Hand, Piedmont Park, The Pantry at Hamilton Mill U.M.C. and more!
MORNING MEAL PACKING
Wednesday, January 22 From 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (NW Atlanta)
At Open Hand, people from all walks of life come together to touch the lives of thousands of others who are not as fortunate. The Morning Meal Packing event involves portioning food into individual containers and snack bags on the packing assembly line. With over 5,000 meals to package every day, your help is essential. This is a great project for individuals and families, and a great team-building exercise for school, business, and church groups!
FOOD PANTRY DISTRIBUTION PREP
Friday, January 17 From 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM (Dacula)
The Pantry @ HMUMC exists to connect community members in times of need with families seeking to serve by distributing food without judgment or expectation. Join us as we improve our greater community by physically and spiritually feeding patrons and volunteers, fostering friendships and setting an example of love and service for future generations. Volunteers will unload food deliveries, assist with weighing, sorting and putting away food to prevent spoilage, organize freezers and refrigerators, prepare and organize food for Saturday distribution.
MULCH PARTY AT PIEDMONT PARK
Wednesday, January 22 From 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (NW Atlanta)
With over 200 acres, there is always somewhere that needs a fresh layer of mulch in Piedmont Park. Mulch helps conserve moisture and reduce weed infestations. So take advantage of this mild January weather and help us spread mulch in Piedmont Park. We provide the tools and work gloves. Bring your friends and help us get the Park ready for Spring. Skip the gym for a day and get a workout that will benefit both you and Piedmont Park.
ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS’ HELEN RUFFIN READING BOWL
Saturday, January 25 From 7:30 AM - 12:30 AM (NW Atlanta)
The Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl is a state-wide reading initiative which began in 2003. It is a reading competition open to students in grades 4-12 across the state. Students in elementary and middle school are quizzed on the Georgia Book Award Nominees while high school participants are quizzed on the 20 Georgia Peach Teen Book Award Nominees. The APS competition, sponsored by our Media Services Department, and will take place at D.M. Therrell High School on Saturday, January 25, 2020 beginning at 7:30am. We are seeking volunteers to support this district-wide event. Volunteers will work as a score-keeper, timer, moderator, or judge.
Discovery Program @ BELMONT HILLS ELEMENTARY
Saturday, January 18 From 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Smyrna)
The Hands On Atlanta Discovery program is a volunteer-led Saturday tutoring and enrichment program. The two-hour session occurs twice a month from 10am to 12pm. The program reinforces weekday learning through academic assistance, educational games, service-learning projects, and other enrichment activities. Volunteers who speak Spanish are especially needed. Students are engaged in a variety of subjects depending on the needs of their particular schools. Our goal is to have a one-on-one volunteer to student ratio, allowing for individualized attention and the building of relationships between students and volunteers.