THE CITIZEN BLOG
THE CITIZEN BLOG
Hands On Atlanta Week Hopes to Inspire Unity Across Metro Atlanta
Hands On Atlanta Week will feature over 200 unique and meaningful ways Atlantans can unite in service from Oct. 3-10, 2020. Participants can expect traditional in-person volunteer projects, engaging virtual projects and more during Atlanta’s largest week of service.
Hands On Atlanta will deliver seven days of in-person and virtual service opportunities for people in metro Atlanta to unite in support of Covid-19 relief efforts, food assistance, racial equity, voter access and more.
ATLANTA, GA – Hands On Atlanta Week will feature over 200 unique and meaningful ways Atlantans can unite in service from Oct. 3-10, 2020. Participants can expect traditional in-person volunteer projects, engaging virtual projects and more during Atlanta’s largest week of service.
Atlantans will be encouraged to host and attend virtual “Bridging the Racial Divide” Civic Dinner conversations, attend the virtual Atlanta Black Theater Festival and participate in The Race: A virtual & digital half marathon that supports black-owned businesses, neighborhoods, and charities. In an effort to increase voter accessibility and turnout, Hands On Atlanta has partnered with the ACLU of Georgia, Vote Early Day, and other nonpartisan organizations to recruit poll workers and raise awareness for early voting options. Technologists and creatives can join 48in48’s global hack-a-thon for good to build over 48 websites for 48+ nonprofits in 48 hours! These are just a few of the ways Atlantans can participate in Hands On Atlanta Week.
“2020 has been a challenging year for everyone in Atlanta, but the shining light across our community has been the thousands of changemakers stepping up to help their neighbors in need. 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 also focus on Covid-19 relief and food insecurity – from in-person food distributions and meal packing with the Atlanta Community Food Bank to letter-writing campaigns for healthcare workers. Sponsor, Coca-Cola USA, will join the fight against food insecurity and support several virtual projects throughout the week.
“Throughout our 134-year history, Coca-Cola has always been there to make a difference in local communities,” said Alba Baylin, Vice President of Community and Stakeholder Relations, Coca-Cola North America. “Serving communities in need has never been more important than right now. That's why we're pleased to support Hands On Atlanta Week, which will truly make a difference for so many people throughout Atlanta.”
Hands On Atlanta Week will take place from Saturday, Oct. 3 through Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. To get your company or organization involved, or to serve with your family and friends, visit www.handsonatlanta.org/week
Thank a metro Atlanta Health Care Provider
In an effort to engage community members of all ages, Hands On Atlanta is teaming up local hospitals and offering a turn-key letter-writing campaign. Take a minute to thank and send gratitude to healthcare professionals working around the clock to keep our city healthy and safe.
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How it Works
Grab a card, postcard or piece of paper for the letter - don't forget an envelope!
Write your letter or letters, there's no limit to how many you can do!
Take a video or picture of your letter encouraging others to join and share on social media using #writesomethinggood
Mail your letter!
Mail Your Letters
Grady Health System
C/O Leigh Reece, Office #1C122 80 Jesse Hill Jr Drive Atlanta, GA 30303
Northside Hospital
C/O Imann Ostien, Marketing 1000 Johnson Ferry Road NE Atlanta, Georgia 30342
Piedmont Atlanta Hospital
1968 Peachtree Road, NW Building 1984; Human Resources department Atlanta, GA 30309
Wellstar Foundation
805 Sandy Plains Road, Suite 100 Marietta, GA 30066
Letter Writing Tips
Start with a salutation, such as "Dear Healthcare Provider" or "Dear Healthcare Hero".
Share a personal thank you or gratitude for their work like "Thank you for your service to keep our city healthy" or "We are grateful for your service and hard work".
Please avoid glitter or additional items in the envelope.
Please mail all letters to addresses provided above.
Purchase and print stamps from home or have them delivered from the US Postal Service.
Host a Virtual Civic Dinner
Now more than ever, it’s vital that we come together. Social distancing doesn’t have to mean social disconnection. The team at Civic Dinners has built a new feature to allow for people to come together for meaningful conversations, group happy hours and family gatherings, to reconnect around what really matters.
Take advantage of social distancing’s best apps (FaceTime, Google Hangouts, Zoom, Facebook, Slack, etc.) and rally around the dinner table to have an important conversation by hosting a virtual Civic Dinner!
Answer Student Questions with Career Village
CareerVillage.org acts as a community of adults who educate, inspire, and give confidence to the young people who need it most.
How it Works
Students ask questions about any career on CareerVillage.org.
Volunteers can respond to questions on the site and get emailed new questions matching your set of skills and expertise.
Volunteers answer questions all from the convenience of their smart phones or computers!
Food Rescue Driver with Second Helpings Atlanta
Second Helpings Atlanta, Inc. (SHA) is a non-profit food rescue organization whose mission is to reduce hunger and food waste in the metropolitan Atlanta area. Their volunteers help by using their personal vehicles to rescue surplus fresh and prepared food from their Food Donors and deliver it to their Partner Agencies - all nonprofit organizations that feed those in need.
How it Works
Who should sign up:
People that are passionate about food insecurity, reducing waste, volunteerism, and/or helping their community.
At least 18 years old, can comfortably lift 30lbs, has a valid driver’s license, a registered/insured personal vehicle, and will follow CDC guidelines (i.e. Wearing a Mask).
When and where you serve:
Their Food Rescue Program runs in the morning, seven days a week, and only takes 90 minutes of your time - plenty of opportunities to work around your busy schedule.
13 mile routes around metro Atlanta
If you are looking for a low contact volunteer experience, being a Second Helpings Atlanta Food Rescue Driver will be perfect for you.
ACLU of Georgia, Hands On Atlanta Join Forces to Recruit Poll Workers for Georgia Elections
ATLANTA – The ACLU of Georgia and Hands On Atlanta are joining forces to recruit volunteers, so that our state has enough poll workers to run effective elections. The ACLU of Georgia created a poll worker recruitment program to prevent the State from a repeat of the massive failure experienced during the June 9th primary election, in which countless Georgians were deprived of their constitutional right to vote.
During the primary, many poll workers dropped out due to the risk of contracting COVID-19, poll worker recruitment efforts and/or websites failed to be clear how one becomes a poll worker and were hard to find, and some Georgians who asked to serve as poll workers never received any response. Many of the poll workers were also insufficiently trained, which led to the chaos of long lines, inoperable voting machines, and misinformation regarding provisional and absentee ballots.
Given the particular circumstances of our time and the fact that 72 is the average age of poll workers throughout the state, the ACLU of Georgia’s program seeks to recruit younger citizens who are at lower risk of COVID-19 complications, lawyers committed to understanding the ins and outs of election law and administration, and/or tech-savvy individuals who can help keep the electronic voter machines up and running.
“We are thrilled that Hands On Atlanta is partnering with us to answer the call to be involved to help recruit poll workers,” said Christopher Bruce, political director of the ACLU of Georgia. “Civic-minded citizens are key to protecting our sacred right to vote.”
“As the late representative John Lewis said, ‘The vote is precious. It’s almost sacred.’ Increasing access and rights to voting is at the core of our vision to make Atlanta the most civically engaged and equitable community in the world. We couldn’t be more excited to support the ACLU of Georgia’s efforts to recruit poll workers – supporting Rep. Lewis’s life’s work and ensuring everyone in Atlanta has the opportunity to vote.” said Jay Cranman, President and CEO of Hands On Atlanta.
Ready to learn more and get involved? We’re hosting a free, informational webinar (on Sept. 1 from 6:00pm - 7:00pm) on why poll workers are needed and how you can sign up.
For more information on the ACLU of Georgia’s Poll Worker Recruitment Program, visit acluga.org/pollworkers.
Spread Kindness, Not the Virus
Looking for a way to let your neighbors know you can help, if they need you? We’ve put together some “Kindness Cards” to help you spread kindness during the pandemic by reaching out and offering support to friends and neighbors.
These are especially helpful if you know any older or isolated individuals. You can make them feel supported, safe, and less lonely during self-quarantine by offering support via our “Kindness Cards”.
How it Works
Print Cards
Download greeting card template
Fill out with your information
Send to neighbors or friends by mail, dropping off, or via email
Digital Cards
Download the social media card (it’s like a photo)
Post it on your favorite social platform (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.)
Write a brief explanation of how/why you’re offering help and include contact details - “Send me a private or direct message” or “Comment on this post with how I can help”
Click post!
Virtually Volunteer with Atlanta Habitat
Learn how you can virtually volunteer with Atlanta Habitat and support their build operations and homebuyers remotely.
Atlanta Habitat recently announced that they are pausing any in-person or on-site volunteering opportunities. However, there are a number of ways that you can support their build operations and homebuyers remotely.
Check out their list of virtual volunteer opportunities below, and if you have any questions or want to learn more, contact their Sr. Volunteer Manager. Happy volunteering!
Write a letter of support to a new Atlanta Habitat homebuyer.
Our homebuyers would love to hear from you! Write a handwritten letter or email of support and send it to a new Atlanta Habitat homebuyer.
Complete this Volunteer Preference form to be paired with a current homebuyer.
Sign a virtual beam for a new Atlanta Habitat homebuyer as part of the Beams of Hope campaign.
Complete this Volunteer Preference form to be paired with a current homebuyer.
Build your own hands-on project at home for an Atlanta Habitat homebuyer.
Complete a small craft project at home (building templates available) and donate it to a new Atlanta Habitat homebuyer or the ReStore. Kids can help too! Projects ideas include:
Any other small building projects you can imagine (must easily fit in a car).
Complete this Volunteer Preference form to be paired with a current homebuyer.
Learn new construction skills virtually and complete your own DIY home maintenance project.
Learn a new skill from one of our House Leaders or Skilled Supervisors virtually.
Complete your own maintenance project at home. Don’t forget to share your handiwork with other Atlanta Habitat volunteers by tagging photos or video of your project on social media with #atlantahabitatathome.
Atlanta Habitat Home Maintenance Instructional Videos