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.

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For more information on the ACLU of Georgia’s Poll Worker Recruitment Program, visit acluga.org/pollworkers.

Hands On Atlanta and Sock Fancy Partner to Giveaway 50,000 Masks

In an effort to stop the spread of Covid-19, Sock Fancy and Hands On Atlanta will donate 50,000 non-surgical, protective masks to metro Atlanta community organizations.

Atlanta, GA -- Sock Fancy and Hands On Atlanta will distribute at least 50,000 non-surgical protective masks to metro Atlanta nonprofits, schools, and community organizations in need. The partnership was sparked through Sock Fancy’s timely pivot from making custom socks to making protective masks to meet the urgent demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. Through their pivot, Sock Fancy launched a “One-for-One” campaign, promising to donate 1 mask for every mask purchased. With the state of Georgia reopening, the need for every member of our community to be able to protect themselves (and each other) has never been higher.

“We recognized our ability to help our [Atlanta] community as soon as we heard of the urgent demand for PPE from healthcare and nonprofit organizations across the country. We knew our staff and manufacturers would rise to the occasion to get the masks produced. Partnering with Hands On Atlanta to distribute the masks to our communities’ most vulnerable has made it possible for us to fulfill our “One for One” commitment” said Stefan Lewinger, Co-founder and CEO of Sock Fancy.

During the initial phase of their Covid-19 relief efforts, Hands On Atlanta focused on fighting food insecurity with Atlanta Public Schools and the Atlanta Community Food Bank. They also created a resource where Atlantans could find opportunities to serve in-person (utilizing social distancing) or virtually from home. As relief turns into recovery, they’ll continue to provide volunteer opportunities while shifting to meet the growing needs of the community. Food assistance, workforce development, voting, and access to PPE are among the core focus points of the next phase in their efforts.

“We’ve heard from our nonprofit and community partners that staff and client safety is their top priority. So, when the team from Sock Fancy called us to see if we could help with their distribution efforts, we dove in head first,” said Jay Cranman, President and CEO of Hands On Atlanta.  

The partnership is already off to a great start. Over 4,000  masks have been donated to the Atlanta Police Department for distribution to those experiencing homelessness in downtown Atlanta.

“As has been said many times throughout the course of this pandemic, we are truly in this together and are grateful for your partnership, particularly in service to those who are most vulnerable among us,” said Tammy Hughes, Social Impact Director for Atlanta Downtown Improvement District/Central Atlanta Progress.

For more information on this partnership and to apply to get masks for your nonprofit, community organization, or school visit the Hands On Atlanta website at https://www.handsonatlanta.org/masks.

The Georgia Commission of Service and Volunteerism Awards Hands On Atlanta $460,000 AmeriCorps Grant

2018/19 AmeriCorps members pack meals for students during the winter break.

Earlier this month, Gov. Brian Kemp announced that Georgia has received $3,341,944 in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency responsible for AmeriCorps and other national service programs. Of that, Hands On Atlanta will receive $462,767.00 (the second largest grant awarded in Georgia) to support our school-based AmeriCorps program!

The Hands On Atlanta AmeriCorps program is an engaging 10-month commitment in which AmeriCorps members impact Atlanta’s most vulnerable youth. Members serve on a diverse, task-oriented team to provide math and literacy tutoring, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and college readiness coaching, curriculum enrichment, and community engagement to over 1,000 K-12th grade students attending low performing schools across metro Atlanta.

“Building on a strong tradition of neighbor helping neighbor, AmeriCorps members will change lives, improve communities, and build a safer, stronger, and more united Georgia,” said Chester Spellman, director of AmeriCorps. “For 25 years, the AmeriCorps members who pledge to ‘get things done’ have represented the best of America while demonstrating the great promise and ideals of our country. I salute all the AmeriCorps members who will join them, and thank those who help make their service possible.”

These grants will put more than 500 AmeriCorps members on the ground to serve with nineteen (19) organizations to tackle some of the toughest problems in Georgia including education, economic opportunities, healthy futures, veterans and military families, homelessness, people living with disabilities, financial literacy, and environmental issues. Hands On Atlanta will deploy 40 AmeriCorps members directly into the community through our school and nonprofit partners.

“Hands On Atlanta is thrilled to receive nearly half a million dollars from the Georgia State Commission of Volunteerism and CNCS to support our 19/20 AmeriCorps program. We are excited to place AmeriCorps members at schools and nonprofits across the greater Atlanta community. Hands On Atlanta has received a record breaking 500+ applications for 40 positions and is energized by the caliber and commitment to service our incoming cohort brings,“ said Lindsey Baker, Hands On Atlanta Director of Programs.

AmeriCorps’ unique model means that the grants announced will leverage an additional $3 million from the private sector, foundations, and other sources – further increasing the return on the federal investment.

In addition, CNCS will provide over $2 million in Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards for the AmeriCorps members funded by these grants. After successfully completing their service term, full-time AmeriCorps members receive an Education Award of approximately $6,000 that they can use to pay for college or graduate school or to pay off student loans.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of AmeriCorps. Since the program’s inception in 1994, more than 1 million Americans have served, providing more than 1.5 billion hours of service and earned more than $3.6 billion in education scholarships, more than $1 billion of which has been used to pay back student debt. Those interested in joining AmeriCorps can learn more at AmeriCorps.gov/Join.

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Every year, 75,000 AmeriCorps members serve through 21,000+ schools, nonprofits, and community and faith-based organizations across the country. These citizens have played a critical role in the recovery of communities affected by disasters and helped thousands of first generation college students access higher education. They also tutor and mentor young people, connect veterans to jobs, care for seniors, reduce crime and revive cities, fight the opioid epidemic, and meet other critical needs.

If you’re interested in learning more about joining the Hands On Atlanta AmeriCorps program visit https://www.handsonatlanta.org/americorps. For companies, organizations, and foundations looking to sponsor or match funding, please reach out to our team at americorps@handsonatlanta.org for more info.