For the 2024 edition of Hands On Atlanta Week, presented by Delta Air Lines, more than 3,000 volunteers supported over 50 nonprofits and schools across 300 projects! The focus for the week prioritized projects around Food Security and Hurricane Helene relief efforts, but volunteers created meaningful impact in all kinds of areas including building bikes, park beautifications, tutoring elementary students and so much more!
We’re excited to introduce our newest Hands On Hunger cohort! Since 2018, in partnership with the Atlanta Community Food Bank, we’ve led 10 cohorts of pantries through our intensive 2 year capacity-building program, with this being our 11th.
Until further notice, we will defer all volunteer needs and projects to our nonprofit, school and corporate partners. We’ve been in contact with all of them and will update our volunteer calendar, programs, and needs of our community as requested.
A summary of our response and current activities is below. We'll provide further updates as things evolve, but in the meantime, thanks for doing your part to ensure the safety and well-being of you and those around you!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Over the years, we’ve learned a thing or two about our community. Y’all love volunteering and will go to great lengths to support our work, y’all care about making Atlanta better for all of our citizens, and y’all most definitely know how to party! Take a look back at the Hands On Atlanta 30th Birthday Party!
Ten Atlanta artists join forces to creating mural at Frederick Douglass High School on Atlanta’s westside during the King Holiday on Monday, January 21, 2019. Organized by Atlanta artist Charmaine Minniefield, the mural is sponsored by Spelman College for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service with Hands On Atlanta.
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