As someone who finds it hard to accept help I was reluctant to go there. Having went Im so very…read moreglad I did. They treat everyone with respect. The current options are a $10 donation to shop in their aisle or a free grocery cart of food. Their aisle is 2 levels and has 13 slots per level. This can have anything you mind find in a grocery store. There is a limit per item. You are given a grocery cart to use and do your own shopping to suit your familys tastes/needs. If you choose the free option there is a cart already prepared. Their hours of operation are limited and they do require a one time registration.

It has the nicest people that work there. They have a real love for Our God and the families that…read morecome through. They help those that need help while they are there. It's a small 10$ donation to shop if you don't have that you stil get a box of good food and other things. There is a thrift store of new things like Nike shoes and more! Go bless them by coming and I promise you will be blessed. This is the best value in Douglasville and surrounding areas

I have to these folks a shout for doing solid work. There's a lot going on here to help low-income…read moreresidents in Cobb and Douglas Counties. Well-thought-out solutions that do more than offer simple hand-outs. There is education happening here. Job placement. Family support. Access to healthcare and other necessary resources. And yes, food. It's a well organized effort. A well-oiled machine. And there are plenty of success stories to tell. But there is always more to do. You guys know I'm not religious. Sweetwater's success is defined by the service ethic of a fantastic staff and many dedicated volunteers. They could use more help in the effort to help others. If you volunteer there, please tell them I said HI.

Great place. All volunteers. Can get free food and clothes. Have to come early. Get a number to be…read moreserve. Only serve certain number of people a day. Clean and very nice people. Always crowded. Sometimes standing room only

Over the last couple of months, they've helped me with a lot of things signing up for food…read moreassistance getting food assistance job job request pretty much I like it and the people are nice to you

If you are looking for something to do around the holidays with your family or with your friends…read morethis is a great option. We don't have a lot of family so usually around the holidays my mom and I will go serve here whether it's Christmas or Thanksgiving it's pretty well organized you can sign up beforehand online for different areas from serving food to helping give out clothing to greeting people there are a lot of different opportunities.

'TIS THE SEASON...(VOLUNTEERING)…read more Commonly known as CRN, this non-profit provides services to homeless women and children. Today I had the pleasure of volunteering to sort and package donated food items for Thanksgiving dinners. A great number of people came out and business was handled in a timely and efficient manner. The warehouse was packed with large groups such as boy scouts, sororities, corporate groups and others. I chose to volunteer with my young neighbor so we were a team of two. There was a lot of great energy in the space and people were genuinely kind and helpful. Not only did I have a great time helping others, I just enjoyed being able to spend time with my neighbor and catch up with her busy middle school life. She on the other hand, was able to get some additional community hours for Beta Club so we knocked out several birds with one stone. CRN has a variety of volunteer needs through-out the year and is always looking for additional support and assistance. I know that they will be needing assistance with donating, collecting and delivering toys for Christmas. They will also need volunteers to wrap gifts so if you have a group of friends or willing family members who are looking to "give back" please contact CRN regarding specific opportunities. .

A great organization that helps the homeless single mothers and children for almost 25 years! I…read morehave volunteered with this organization for a few years and I am constantly amazed by the dedication from the CEOs,employees and volunteers who serve the Atlanta and surrounding areas. A great organization to get "plugged" into if just for a couple hours or as an ongoing "mentor" to one of these deserving children.

It is with profound gratitude and deep humility that I reflect upon my time with The House of…read moreCherith and City of Refuge. After facing unforeseen and traumatic experiences, this organization became the very sanctuary and place of restoration I desperately needed. The staff, each one a true blessing, exemplified extraordinary dedication and grace. Their commitment was nothing short of a divine appointment; they poured their care and spiritual guidance into me like no other. We must give all the glory to God for utilizing every individual within this organization to genuinely minister to and love the brokenhearted who seek refuge here. They embraced me exactly where I was in my journey, providing an atmosphere where I could rediscover solace, peace, tranquility, dignity, and integrity, but most importantly, unconditional love. Because of their unwavering support, grounded in faith, I have been able to look onward and forward, never back. The fellowship we built was a testament to perseverance a family connection that, while not always easy, was always achievable. For the genuine love, the steadfast support, and the restorative family environment fostered by The House of Cherith and City of Refuge, I am eternally grateful.

The City of Refuge receives a grant for each student. I'm one of the students. Also The city of…read morerefuge, lets you know that you also don't need any "Tech" experience . And they offer 16 ( full time) 26 weeks ( part time) I never got received the PT option. I went to many people about my concerns. The discrimination since March 3rd 2023, has been by far one of the most unfair, unrealistic journeys in my life. On top of dealing with my mother health, spending thousands of dollars on Air BNB and Ride share, making the sacrifice to attend this program. And I received no help. From a "faith-based environment that helps individuals and families transition out of crisis. " That is federally funded by the Dept of Labor With a 5.4 million dollar grant. To help BLACK and BROWN people who are trying to better themselves. And instead of helping someone, that has a disability that's documented, even receives benefits from Social Security. BOTH DIGITAL CRAFTS AND CITY OF REFUGE decided to kick me out of the program. I figured out that the Tech Academy program is all about money, and a scam. they rush you out, with no experience or skills, so they can rush another group in there. and because I asked for help, finally started writing letters and didn't quit like the others have in the past Digital Crafts and City of Refuge Neither one of their organizations know nothing about being Black, but capitalizing off of us. White privilege The hours alone to do this class, was inhumane, unrealistic, that is why the success rate, is non existent, especially if you're Black and Brown , knowing we already deal with challenges in our community. I love being BLACK, but at times I resent it, because of the way we are treated, if we challenge something. We will automatically be put in our "place"

I would rate this cooperative ministry in Norcross Ga with ZERO stars if I could. I really don't…read moreknow where to start or begin this review. However, these people are choosing who they want to help. Shame on you. First, I need help with my utilities and food. Arrived there around 8:45am. About 8:55 this unfriendly older white man. Yell out the door no good morning or anything. Stated you don't have to waited in lines go and get into your car because we will open in 45 mins. WOW!! I understand it was very cold outside but your body language speaks volumes and I already know that he was a very rude unfriendly old man. They open the door around 9:35 which was awesome. The same unfriendly older man. Started stating the new rules for the 2025 cooperative ministry and how he loves being a volunteer over the past years and that they are low on funds helping families in need. Secondly, the rules was not explained in good understanding terms. They just keep asking do you have any questions. The reality were mostly for new clients or clients who have use the food pantry 5 months or more. Please Beware!!!! The new rules 2025 is that for 5 months you will need to use their food pantry once a month or now twice. If you have used their food pantry for 5 months or more then if they have the funds to help with rent and/or utilities you can get help stated by Ms.Becky. My story like I said at the beginning, I needed help with my utilities and food due to temporary loss of wages. Because I used this ministry back in 2017 (Yes) 2017)for rent assistance 8 years ago. The smart ash old white man and Ms.Becky stated they could not help me with the electric bill and ask me did I still need help with food. I stated NO. Why would I need so called good frozen food if there is no electricity. Another real issue the Unfriendly old man started to throw my application in a trash bin and not a shredder. So, I told him to please hand me my application to shred it the correct way. Just awful and sad.

Wow what a day but worth it , this place was very much helpful for me today in my time of need . I…read morewas recommended by a friend to try this ministry out for some assistance due to me being laid off my job and they did that just in time to help me be able to provide for myself and child with what I needed. It was a long experience and some issues i had but (not a problem by them ) . I definitely recommend this place if your in need of some form of assistance they offer rental, utility , food and clothing help , which i know a lot of people can use a helping hand some time i took some good pictures and i can honestly say it was worth the wait i arrived around 10:15am an left at 3pm yes i know that was a long time but they open at 9:30am it was already crowded by 10am so keep that in mind . I also wanna get a chance sometime next week to donate some thing that i have that i know others can use because they also take donations i have a lot of baby stuff i know some mother could possibly use and would love to donate it . Oh yeah one last thing is they have a board to help find more assistance programs and job openings when i was here today Waffle House was doing interviews on spot.

The best part about it? Drawchange made it so easy to go and volunteer with them at the homeless…read moreshelter, and especially Cindy with her guidance and support at all times, they made us feel not just volunteers but like superheroes. Without a doubt I 100% recommend Drawchange if you or your company are willing to live a great experience, painting smiles in the face of a group of homeless children, and also having a great time doing a lot more than just art with a group of kids that have it so hard in life...please try to help Drawchange, volunteering, donating, however you can, they're making a difference, do it for the kids: their smiles, laughter, and heart. We connected with the kids, we left the place with a renewed sense of hope and life, which comes from the kids. What a great opportunity to give back to our community, for a roofing and construction company like us it really makes sense to participate in activities outside of work that connect us together even more, as the team we already are, and if at the same time we can help homeless children experience a happy, joyful and fun time? well, is a win-win scenario for everybody. Thank you Drawchange! Deliana, CFO at Hd Roofing and Construction.

Drawchange is an AMAZING organization to volunteer with. Every team member puts 100% into each…read moresession for the children. I have been volunteering with Orlando drawchange for close to a year now and have seen how well each art project is tailored for the children and what they are going through in their day to day lives. I highly recommend drawchange as the perfect organization to support and volunteer with. Keep up the great work!

My wife and I visited Open Hand Atlanta to volunteer our time for a couple of hours to prep meals…read more Open Hand provides nutritional meals for those with chronic diseases, such as AIDS/HIV, different forms of cancer, etc. These nutritional meals promote and prolong healthier way of life. Once you arrive and sign in, you'll be taken to a waiting room area, where Open Hand staff gives you a rundown of their history and what their mission is. You also get the rules of the prep room and are gifted a one of a kind hairnet, plastic apron, and men with facial hair gets face masks. No jewelry may be at any time. Rings, necklaces, earrings, facial piercings, watches, etc. can NOT be worn. There are different things that you can do at this space, but I wanted to do meal prep. We washed our hands and grabbed plastic gloves. Keep in mind, the gloves are different sizes. The meal prep was like an assembly line. The meal we prepped was Beef Stroganoff on Noodles with Green Beans. With a scale, the first person weighed the appropriate number for the noodles, the second person weighed the right number of beef stroganoff, and the third person weighed the right number for green beans. There is then a fourth person who wipes off any excess food from around the rim of the food container. This is important so the plastic cover will seal appropriately. It's then put in this contraption that holds multiple containers and a person press seals it and puts it to the side. This is definitely quite a process, but once you get into the flow of it, it becomes easier. Some people make it a challenge against another group to see who can make the most meals. Side note: THIS PLACE IS FREEZING! The ENTIRE BUILDING IS COLD! Bring a jacket or hoody. Overall, this is a great place to come with a group or by yourself and do some charitable services. Fortunately, we came with a large group of my wife's coworkers, so we were able to knock out over 2,500 meals which was awesome! I'd definitely come back.

I volunteered at Open Hand two weeks ago (Saturday, July 22, 2017) and had a lot of fun. I didn't…read moreknow what to expect as far as working conditions, the general environment, and exactly what we would be doing. Would I be in some freezing cold meat locker? Would I be inside an insanely hot warehouse? Would I be breaking my already broken back moving heavy objects around? Would I be doing some mundane task for hours and be bored out of my mind? Fortunately, the answer to all those questions was no. I went with a big group to celebrate someone's birthday (a neat idea). Half of us did meal packing and the other half did market basket packing. I signed up for meal packing. Our meal packing session involved packing meals into bags and portioning food into individual containers (think frozen TV dinners). The food was already cooked and just needed to be heated up to be eaten. Market basket packing involves packing nonperishable foods. In this case, the food wasn't cooked and the recipients would need to cook it themselves. We signed up to work from 1pm to 4pm. Each of us had to register on Open Hand's website. After registering and reserving our spots, we received confirmation emails with information, reminders, and dress code requirements. One of the dress code requirements in my confirmation email said, "Long pants are preferred. Skirts or dresses must be shin length." I wore shorts. When standing, those shorts touched the top of my knees. My girlfriend, who also signed up for meal packing, wore shorts too. Her shorts were shorter. She ended up getting moved to market basket packing because of the length of her shorts. This wasn't a big deal, but the dress code requirements listed in the confirmation email should have been more clear about shorts or simply just said that long pants are required for meal packing. There was at least one other person in our meal packing group with knee-length shorts. When you arrive to Open Hand, the volunteer entrance is clearly marked. Each volunteer must sign in and sign out using a computer just inside the entrance. We arrived right around 1pm, checked in, and were ushered into an orientation room. The orientation was quick, about 10 minutes. A short video about Open Hand was played and then we got some in-person instruction. After that, we were whisked to our volunteer work areas. For meal packing, we had to wear hair nets and aprons. First, we helped prepare bags to place meals in, then we moved into the meal packing work area. This was a cool, clean room with various tables and assembly lines. One group was already sealing TV dinner trays when we arrived. We washed our hands and helped assemble bags with four meals in them: Monday lunch, Monday dinner, Tuesday lunch, and Tuesday dinner with cornbread and condiments (ketchup and mustard). It was pretty easy. Each person was assigned to place one or two items into each bag and pass it down. I was responsible for the ketchup and mustard. After a bag had four meals, cornbread, and condiments, it was tied and placed on a tray which was later stacked and carted off. We assembled 126 of these Monday-Tuesday meal bags. Two of our meal packing group were broken off and sent to the cornbread station where they individually bagged and sealed cornbread. The cornbread was already cooked and cut. After assembling the meal bags, we took a short break in the break room and then were called back into the meal packing room for another job. This time, we had to portion food into TV dinner trays which would later be sealed. This task was harder than the last because we had to handle food directly with our hands (wearing gloves of course) and measure correct portion sizes using scales. We packed 285 meal trays filled with chicken, mushroom risotto, and peas and pearl onions. The hands of the people scooping and portioning out the risotto and peas got tired. I helped a little bit with the peas and organizing and stacking the meal trays on bigger trays, but I mostly was responsible for placing a piece of chicken on top of the risotto. We ended up spending almost our full 3-hour allotment at Open Hand. The market basket packing group ended up finishing early, in under 1.5 hours. Volunteer Services Manager Julie Barwig was the person who oversaw our group. In the meal packing room, Andre led us for the meal bag packing and Shameka led us for the meal tray portioning. Everyone was nice and friendly. I enjoyed the experience so much that I'm now considering signing up to do meal delivery. Open Hand's mission statement: "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." The campus is located in the industrial Armour neighborhood of Atlanta near SweetWater Brewing Company and the Armour Yard rail yard on the southern edge of Buckhead.