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MEALS ON WHEELS HOSTS SAVOR AND TASTE AT CHATTAHOOCHE FOOD WORKS – POSTPONED

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 10/10/21

A Modern Twist on Atlanta’s 33-Year-Old Fundraiser

November 5, 2021

Tickets: here.

We are thrilled to announce that on Friday, November 5, MOWA will be back with a modern twist on the 33-year old fundraising event, A Meal to Remember newly branded as SAVOR & TASTE. This extraordinary food and music event will be hosted at The Works and Chattahoochee Food Works on Atlanta’s Upper Westside.

Since 1988, the Meals on Wheels Atlanta community has supported the nonprofit’s efforts to end senior hunger by sponsoring, attending, and donating to A Meal To Remember, the most important fundraiser of the year.

Every year, A Meal To Remember has been the first Friday in November. MOWA has hosted this event at Atlanta venues such as The St. Regis Hotel and Flourish. Guests have enjoyed coursed gourmet dinners prepared by well-known celebrity chefs, accompanied by exquisite wine pairings, while surrounded by the stunning decor and breathtaking flowers. In 2019, MOWA raised almost $800,000.

In 2020, due to the COVID-19, MOWA was not able to host this annual event. While donors still supported MOWA minimally, the financial support was not enough to sustain the organization’s fundamental efforts. At the same time, senior hunger has been on the rise due to the pandemic’s devastating effect.

THIS YEAR’S EVENT FACTS

·     SAVOR is the traditional coursed gourmet dinner, wine pairings, live auction, and live entertainment. SAVOR is located in the Gallery Space at The Works, featuring Chattahoochee Food Works Owner and Emmy and James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern alongside Meals on Wheels’ Atlanta award winning chef Robert Gerstenecker. Joining them are three Atlanta-based chefs including Deborah VanTrece of The Catering Company, Chef Matthew Basford from Canoe and Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta Pastry Chef Charles Barrett. SAVOR takes place at 6:30pm.

·     TASTE takes place in the industrial glam food hall, Chattahoochee Food Works owned by partners Robert Montwaid and Andrew Zimmern. Guests will enjoy unlimited curated “tastes” and themed beverages along with live music from over 25 food and beverage vendors in the 22,000 square foot hall. TASTE takes place from7:30pm to Midnight.

LOVE, TITO’S BLOCK TO BLOCK AND FOOD WELL ALLIANCE TEAM UP TO REVITALIZE LOCAL GARDEN FOR REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT GROWERS

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/29/21

Volunteers Needed for Garden Service Project on Friday, September 10, 2021

 

WHO: Love, Tito’s Block to Block program has teamed up with Food Well Alliance to make significant enhancements to Decatur’s Kitchen Garden, a unique garden space in Atlanta for refugee and immigrant growers led by Global Growers Network in collaboration with the City of Decatur. The produce grown at this site reflects the diverse nationalities and agricultural heritage of the area.

WHAT: Outdoor enthusiasts, garden-obsessed, and those who just like to lend a hand, are all needed to take part in a single-day service project, which will include fun hands-on projects like, weeding the herb garden to prepare it for replanting, installing new debris bins around the garden, watering and mulching fruit trees, and more. For community members who are unable to volunteer but still want to get involved, the garden will be holding a garden tool drive and accepting new items like trowels, shovels, gloves, and soil, on the day of the project. These in-kind donations can be brought to Decatur’s Kitchen Garden on the same day as the service project. Sign up to volunteer and/or donate directly to Food Well Alliance below.

 

WHEN: Friday, September 10, 2021, from 8:30 am to 12 pm

 

WHERE: Decatur’s Kitchen Garden – 500 S Columbia Drive, Decatur, GA 30030

PUPS AND PINTS NIGHT AT RED’S BEER GARDEN

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/22/21

Celebrating International Dog Day With Cold Brews, Bites, Dog Treats, a Leash Making Station, and More
 
Benefiting the Atlanta Rescue Dog Cafe on Thursday, August 26, 2021
Is there paw-siblly a better combination than dogs, hot dogs and beer? Red Beer Garden doesn’t think so. Located in Benteen Park between Grant Park and East Atlanta, the local, dog-friendly haunt is celebrating International Dog Day on Thursday, August 26th with a Pups and Pints Night. Beginning at 6:30 p.m., pups can gobble up treats in the expansive beer garden while their owners sip on pints of cold brews and indulge in some of Red’s favorite offerings including the BLT Dog, Slaw Dogs Go To Heaven, the Benteen Club, Beyond Meat Nachos and much more. There will also be a leash making station so all pups can leave looking even more fetching. 10% of all sales between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. will be donated to the Atlanta Rescue Dog Cafe, a non-profit organization with the mission to contribute to the well-being of pets and people everywhere by improving human-animal interaction, reducing the prevalence of animal cruelty, and relieving the strain on local animal shelters. An ulti-mutt night for dog and beer lovers alike, visit redsbeergarden.com for more information.

HAAGEN-DAZS DAY BENEFITING BERT’S BIG ADVENTURE ON JULY 23RD

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 7/14/21

Haagen-Dazs Day

Friday, July 23rd

On Friday, July 23rd, participating Haagen-Dazs shops in Atlanta will donate 50% of sales to Bert’s Big Adventure. Bert’s Big Adventures is a nonprofit organization that provides all-expenses-paid, five-day adventures for children with chronic and terminal illnesses and their families to Walt Disney World. Participating Haagen-Dazs shops include Lenox Square, Perimeter Mall, Town Center at Cobb, Mall of Georgia, North Point Mall, Cumberland Mall, and Cumberland Festival Shopping Center. For additional details, please visit bertsbigadventure.org. 

MOONDOGS HOSTS A TEXAS HOLD’EM CHARITY TOURNAMENT BENEFITTING WINGS FOR LIFE

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 4/17/21

Proceeds Will Benefit Wings for Life, A Non-For-Profit Spinal Cord Research Foundation
 
Thursday, April 29, 2021, Beginning at 9 p.m.

On Thursday, April 29th, avid poker players are invited put their card skills to the test during Moondogs’ Texas Hold’em Charity Tournament benefitting Wings for Life, a not-for-profit spinal cord research foundation that funds world-class scientific research and clinical trials aimed at healing the injured spinal cord.

Beginning at 9 p.m., the decks will be cut and the players will take their seats for a chance to win top tier prizes including a $400 cash prize, Red Bull bag and a Red Bull fitted shirt for first place. Second place will receive a $200 cash prize, Red Bull straw hat and a Wings for Life shirt, while third place will earn a $100 cash prize, Wings for Life hat and a Red Bull shirt.
Players looking to give back even more are able to donate $5 to Wings For Life before the tournament begins and receive a 5,000 chip (one time only). Guests can also purchase raffle tickets for the chance to win exciting prizes including Lindsey Vonn Vulcano FIS Signature Series Ski Helmet, Yeti cooler with Red Bull, and so much more. Patrons that register for the upcoming Wings for Life World Run on May 9th will receive extra raffle tickets upon showing their confirmation page. To sign up for the Wings for Life World Run, visit www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/en.
 
To maintain a safe environment for players, guests and staff, the establishment will be limiting 6 players per table, players are required to wear face coverings at the poker table and hand sanitizers will be provided. Doors will open at 8:00 p.m. with the tournament beginning at 9:00 p.m. For ages 21 and up, the buy-in is $25 per player and can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com/wings-for-life-texas-holdem-charity-tournament.
For more information, visit www.moondogsbar.com or call 404.231.4201. For more information on Wings for Life, visit www.wingsforlife.com.

LAZY BETTY FRONTLINE WORKERS APPRECIATION DINNER 2021 – CALL FOR DONATIONS

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 4/14/21

Wednesday, April 21

Lazy Betty will be hosting a special dinner on April 21 to celebrate local healthcare workers working the COVID–19 frontlines. To support the dinner, Lazy Betty is accepting donations from the public here. All profits from the dinner will be donated to Wellstar Foundation in support of COVID–19 Relief.

Those who make a donation will receive a gift card to the restaurant in exchange – $10 gift card for a $25 donation, $20 gift card for a $50 donation, $45 gift card for a $100 donation, $125 gift card for a $250 donation, $325 gift card for a $500 donation and $750 gift card for a $1000 donation. Once a donation is made, the restaurant will follow up with donors with gift card details via email.

“We are so thankful for healthcare workers and have had the honor of cooking around 1,000 meals for hospital employees during the pandemic thanks to generous donors,” said Chef Hsu. “Now, we’re excited to welcome these heroes into our dining room to treat them to a well–deserved evening out.”

DINING OUT FOR LIFE 2021: APRIL 26-MAY 2

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 3/22/21

Open Hand encourages the community to dine-in, take out and give back in support of local restaurants during Dining Out For Life, April 26-May 2

Open Hand Atlanta continues to support local restaurants with the return of its annual Dining Out For Life fundraising event, presented by Manhattan Associates. Local Atlanta diners are encouraged to safely dine-in or enjoy take-out, curbside pick-up or delivery from April 26 – May 2. The week-long Dining Out For Life will drive donations for Open Hand’s nutritional programs and services.

“The critically ill, disabled and homebound are at the greatest risk when it comes to this virus. Our programs are on the front lines every day with a laser-focused commitment to keeping the most vulnerable populations safe and nourished with meals they rely on for survival,” said Executive Director Matt Pieper. “Dining Out For Life is integral to providing the necessary funds to respond to the increase in demand for home-delivered meals since the start of this pandemic. Simultaneously, this event supports our restaurant partners who have remained as dedicated as we are to serving Open Hand’s mission over the years.”

For almost 30 years, thousands of locals have dined out for breakfast, lunch and dinner knowing that participating restaurants were donating a portion of their bill to help Open Hand provide nearly 5,000 nutritious meals daily and empower neighbors battling chronic disease and disability to live healthier, more independent lives. The organization has refocused its efforts to a hybrid event in hopes of joining the community together to dine in or take out and support the restaurant partners that have been loyal and dedicated to Open Hand over the last three decades. Locals can find the ever-growing list of participating restaurant partners here.

This year to support Open Hand, restaurants are giving what donations they can and Open Hand is encouraging restaurant-goers to consider donating on their behalf. No matter how large or small, funds raised during Dining Out For Life supports Open Hand’s life-saving, nutritional services of preparing, packing and delivering nourishing meals to those most vulnerable. This year’s returning restaurants include Atlanta favorites such as Arnette’s Chop Shop, Varuni Napoli, Eclipse di Luna, The General Muir, Local Three, ROXX Tavern, Table & Main and West Egg Café.

Ways to Support Open Hand:

  • Donate to Open Hand online at donate.openhandatlanta.org/ge/dofl
  • Connect with Open Hand via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and share posts, information and more.
  • Enjoy restaurant dine-in, take-out, curbside pick-up or delivery from April 26 – May 2. Post about the experience using #diningoutforoh.

“Open Hand has served the most vulnerable in metro Atlanta for decades, and with the challenges presented by the pandemic, community support is needed now more than ever,” commented Kathleen Creech, Chief People Officer of Manhattan Associates. “We’re honored to be the 2021 presenting sponsor of Open Hand’s annual fundraiser, Dining Out For Life, and encourage the community to participate.”

For more information on Dining Out For Life and Open Hand, as well as to stay up-to-date on events and volunteer opportunities, please visit www.diningoutforoh.org and www.openhandatlanta.org or connect via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

50TH ANNUAL CATHEDRAL ANTIQUES SHOW

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 1/17/21

50th Anniversary Cathedral Antiques Show: A Virtual Show Reimagined for 2021, January 21 – 23 benefitting City of Refuge

Tickets and details at www.cathedralantiques.org. 

The Cathedral Antiques Show presents its 50th Anniversary Show in a new and exciting all-virtual format. Enjoy Atlanta’s favorite festival of the decorative arts in a safe, accessible way in the comfort of your own home.

All proceeds benefit City of Refuge, located in one of Atlanta’s most impoverished and dangerous neighborhoods. City of Refuge helps individuals and families transition out of crisis. Services include meals, childcare, education, safe housing and vocational training for victims of sex trafficking, homelessness, and more, all under “one roof.”

Events:

Tour of Homes invites you to take a virtual stroll through three of Atlanta’s most stunning private residences on a personal guided tour by the homes’ architects and designers. These homes showcase the finest in architecture, design, art, and gracious living.

All-Star Design Panel presents Alex Hitz, “the very best host in the world,” live streaming an intimate gathering of friends for “The Silver Lining – An Evening of Grace: Celebrating Hospitality and Comfort in the Era of Physical Distance.” Alex will be joined by fellow designers, tastemakers, and lifestyle experts Lisa Fine, Richard Keith Langham, Frances Schultz, and moderator Margot Shaw for a lively, enticing, and entertaining discussion.

Flower Friday brings world-class floral designers for master classes and live Q&A. Direct from the UK will be Shane Connolly, whose clientele and accomplishments are among the most exclusive in the world. He was Artistic Director for the 2011 wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, floral designer of the 2005 wedding of the Duchess of Cornwall to the Prince of Wales, and counts London’s Victoria & Albert Museum and the Royal Academy of Arts as two of his most valued clients. From British Columbia, Hitomi Gilliam‘s biggest passion is ‘Sharing Everything She Knows about Flowers’ through presenting and teaching. She is the recipient of many international awards and the author of 8 books. Christin Geall is a Canadian floral designer, writer, photographer and gardener who trained in horticulture at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Her writing and floral work focuses on the intersections of nature, culture and horticulture. Also offered are presentations from Garden Clubs and Flower Guilds around the country, and the always popular Iron Floral Competition.

Verbal Appraisals of your personal treasures will be available in person and by appointment at the Cathedral, where our talented team of appraisers will be happy to evaluate your items.

Antiques Dealers from around the country will be presented to you in a virtual format designed exclusively for our Cathedral Antiques Show. We will showcase their unique antiques, fine art, silver, rugs, jewelry and more. Browse at your leisure or shop by appointment.

FEED THE CREW FOOD DRIVE TAKES PLACE FRIDAY 12/11

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 12/7/20

ELEKTRA GIVES BACK & ATLANTA’S CENTER STAGE HOST “FEED THE CREW!” FOOD DRIVE IN PARTNER WITH MUSICALLY FED
CONTACTLESS EVENT TO BENEFIT LIVE MUSIC INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS AFFECTED BY COVID-19 TAKES PLACE ON DECEMBER 11
10AM-6PM EST AT CENTER STAGE
Elektra Gives Back and Atlanta’s Center Stage have teamed up with Musically Fed to host the “Feed The Crew!” holiday food drive on Friday December 11, 2020. The contactless, drive-through event benefits Atlanta music industry professionals affected by the COVID-19 Global Pandemic and touring shutdown. According to NIVA, the National Independent Venue Association, the Independent Venue and Promoter Industry is experiencing 95% revenue loss, while 95% of employees are furloughed and 90% of venues are at risk of bankruptcy. Elektra Gives Back recently launched as a philanthropic, employee-led resource group at Elektra Music Group, and “Feed The Crew!” will be its first, official charitable undertaking. Musically Fed is a 501(c)(3) Organization dedicated to mobilizing the music industry in the fight against hunger by donating unused backstage meals to community organizations that feed the homeless, hungry and food insecure. Since the pandemic, Musically Fed has shifted their focus to taking care of those in the music industry who are out of work without live events.  ENTERCOM has signed on as the radio partner for the charitable event.
Adhering to all COVID-19 guidelines, safety requirements, and social distancing protocols, “Feed The Crew!” is scheduled to run 10am-6pm on December 11 at Center Stage (1374 W Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30309). During this time, volunteers will accept donations of non-perishable foods to be distributed among the local music and production community responsible for live gigs in the area. Those interested in donating may pull into the garage free of charge and leave their items with staff. For completely contactless drop off, industry volunteers can alternately pick up items from your trunk. A list of items suggested for donation can be found below. Donations are set to be distributed the following Friday by Musically Fed.
As organizer for “Feed The Crew!”, Elektra Music Group Regional Director of Promotion Darrin Schnur said, “Music fans aren’t the only ones who miss live shows and concerts. Tens of thousands of support staff who bring these shows to life are missing them just as much, and they are in need of a lifeline right now. When COVID-19 put the touring business on pause, box office employees, stagehands, caterers, lighting and sound design artists, production staff, and security teams lost their chief source of income, struggling to keep food on the table. We couldn’t just sit by, so Elektra Gives Back joined forces with Musically Fed to help out our friends and family who make concerts happen. If you’re in Atlanta, we hope to see you on December 11. If not, please donate what you can. Hopefully, we’ll all be back in the crowd soon.”
 
Josh Antenucci from Center Stage adds, “2020 has been unimaginably hard on the workforce that makes live music happen. The pandemic response has prevented our workers the opportunity to work, earn and provide for themselves and their families. As the holidays approach, we are honored to partner with Elektra Gives Back and be able to work for our crews and help put food on the tables of those in most need.”
Musically Fed Founder Maria Brunner concludes, “Musically Fed is excited to partner with Center Stage to help raise much needed food items for gig workers…the staff people who are the life blood of making concerts happen. They are usually the givers, helping so much in the Atlanta Community. Now it is time to help them.”
Online donations may be submitted to Musically Fed – a $10 donation provides 5 meals! Event information and details are enclosed below.
Be on the lookout for more announcements from Elektra Gives Back.

SUGGESTED DONATION ITEMS

  • Pasta and pasta sauce
  • Oatmeal
  • Canned fish/meat
  • Canned fruits/veggies
  • Soup
  • Rice
  • Peanut Butter
  • Dry beans
  • Nuts
  • Cereals
  • Quinoa
  • Chips
  • Bottled Juice
ELEKTRA GIVES BACK PRESENTS “FEED THE CREW!” WITH CHARITY PARTNER MUSICALLY FED
Event Date: Friday, December 11th
Time: 10am – 6pm ET
Location: Center Stage (1374 West Peachtree Street. Atlanta, GA 30309)

GAGIVES ON GIVINGTUESDAY 12/1/20

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 11/18/20

Strengthening Our State by Connecting Georgians with Georgia Nonprofits

GAgives on GivingTuesday, Georgia’s biggest giving campaign, is coming up quickly: This year’s campaign kicks off on Monday, November 2, and culminates on December 1, GivingTuesday, as part of the worldwide celebration that takes place each year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

In this time of widespread and mounting need, GAgives aims to bring attention to the work and worth of the nonprofit sector, highlighting the thousands of organizations that work tirelessly for positive and lasting change. Since its founding in 2012, the GAgives movement has rallied 284,000 individual contributions and raised more than $41.5 million for nonprofits across Georgia.

GAgives is organized by the Georgia Center for Nonprofits (GCN), with invaluable support from a range of corporate, foundation, civic and media partners.

Aprio is one of this year’s returning corporate sponsors, funding Power Hour contests that inspire outsized giving. “We’re thrilled to be supporting GAgives again this year,” said Melisa Beauchamp, Aprio’s Nonprofit and Education Industry Leader. “We couldn’t be more pleased with the results from our Power Hour investment last year, which made an incredible return on behalf of Georgia’s nonprofits.”

Also funding donation-incentivizing contests this year: longtime GAgives partner Arby’s Foundation and new partners Marshall Jones (an Atlanta-based accounting firm serving nonprofits) and Brooks, McGinnis & Company (specializing in nonprofit audits). “At Brooks, McGinnis, we have a passion for serving those who serve others,” said Partner Karen Grosvenor. “By using our donation to generate even more giving, GAgives furthers our commitment to help nonprofits grow their missions.”.

Economic impact and giving trends

Nonprofits make up Georgia’s fifth-largest industry, employing more than 277,000 people. “These people pay taxes and buy local goods and services, and so do the organizations they work for,” said GCN President and CEO Karen Beavor. “All this activity is critically important to local economies.”

Some 80% of all nonprofits operate with budgets under $500,000 annually, doing their work in neighborhoods and towns throughout Georgia, and the lion’s share of their revenue comes in small gifts from everyday people. Currently, however, only 53% of households report giving to charity, down from roughly 67% in 2002.

“On December 1, Georgians have an opportunity to support their local community by supporting the nonprofits that make them thrive,” said Beavor. “Historic places, community gathering spots like parks, river walks, and arts groups need our support. So, too, do the local people who benefit from nonprofit work – whether that’s nursing a stray animal to health so it can become a loving pet, facilitating a support group for a family member dealing with cancer, or providing job training and placement for an out-of-work friend. Where there is a need, there is a nonprofit. Your gift, no matter how small, makes a big difference to your local community.”

This year, Georgians can get engaged with the campaign by going to GAgives.org, where they can search for nonprofits, donate directly, and start their own fundraising campaigns for the causes they support; or by following @GAgives on Facebook, and using the hashtag #GAgives on Twitter and Instagram, to share the call to give.

Get in touch with GCN for exclusive, inspiring stories from nonprofit GAgives campaigners.

You can also help the movement by sharing the GAgives on GivingTuesday date and call-to-action; pointing people to the nonprofit giving portal at GAgives.org; and encouraging your audience to spread the word about GAgives, their favorite nonprofit, and why they donate. Georgia’s nonprofits, and the communities they serve, thank you.

About GAgives

Led by the Georgia Center for Nonprofits, GAgives on GivingTuesday aims to bring attention to the work and worth of the nonprofit sector. Since its founding in 2012, the GAgives movement has rallied 284,000 individual contributions and raised more than $41.5 million for nonprofits across Georgia that work tirelessly for positive and lasting change. Learn more at www.gagives.org and Facebook.

About GivingTuesday

Launched by the 92nd Street Y in 2012 and housed in its Belfer Center for Innovation & Social Impact, GivingTuesday is a global movement inspiring people to take collaborative action for their local communities and contribute to the causes they believe in. The movement reaches millions of people, with campaigns and activities in all 50 states and 150 countries, throughout the year, culminating on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving.

About the Georgia Center for Nonprofits

The Georgia Center for Nonprofits builds thriving communities by helping nonprofits succeed. Through a powerful mix of advocacy, solutions for nonprofit effectiveness, and insight-building tools, GCN provides nonprofits, board members, and donors with the tools they need to strengthen organizations that make a difference on important causes throughout Georgia. Learn more at gcn.org, on Facebook and LinkedIn.