Hands on Atlanta
Marietta Street Artery
Almost 30 years ago, a busy Elise Eplan, was a newly minted investment banker, having trouble finding time to volunteer at service organizations. Her and her friends’ work schedules clashed with nonprofits’ 9-5 weekday programs. So, she and 11 acquaintances came up with a more organized and flexible business model for volunteering.
The 12 volunteered as a group. If an agency needed a weekly volunteer, rather than one person having to make a weekly commitment, the group worked together to fill that slot. That gave them flexibility. They also offered to work weekends, promising agencies they could supply a number of people.
The idea, which began with an informal meeting back in 1989 has become a one-stop shop to bring together Atlanta volunteers and nonprofits.
After determining their system worked, they invited friends to join them. Their numbers went from 12 to about 60. They began to get a few small grants to help with postage, phones and other costs. With success came new problems. They were growing beyond what they could manage out of Eplan’s apartment and began looking for someone to run the organization.
Michelle Nunn was weighing going to law school and a Peace Corps assignment, but when offered the opportunity to lead Hands On Atlanta, she didn't think twice, and the rest is history.
It was Michelle's vision, tenacity, and spirit that helped grow the organization from 12 friends to another with international impact and tens of thousands of volunteers.
Programs
- Americorps
- HANDS ON HUNGER
- Civic Leadership Program
handsonatlanta.org
