Volunteer snow help - atlanta!

[smittycrusher]

I am writing to ask for help. This help requires you to drive your Cruiser (or other 4X4) in the snow. This help also allows for all of those miles driven to be tax-deductible! Some of you may remember a few years back (Snowmageddon 2011) when Open Hand in Atlanta needed help delivering their daily meals during the inclement weather. Well, that time has come again.

Many of you know that I volunteer to deliver meals each Thursday morning for Open Hand. I have been doing this for years now and absolutely love giving back in this way. Open Hand Atlanta is a FOUR Star rated non-profit from Charity Navigator. This is their highest rating and requires excellence in operations as well as a very high percentage of funds to go directly to the end user ($.886 of every $1 goes to their programs – this is a very high percentage).

Weather like this is a HUGE disruption to their operation and the recipients of their food can suffer greatly. Currently, Open Hand delivers about 6500 meals a day to the Metro Atlanta Area. Last year, they celebrated their 20 millionth meal served. This mission provides necessary food to terminally ill, elderly, shut-ins, and poor.

Needless to say, they need the 4wheel drive community’s help tomorrow and maybe Thursday. My family and I will be out there tomorrow delivering food and I encourage you to consider driving around in the snow to help out as well.

If you can spare some time tomorrow (even a couple of hours can be a tremendous help), please call their volunteer services line to sign up (404) 872-2707. Let them know that you have a 4wheel drive vehicle and want to help them out.

If you have any personal questions for me, feel free to call me at (678) three-eight-6-55-three-3.

Here is the link to their Charity Navigator Profile:
http://www.charitynavigator.org/inde...8#.UugDxqX0Ay4

Here is the link to their homepage:
http://www.projectopenhand.org/s-about-mission.asp

Best,

Smitty

 

[LDowney]

Scott,
Thanks for spearheading support and aid. I am in Texas and of no use to you, but I am confident in the backing you will get.
Good luck and again thanks

 

[4xsteve]

I wish I were in the area to help; I've always wanted to be able to use my 4wd for something more than just fun. I hope y'all are recovering quickly down there.

 

[smittycrusher]

UPDATE!!! I spoke with the Volunteer Services coordinator earlier and have more information. They were unable to deliver any food today. This should be ok since we had delivered "shelf stable" meals back in December in preparation for something like this. Hopefully the clients did as they were told and put these away in their pantry and didn't eat them.

So, they will need A LOT of help tomorrow as they try to get caught up and I am sure there will still be some traction issues around town. They ask that anyone that would like to help to come to their headquarters starting at noon. They will do a short training and the give out routes and food. You don't have to be there right at noon as they will do multiple training an hour and you can jump into the next class once you arrive.

Please call them and give a heads up starting around 10am if you can make it. The more advanced notice they have, the better they can plan the routes. Whether you can help for an hour, two hours or more, they will be very appreciative of any time that you can help. I plan to bring my whole family and go as lo as the little ones can stand it. I hope to see you there!

Phone : (404) 872-2707

176 Ottley Drive
Atlanta, GA 30324

Best,

Smitty