Acts of Kindness: Stories of the community helping one another
Mar. 17—In times like these, the good in people shines.
Since March 2020, the MDJ has been reporting on acts of kindness, goodwill and generosity during the coronavirus pandemic.
If you know of an instance of benevolence — on any scale — and are willing to share with MDJ readers, tell us your story.
Send an email to mdjnews@mdjonline.com with the subject line: Act of Kindness.
March 17
On Thursday evenings, the First Christian Church Of Mableton hosts their weekly Meals On A Mission distribution of groceries for hungry families. Sweetwater Mission supplies and delivers the delicious food such as Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, Frito Lay Snacks, fruits, frozen meats, vegetables, frozen broccoli, lactose free milk and eggs. Due to volunteers from the church and South Cobb Lions Club, we were able to provide 188 families with these nutritional foods on March 16. Executive Minister Barry Smith endorses, 1 Peter 4:10 — "Each one of you should use whatever gifts you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." We did our best to live up to those words.
-Barry Krebs
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March 13
Sweetwater Mission hosted the March 10 morning Meals On A Mission at The Waverly Trailer Park Home located off Discovery Blvd. Volunteers from the First Christian Church Of Mableton and Lions Club assisted Sweetwater Mission in providing vegetables, Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal, Frito Lay Sun Chips, Colavita Rigatoni and fruit to 113 families who drove through. We did our best to serve our neighbors and let them know that we care about them.
The First Christian Church Of Mableton hosted the March 9 evening Meals On A Mission event where 132 families were served with frozen meat, Kellogg's Corn Flakes, lemons, vegetables and Colavita Rigatoni Noodles that was supplied and delivered bt Sweetwater Mission. We appreciate our local volunteers and Lions Club volunteers who pitched in to help. Executive Minister Barry Smith quoted Matthew 25:35-36: "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me." Jesus describes the way that his followers can meet the holistic needs of those around us.
The Austell Community Taskforce hosted the March 11 litter clean-up of their adopted Riverside Parkway. The Lions Club joined in the effort to remove 17 bags of litter from the area. We had a good time as we worked together. If you or your civic organization would like to learn more about the Adopt-A-Mile Program, contact Dawn at keepcobbbeautiful@cobbcounty.org.
The Friends Of The Nickajack led by Patty Auch removed 21 bags of litter from their adopted Nickajack Road and non-adopted Fontaine Road on the morning of March 11. We had a little help from the Lions Club and the Friends Of Mableton. We had fun catching up and were able to get both roads looking nice.
-Barry Krebs
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March 9
Four metro Atlanta non-profit organizations received significant financial support for their programs that serve youth in their communities. Through its Philanthropic Fund awards, Cobb-based Delta Community Credit Union, Georgia's largest credit union, invested a total of $20,000 in the organizations, awarding $5,000 to each one during a virtual presentation on March 8.
The Atlanta Community Food Bank, which serves 29 counties including Cobb County, will use its award to increase access to food for children and families, as well as help raise awareness about childhood hunger in the community.
Bearings Bike Works, a youth skills development organization which provides skill building and work experience in the context of a bike shop, also received a grant. The organization will use it to support its workplace development program for teens and young adults.
VOX ATL, an organization dedicated to empowering youth through their voice and self-expression, was also a grant recipient. The non-profit will use the funds to support educational afterschool and summer activities for teens focused on journalism, digital media and leadership development.
Everybody Wins! Atlanta, an organization focused on improving literacy skills for students reading below their grade levels, will utilize its award to help fund its literacy programs in metro Atlanta Title I schools. The grant will be used for its literacy and home library program for low-income elementary students.
In support of the credit union's corporate goal to strengthen its local communities through financial support, the Philanthropic Fund will invest a total of $150,000 in 20 metro Atlanta non-profit organizations throughout 2023.
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March 6
The First Christian Church Of Mableton is very grateful to the volunteers from the Junior League, South Cobb High School Beta Club, Pebblebrook High School and Lions Club who worked in the rainy weather on March 2 to help feed the 170 families who drove through the event. Sweetwater Mission supplied and delivered the vegetables, Special K Cereal, Starbucks Coffee, eggs, Frito Lay Doritos, fruit and pastries/bread. Executive Minister Barry Smith believes in Romans 13:8-9 — "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law."
Sweetwater Mission hosted their Friday morning Waverly Trailer Park Meals On A Mission event on March 3. Volunteers from the First Christian Church Of Mableton and the South Cobb Lions Club assisted in distributing Post Honey Bunches Of Oats Cereal, Frito Lay Doritos, Starbuck's Coffee, vegetables, eggs and fruit to 137 families who drove through. We did our best to make our guests feel welcome.
Legacy At The River Line HOA did a terrific job removing 29 bags of litter and lots of debris from their two miles of adopted Discovery Boulevard on March 4. Members of the River Line Historical Area, Mableton Improvement Coalition and Lions Club joined in the fun. The leader, Don, welcomed us with fruit and juice. We went deeper into the woods than normal to get the whole area looking really good.
If you or your HOA is interested in the Adopt-A-Mile Program, please contact Dawn at keepcobbbeautiful@cobbcounty.org. She will provide you with everything that you need.
-Barry Krebs
