Can’t make it out to Hands On Atlanta Day, but still want to do something good? Don’t worry, you know we’ve got your back with some projects you can do without us!

Yes, Hands On Atlanta Day is the city’s biggest day of service, but it’s not the only one! We have volunteer opportunities posted on our site every day of the week. While we try to make sure there’s something for everyone, sometimes schedules (and the stars) just don’t align.

If you’d like to make a difference in your community on your time, check out one of these fun and easy to do DIY volunteer projects to do for Hands On Atlanta Day (then document and share it with us):  

Help an elderly or disabled neighbor with yard work or minor home repairs

Do you have a fresh, healthy back you can donate? With the change of the season, you can rake a neighbor’s leaves as they start to fall. Help prep any plants or flowers for the colder weather, trim branches, and overgrown plants. Grab a ladder and help clean out the gutters, then clean any garden tools, getting them ready for storage.

Are you a handy(wo)man? Can you change an air filter? Replace light bulbs, touch up paint on the outside of the house, check/replace batteries in carbon monoxide and smoke alarms, check windows and moldings for any gaps and fill with caulk or weather stripping, replace screens with storm windows.

Try walking around your neighborhood and identify some of these areas where you can help. One minor thing usually snowballs into making a huge impact for a homeowner.  

Make homeless care packages

Schedule a game night or dinner party with your friends or family. Add a service project to the mix by making homeless care packages. Make it a “pot luck” and ask guests to bring a dish to pass AND 10 specific items to fill a package with. For example, Johnny can bring 10 pairs of socks, Sally can bring 10 granola bars, etc… 

Lay out all the items in sorted groups on a large table or the ground, making an assembly line like station. Take a plastic or recyclable bag and start filling with things like wet wipes and personal sanitary items, quick bites of nutritious food, $2, bottled water, and other essentials. Hop on Google and find out what is needed most for those experiencing homelessness in your community.

Keep the bags in your car and the next time you see someone who could use a little help, give them one of the packages. This is a fun, cheap, social, easy thing you can do. 

Pick up your neighborhood

Grab a garbage bag, a pair of gloves, some friends, get started! Head to the nearest park and pick up litter and trash, remove any obvious debris, and help keep it clean. You never know, someone could see you and get inspired to do the same!

No park? No problem. You can do the same thing, simply walking down the street. Get some exercise and clean your block. If you’re flying solo, crank up the jams on your phone, and make it a party!  

It’s almost too easy to pick up your neighborhood, we sometimes forget how simple it is to get involved.

Here are a few more fun and easy things you can do to help your community:

• Take the neighbor’s dog for a walk
• Babysit for a friend or family member (just because)
• Donate food, toys, clothes, & books
• Write hand written letters thanking teachers, police officers, firemen and women, veterans and those serving in the military.

Share your project with us!

Share your own Hands On Atlanta Day project with us on social media and we'll count it towards our Hands On Atlanta Day total impact. Here's what you'll do:

• Select your volunteer project (can be anything, not just what we've listed above).
• During your project take a picture of you or your group in action, include where you are (neighborhood) and what you're doing.
• Post it to Instagram and tag us (@handsonatl) and use #handsonatl in the post.
• Some posts will get re-shared by us, but all will count towards our one day goal!