Atlanta Hawks employees joined Georgia Power volunteers for the Hawks Employee Day of Service, partnering across multiple Atlanta locations to prepare, pack and distribute meals and groceries in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of service, equality and justice.
“This is a larger part of our Employee Day of Service where Hawks employees collaborated with Georgia Power employees to really honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” said Alexis Roe, vice president of community impact for the Hawks. “Dr. King said everybody can be great because everybody can serve, and today we are all out here being great.”
Volunteers worked throughout the day at several sites, including the Andrew and Walter Young Family YMCA, Atlanta Public Schools’ Family and Student Support Hub, and the Atlanta Mission’s My Sister’s House, reaching hundreds of families facing food insecurity.
“The YMCA is one of those community partners that brings us joy to support, especially through food distribution,” Roe said, adding that the work reflects “an extension of his work and his dream, making sure the King holiday is celebrated properly and that people have their basic human needs.”
At the Andrew and Walter Young Family YMCA, where the gym floor is named Dominique Wilkins Court, leaders highlighted the long-standing relationship with the Hawks. “We are so fortunate to have the Hawks as a partner,” said Lisa Haygood, member experience director at the YMCA. “This gym is widely used, from youth who want to play basketball to leagues that compete here, and the partnership really keeps our members happy.”
Haygood also emphasized the significance of marking the holiday through action. “One of the key parts of Mission Possible is building community, and that’s what the Y does every day,” she said. “We build community with our members and with people who may not be members but come here for the food pantry, and we provide that space for them.”
Georgia Power echoed that commitment, noting the shared values driving the collaboration. “The partnership with the Atlanta Hawks is one we’re really passionate about,” said Dale Jacoby, sponsorship strategy manager for Georgia Power. “Giving back to the community is a big part of the pillars that both the Hawks and Georgia Power believe in.”
Jacoby outlined the day’s efforts, including work at the YMCA, time spent feeding women at My Sister’s House, and supporting Atlanta Public Schools, all focused on addressing food insecurity. “Community is core to the heart of Georgia Power,” he said. “We try to be a system wherever we serve, and with more than 86,000 volunteer hours, we’re committed to living the dream of Martin Luther King Jr.”
