Atlanta Outdoor Club
On any given day in metro Atlanta, a group of strangers is lacing up at a trailhead along the Chattahoochee, at Sweetwater Creek, or on Kennesaw Mountain. By the end of the hike, they aren't strangers anymore. The trails are where connections begin.
Founded in 2000, the AOC is one of Atlanta's largest outdoor communities, with about 2,500 members and more than 50 events every week. Membership is free and open to adults 21 and older. Every event is led by a volunteer trip leader, and each carries a difficulty rating so members can pick their challenge and work their way up.
You'll find weekday evening loops, early-morning in-town walks, BeltLine urban hikes and full-day climbs in the North Georgia and Carolina mountains. But hiking is just the start. Members backpack, kayak, go caving, whitewater raft, bike and paddleboard.
Multi-day trips take groups to national parks, along the Appalachian Trail, and past trips to destinations include Peru, New Zealand, Japan and Switzerland. AOC Learn events teach skills from beginner hiking to backpacking, and social events keep friendships going off the trail. The club also gives back to the places members love, volunteering with the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park and the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club.
Gerrilyn grew up in a family where "hike" wasn't in the vocabulary. After retiring as a federal judge, she signed up for a trail run. "I had no idea what a trail run was," she admits. A patient trip leader waited at every intersection. Seven years and 600-plus hikes later, she leads events herself.
Ian’s Friends Foundation
Founded in 2006 by Cheryl and Phil Yagoda when their son, Ian, was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.
The mission is to fund innovative research focused on the immediate need to develop groundbreaking therapeutic methodologies to treat and cure pediatric brain tumors.
To date, Ian’s Friends Foundation has funded 63 groundbreaking research projects at 33 Institutions worldwide, including Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Duke, Johns Hopkins and the University of Michigan.
Initiatives such as the WHATIFF Symposium bring together researchers from diverse backgrounds and specialties, creating opportunities to share knowledge, collaborate across disciplines and strengthen the quality and impact of pediatric brain tumor research. By connecting scientists and clinicians, they help foster translational research—the critical process of moving discoveries from the laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside.
Research funded by Ian’s Friends Foundation has also contributed to the advancement of treatments into clinical trials in children and adults. Some of these studies have demonstrated encouraging results, creating new opportunities for improved treatments and, ultimately, better outcomes for children facing pediatric brain tumors.
There are many ways to support Ian’s Friends Foundation and help advance pediatric brain tumor research. Whether you volunteer your time, help raise awareness or support a fundraising event, you are helping make a difference in the lives of children and families affected by pediatric brain tumors.
The IFF Jr. chapter gives high school students the opportunity to become advocates and leaders in the fight against pediatric brain tumors. IFF Jr. members help support our events, raise awareness, volunteer within the organization and have the opportunity to create and organize their own fundraisers.
The Atlanta Gala is November 7 at The Foundry at Puritan Mill. IansFriendsFoundation.org
Latin American Association
The LAA was founded in 1972 by sheriff deputy Angel Ortiz and Stratton Frank, a Miami native who moved to Atlanta in 1971. Ortiz and Frank founded a small organization to serve Atlanta’s then-emerging Latino population by helping immigrants find jobs and affordable housing. Ortiz and Frank wanted to help immigrants from Latin America settle into their new home country. Ortiz initially worked from the trunk of his car, interpreting for families and providing resources to help them adapt to their new community.
Mission: The mission of the Latin American Association (LAA) is to empower our community to adapt, integrate and thrive. The vision is ‘Opportunity for All.’
By the numbers: 74,000 Services in One Year. 22,000 Individuals and families served. 8,530 individuals for public benefits they are qualified to receive. Hunger stopped for 6,074 families with 323,990 lbs of food from their pantry. Homelessness prevented for 200 families, with $295,000 in housing assistance. 72 families rescued from domestic violence situations. Educational and workforce readiness programs provided, with 2,067 youth services delivered. 9,967 economic development services provided to the community, including job training and workforce development programs, adult education and entrepreneurship classes. Some 2,345 Immigration Services for individuals and families.TheLAA.org
Chastain Park Conservancy
Founded in 2003, the current president & CEO is Rosa McHugh. The Chastain Park Conservancy is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the stewardship of Troy Chastain Memorial Park’s natural and historic resources. The mission is to restore, enhance, maintain and preserve the park for its more than 3.2 million annual visitors - so that every walk, workout, playdate and quiet moment in the park is enjoyable, safe and memorable. They do this through the support of their Park Partners, individuals, volunteers, family foundations and local businesses. Together, they work to keep Chastain Park clean, safe and green, ensuring it remains a welcoming place for neighbors, families and visitors to connect with nature and with one another.
A lively fundraiser, The Gilded Trail Gala highlighted Chastain Park Conservancy’s 20th Anniversary Capital Campaign and the Palisades Project, one of the most significant additions of public greenspace at Chastain Park in decades. Construction is expected to begin before the end of this year and continue for approximately 12 to 16 months. The project will transform roughly 30 acres of underutilized natural landscape into new public greenspace at Chastain Park. Plans include a one-mile trail system, a native tree arboretum, a natural play space for children, a native plant garden and scenic overlooks. A new pedestrian bridge will span Nancy Creek to connect visitors to the site, with environmental restoration work planned along the creek corridor to help protect wildlife habitat.
Bosley's Place
Founded by Jennifer Siegel in March 2015, Bosley’s Place Inc. is a rescue orphanage for underage homeless and orphaned puppies. They take in puppies from birth to 4 weeks to bottle-feed and hand-raise them until they are ready to be adopted. Since 2015, they have saved thousands of puppies.
Boris came from a local shelter after being born in a foster home. His mother had a severe upper respiratory infection, and his siblings were dying one by one. The organization was initially contacted about Boris because they believed he might be a swimmer puppy since he was unable to use his rear legs. Bosley's provided the intensive care he needed, and today he is 100% healthy, using his rear legs normally and searching for his forever home. Most shelters simply do not have the resources, staffing or specialized experience necessary to provide around-the-clock critical care for neonatal orphaned puppies. Bosley’s Place fills that critical gap in our local community. Readers can donate to and attend this year's upcoming Bosley's Bash, the annual backyard reunion party and fundraiser on the rescue's premises, where this year, high-value raffle prizes, such as tickets to booked-out omakase tasting dinners, in-town staycations at pet-friendly hotels and first-run celebrity-signed cookbooks are among the prizes. Readers can also join the foster network for weaned pups if they are 25 years of age or older in the Atlanta area, where they will be strongly supported and provided with supplies to help see them through to adoption. They are also welcome to become volunteers for weekly Sunday duties on the premises.
Giving Kitchen
In 2012, Atlanta chef Ryan "Hidi" Hidinger was diagnosed with stage-four cancer. Friends and colleagues across the restaurant community rallied around Ryan and his wife, Jen, helping cover the family's living expenses during his treatment. That extraordinary response became the foundation for Giving Kitchen, a nonprofit created in 2013 to make sure food service workers facing crisis have somewhere to turn.
Today, Giving Kitchen serves food service workers nationwide — from restaurants, bars and coffee shops to catering, concessions, cafeterias and food trucks. Giving Kitchen provides emergency financial assistance to workers facing illness, injury, the death of an immediate family member or a housing disaster, and connects them to a network of community resources spanning housing, health, employment and family services. Since its founding, Giving Kitchen has helped more than 41,000 food service workers and awarded more than $18 million in financial assistance.
But supporting the food service industry isn't only about showing up when something goes wrong — it's about celebrating the people who make food service what it is. Two out of three Americans have worked in food service. It's where friendships form, families are supported and communities are built.
Giving Kitchen's vision is to build a food service community where crisis is met with compassion and care. Help support its mission to provide critical support to food service workers during their darkest times.
This holiday season, the need is greater than ever. Help make sure no food service worker faces crisis alone. GivingKitchen.org
Captain Planet Foundation
For 35 years, Captain Planet Foundation (CPF), an Atlanta-based non-profit organization, has engaged and empowered young people to be problem-solvers for the planet. CPF funds youth-led projects, cultivates fearless leaders, amplifies youth voices, mobilizes resources and unites partners around a shared mission: a climate-positive future.
Two programs in particular are Project Learning Garden (PLG) and Green Heart STEM Challenge (GHSC), both of which serve elementary and middle school students throughout metropolitan Atlanta. Each year, more than 200,000 elementary students have access to garden-based learning through PLG, while approximately 5,000 students participate in GHSC, developing solutions to real-world problems and working to improve their communities.
Chattahoochee Riverkeeper
Founded in 1994, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper's mission is to educate, advocate and secure the protection and stewardship of the Chattahoochee River and its lakes and tributaries for all the people and wildlife who depend on the river system.
Through CRK's Trash-Free Chattahoochee initiative, volunteers have removed more than 38 tons of trash and recyclables from our watershed this year alone. That's about the same weight as eight school buses!
You can support Chattahoochee Riverkeeper's trash removal projects, water quality monitoring, advocacy and educational programs by signing up to volunteer or making a donation at Chattahoochee.org.
Changing The Future Collective, Inc.
Mykah Owens-Jeffries, Founder & CEO, Humeta Embry, Co-founder
Changing The Future Collective, Inc. (CFC) was founded in February 2026 by Founder & CEO Mykah Owens-Jeffries. Guided by the tagline "Where Hope Meets Opportunity," CFC was established to bridge equity gaps by creating structured pathways for youth empowerment, leadership development, civic action and community engagement.
Changing the Future Collective Inc. empowers young people through civic engagement, mentorship, leadership development, career exposure and access to meaningful opportunities. Every young person should have a platform to use their voice, cultivate critical leadership skills and actively contribute to building stronger, more resilient communities.
One of the most meaningful parts of their work has been creating spaces where young people are not simply participants, but are encouraged to see themselves as leaders and changemakers. Through programs such as the Future Leaders Lab, young people have participated in leadership development, communication and teamwork activities, civic engagement discussions, career exposure and community impact projects.
The partnership with YouthBuild has also allowed them to expand conversations around youth leadership, civic engagement, community involvement and student voice. They are building opportunities for young people to have a seat at the table and take an active role in shaping their communities.
Readers can get involved by serving as mentors, facilitating workshops or offering career exposure to youth. Corporate partnerships, sponsorships, direct donations and community resources are welcome.
ChangingTheFutureCollective.org