Decatur Makers is where you go to figure out how to make almost anything. Their membership includes access to a wood shop, laser cutters, 3D printers, welding materials, and more. There’s an electric shop where you can find ways to make something move, go, or light up. The arts and crafts area is perfect for textile work, while their Open Build Nights allow anyone to come in and make something they’ve dreamt up. Resources and helpers are always available, even via their virtual Slack channel. Volunteer-led and professionally supported, the community hub comprises over 600 members who love to tinker, build, and creatively problem-solve.
Founded by a group of parents whose children were on the school robotics team, Decatur Makers has expanded its reach from every angle. In addition to their exponential membership growth, the community partnerships are wide-reaching and lovingly impactful. They recently hosted an “Intro to Welding” workshop with The Shepherd Center, built birdhouses for Wild Nest Bird Rehab, consistently make looms for PaintLove, and are about to begin constructing a play place at Waller’s Coffee Shop alongside Compassionate Atlanta. Utilizing creativity and innovation to positively influence the mental well-being of everyone they come in contact with is a top priority. One of their newer collaborations is with Cherney’s Journeys; they’ll assist founder, Matt Cherney, in developing adaptive equipment for veterans in wheelchairs to use on high adventure explorations.
Sights are set on expanding their space, forging even more partnerships, and contributing as much as possible to the residents of Decatur - all while maintaining affordability and accessibility. The all-access membership fee is $35 a month and there’s even a volunteer membership program that is free as long as you chip in every so often with your expertise or willingness to tidy up. It’s easy to be a part of Decatur Makers, and that’s not changing. One of the only kid-friendly makerspaces in the state, this vibrant community is filled with a wide range of ages, talents, and skill levels. It’s an important place to so many people and they are dedicated to ensuring there aren’t any financial barriers. As they work to expand the space, they want to continue welcoming in more and more people. As Executive Director Kalia Morrison assures me, “Everyone is a maker - a lot of people just don’t know it yet.”
Decatur Makers is a place where it’s okay to fail. Experimentation and innovation are the cornerstones of creativity, and this hub engenders resilience for all. By building a skillset that includes imagining new ways to achieve an end result, a ripple effect is caused, enhancing one’s emotional intelligence. Honing the ability to be okay with failure, accept it, and then switch gears to try another way enhances adaptability and versatility. This sense of mental flow helps one stay open to connection, and the ability to give and receive help is heightened. “Making an art project and a real-life crisis both relate to how you perceive and react,” Morrison says. She’s seen the proof firsthand. Last year, they sent out mental well-being surveys to their members, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. This safe space, filled to the brim with makers of all ages working together to figure out projects brings immense comfort and stability. The community itself is giving not only with their creative ideas; they have shown up time and time again for donations of all kinds. The makers have donated backpacks and feminine hygiene supplies to City Schools of Decatur while keeping the food pantry outside fully stocked. Generosity flows creatively, socially, and scientifically - Decatur Makers encourages the artisan in us all.
“People have dreams, and they come here and figure out how to make those dreams come true.”