All photos courtesy of Wellstar Health System

Wellstar Health System distributed the following press release about its annual Day of Service, which included several activities in Cobb County:

More than 450 Wellstar employees fanned out in metro Atlanta, West Georgia, Griffin, and Augusta on Nov. 14, volunteering their time to improve access to healthy food and housing by supporting 20 local, community-based organizations. 

They packed and distributed food, assisted in community gardens, and sorted food and clothing donations. 

“It warms my heart to see so many team members participating in our annual Day of Service,” said Candice L. Saunders, president and CEO of Wellstar Health System. “As a nonprofit, community-based health system, our mission is to enhance the health and well-being of every person we serve, and it’s always exciting to expand that mission outside the walls of our facilities.”

Of the many service projects on Wellstar’s Day of Service, some were held in Cobb County, including the following:

• MUST MinistriesVolunteers assisted with traffic flow and helped distribute food to clients of the MUST Mobile Pantry at the VA Clinic. At the donation center, volunteers sorted recently donated food and clothing items. Founded in 1971, MUST Ministries serves more than 33,000 people a year by meeting their basic needs for food, shelter, and employment while also providing the resources and training necessary for long-term self-sufficiency.

• Sweetwater Mission
  Wellstar volunteers assisted with bagging food in the pantry and helping on the food distribution line. Since 1968, Sweetwater Mission has helped stabilize families by preventing hunger and homelessness while transforming Lives through education and employment opportunities.
• Atlanta Community Food Bank – Marietta
  Wellstar volunteers served at the Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) Hunger Action Center in Atlanta and the Marietta Community Food Center. They sorted and packaged recently donated food items and helped keep the distribution food pantry clean and stocked. The ACFB Marietta Community Food Center receives fresh produce from the Wellness Garden at Cobb County Farm Bureau, another Wellstar Day of Service project site. The ACFB works to end hunger by providing food, people, and ideas to ensure the community has what it needs to lead healthy and productive lives. ACFB distributes 113 million meals annually to 700 nonprofit partner feeding programs in Metro Atlanta and North Georgia.

Background on Wellstar’s Annual Day of Service

Every three years, Wellstar Health System and the Georgia Health Policy Center conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment. Key findings from the 2022 assessment revealed high food insecurity and low access to grocery stores in many of the communities Wellstar serves. According to 2022 data from Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap study, more than 1.4 million Georgians struggle with hunger, including more than 460,000 children. As Georgia’s population grows, affordable housing also remains a pressing concern.  

Wellstar held its first Day of Service in 2019. After a hiatus during the pandemic, the event returned in 2023. The impact of this event expands beyond a single Day of Service. Wellstar continues nurturing these community partnerships through ongoing volunteer opportunities and program collaboration.