Sunday, December 06, 2009, 3:46 PM
Atlanta, Sunday Paper News, In the News, Stop the Presses
By Kevin Moreau

A helping hand

We all want to help others.

But it can be hard sometimes. Life gets in the way. And that’s especially true around the holidays.

Last year at this time, the economic crisis left many people in dire straits. To make matters worse, the charities that support them faced their own hardships, as tightened household budgets translated into less money for charitable giving, creating a perfect storm of empty pockets and empty stomachs at the very time of year we’re usually most focused on our brothers and sisters in need—the season of giving.

Experts tell us that the financial picture is getting better, although depending on where you’re sitting, “better” is a relative term. The number of jobless claims just fell for the fifth straight week, but there are a lot of people still out of work, hanging onto low-paying jobs they hate, or otherwise struggling to keep their heads above water.

That’s why on Dec. 1, Half Off Depot president and Sunday Paper publisher Patrick Best announced that throughout the month of December, one dollar from every order placed at Halfoffdepot.com will be donated to Hands on Atlanta.

“We know it’s hard for people to give to charities this year, so we thought we’d do what we could to make it as easy and painless as possible,” said Best in a statement issued last week. “Our ‘Save and Give Program’ allows people to save money on gifts for the holidays and make a contribution to a much-needed organization.”

Here’s how it works. Whenever a customer places an order for gift certificates for Atlanta restaurants, bars, spas or other retail stores and entertainment venues, one dollar of that order will go to help Hands on Atlanta connect individuals, families and corporate and community groups with volunteer opportunities. Every day, HOA’s 37,000 volunteers lend a helping hand to service organizations, food banks, animal shelters, parks, schools and low-income neighborhoods, among others. It’s a win-win: Atlanta bargain-hunters get to enjoy discounts of half-price or more for their favorite places, and a worthy organization gets some much-needed help. How often do you get to feel like you’ve done a good deed simply by saving yourself some money?

Speaking of doing one’s part, many Atlantans went to the polls last week and did their part in shaping our future. This week, The Sunday Paper’s Stephanie Ramage talks to Kasim Reed, who nabbed 50.37 percent of the vote, about the tumultuous election, his personal life and, of course, his priorities for the city we all love. Do your part and check it out.