More than 200 Volunteers Mark MLK Day with Service Projects at Christian City in Union City

A local day of service tied to a national tradition

More than 200 volunteers spent Martin Luther King Jr. Day working on Christian City’s campus in Union City, turning the federal holiday into a service day that has long been promoted nationwide as “a day on, not a day off.” The volunteer turnout included employees from Georgia Power’s Metro South area and community members who joined projects supporting children living at Christian City’s Children’s Village.

The holiday is the only federal holiday that is also formally recognized as a National Day of Service, a designation that has helped encourage organized volunteer events in communities across the country. In metro Atlanta, MLK Day service projects typically span multiple nonprofits and focus areas, including food access, neighborhood improvements and school support.

Work focused on campus improvements and food support

At Christian City, volunteers were assigned to hands-on tasks aimed at reducing operating costs while improving daily life for residents. Among the projects completed on the Children’s Village grounds were landscaping improvements in a recreation area, including planting shrubs and spreading pine straw. Christian City staff said the work helped offset labor costs for the nonprofit.

Another effort focused on food supplies for the children’s cottages. A delivery of six pallets of food and dry goods was unloaded and organized in the Children’s Village storage facility. The shipment totaled 250 cases of product and included a pallet of frozen food, intended for use by the on-campus homes where children live.

• Landscaping work completed in a recreation area at the Children’s Village
• Food storage facility stocked with a multi-pallet delivery of groceries and supplies
• Participation included company employees, families and church-affiliated youth

Who volunteered and why it matters for nonprofits

Georgia Power employees formed a large portion of the volunteer group associated with the project, with many bringing children to participate. In addition, an eighth-grade church youth group took part in outdoor work despite winter temperatures. Organizers and participants framed the day as both community support and a way to model civic engagement for younger volunteers.

Christian City staff described the volunteer turnout as significant for a nonprofit that relies on community support to sustain programming and day-to-day operations.

Christian City’s role in the south metro Atlanta safety net

Christian City is a non-denominational nonprofit in Union City, south of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The campus serves both children and senior adults and includes residential programs for youth, senior housing options and long-term care services. Volunteer labor and in-kind support are a recurring component of how large, multi-service nonprofits manage costs while maintaining services for residents.

The MLK Day projects at Christian City illustrate how community volunteer days can translate into concrete operational support—improving shared spaces, stocking essential supplies and reinforcing partnerships that extend beyond a single holiday.