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We're stronger together: A special project

This place we call home is filled with ordinary people who accomplish extraordinary feats. Their selfless acts make this region so special – and they bring out the best in all of us.

This year, we’re recognizing 48 inspiring Georgians who have done their small part to make a big difference. And with the holidays upon us, we wanted to share their inspiring stories, celebrate their accomplishments, and offer ways that you can help.

Our annual Everyday Heroes project is part of a special installment of Inspire Atlanta – an initiative that we began back in 2019 to profile remarkable Georgians. Just as the 48 people we're profiling couldn't do it alone, nor can we. That's why we worked closely with our partners to bring you this collection of uplifting stories.

We hope you enjoy this year’s collection. We hope it inspires you this holiday season and encourages you to get to know your neighbor. And we hope it sparks new ideas on how you can make Georgia a better home for us all.

Meet Georgia's Everyday Heroes

Kathy DeJoseph

When Kathy was about to lose her hair to cancer, a simple act of kindness led her to create thousands of knitted caps for patients.

Beverly Means

Beverly couldn’t bear the thought of her pets facing uncertainty if she ever needed extended care so she decided to create a solution.

Niclette Mundabi

Niclette helped ship thousands of French-language books to students in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Atiba Mbiwan

Atiba has coached and mentored students on cycling trips around the country, including an epic ride from Miami to Maine.

Penny Miller

Penny wanted to give abandoned dogs their best life before they cross the rainbow bridge. She created a holistic senior dog sanctuary.

Parkes Long

Parkes is on a mission to ensure that unhoused individuals have access to free eye care and prescription glasses.

Samantha Shelton

After learning that stray animals would be euthanized if she took them to a shelter, Samantha knew she had to help and sprung into action.

Jeff Graham

Jeff plays a pivotal role at Georgia Equality, the largest and oldest LGBTQ advocacy group in the state.

Lisa Crossley

After years in the fashion industry, Lisa Crossley was determined to create an apparel line that empowers girls and gives back to her community.

Chris and Ty Woods

When many schools cut back on arts funding, Chris and Ty had to be creative. They started helping local students from their home.

Leah Hernandez

Leah wanted to help share stories written by diverse young authors. She created Young Authors Publishing to provide a voice to those who are often silent.

Michael Meaders

For years, Michael has been collecting and donating thousands of dollars to local schools to help end student lunch debt.

Kaimet Haile

UGA senior Kaimet plays an important role at a student-run nonprofit that helps bring holiday excitement to local kids.

Leah Banko

As a child, Leah attended a camp for kids whose parents are battling cancer. Now, she works there and aims to provide the same support she once received.

Lana Smith

During her time as a tutor, Lana felt inspired to do more. She kickstarted a student chapter at UGA to help provide free online tutoring.

Mady Cohen

After one of her classmates died of a drug overdose, Mady started raising money to make Narcan available at schools.

Lindsay Kraun

Lindsay created CP Soccer after meeting a child with cerebral palsy who was determined to improve his skills on the field.

Donald Milton III

As the artistic director of the Atlanta Gay Men's Chorus, Donald is committed to uplifting the transgender community and celebrating their stories.

LaTonya Gates

To give back to the community that poured into her, LaTonya created a community enrichment program that provides services and food to familes in need.

Erika Harris

Erika is going above and beyond to make sure the last days of a terminally ill mother and her daughter are filled with memories.

Beth Lehman

Beth wants people to end the stigma of alcohol-related liver disease, and she has been one of the first to raise the volume of the conversation.

Dave Siegler and Heather Turney-Navaei

Dave and Heather have grown a community of gardeners. Together, they help donate produce to local food pantries.

Heidi Howard

Heidi never planned to have a career in theater. Now, she's working with teens to better equip them for any path.

Rachel Parish

Rachel paddled over 400 miles from Atlanta to the Atlantic to raise awareness on local water issues.

Malek Jandali

Malek is bringing symphony to the streets. He's the force behind hundreds of colorful pianos placed around Atlanta.

Dr. Ed Garnes

Dr. Garnes is an advocate for mental health, specifically in the Black community.

Ahmad Barron

Ahmad is leading a movement in the Macon commuity in honor of his late sister who had cerebral palsy.

Nadia Thomas

During her own healing journey, Nadia created a business to encourage youth to speak up about mental health issues.

Ronzell Buckner

Ronzell is the driving force behind a community farm where he helps teach at-risk youth about agriculture and business.

Kay Kang

Kay is helping immigrants in Georgia register to vote. She builds relationships and taps into a shared history to get them to the polls.

Veronica Thang

From reading mail to applying for federal assistance, Veronica has stepped in to help fellow members of the Burmese community get settled in Georgia.

Lex Stolle

As a cancer survivor, Lex wants to see young patients have the same chance at life that he’s had. He's raised thousands of dollars for cancer research.

Sarah Gruber

Sarah spent more than 500 hours making colorful IV lily pads which she donated to a children's hospital.

Christine Newby

Christine leads an Athens team that has created thousands of handcrafted blankets for Georgia kids in need.

Don Belisle

Don participates in extreme bike rides, but not just for fun. He's raised thousands of dollars for cancer research.

Corey Rogers

Corey is helping tell untold stories through historical markers and public art projects placed throughout Georgia.

Von Tran

After hearing seniors express loneliness, Von opened a free senior center dedicated to Georgia's Vietnamese community.

Clarenton “Nicky” Crawford

Nicky wanted to help Atlanta's growing unhoused population. He created a nonprofit that provides showers, laundry services and much more.

Sanjana Shah

Sanjana is helping children in foster care navigate their way through the state's juvenile courts.

Elias Kremer

As a pianist, music is Elias' passion. He founded a nonprofit so student musicians could perform for people in cognitive decline.

Carol A. Crumby

From being diagnosed with polio at seven years old to becoming an advocate for polio survivors, Carol A. Crumby is not slowing down.

Simone Fyffe

Simone teaches gardening and beekeeping classes to help the national movement to 'save the bees.'

Nausheen Quraishy

After a health scare, Nausheen became a certified trainer to help patients with Parkinson's disease fight their way back to better lives.

Charles Wangondu

Charles is leading a team to help raise money to rebuild schools in his homeland of Kenya.

Martha Haythorn

From the classroom to the boardroom, Martha is driven by one mission: to make life better for people with disabilities.

Anthony Thomas

For over 20 years, Anthony has been picking up litter along the highway to help keep his community beautiful.

More Everyday Heroes

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Credit: AJC

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Credit: AJC file photos

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Credit: Contributed photos/AJC