Throughout metro Atlanta on April 5 and 6, hundreds of volunteers rolled up their sleeves and pitched in on a variety of community improvement projects as part of the 11th annual GSU Cares. During this year’s GSU Cares, one of the Georgia State University Alumni Association’s signature events in partnership with the university’s Office of Student Civic Engagement, nearly 300 Georgia State alumni and volunteers of all ages gave more than 700 hours to help partner organizations and the people they serve.

“Georgia State is Atlanta’s university, and GSU Cares provides the valued opportunity each year to bring students, alumni, faculty and staff together in the common cause of uplifting the communities they call home,” said Georgia State University President Dr. M. Brian Blake. “I’m thankful for the Georgia State Alumni Association and the Office of Student Civic Engagement for organizing this meaningful event and for the efforts and impact of hundreds of dedicated Panther volunteers and our partner organizations.”

On Friday, April 5, volunteers sorted nearly 2,000 pounds of medical supplies and helped more than 700 patients with MedShare, prepared 2,475 pounds of food for 165 families – about two weeks of groceries per family – with Urban Recipe and landscaped, beautified and helped set up for an upcoming event at Oakland Cemetery. Panthers also collected litter and removed overgrown vegetation in Piedmont Park and prepared 500 sandwiches, trail mix bags and encouragement notes for Georgia State Student Civic Engagement to donate in downtown Atlanta.

On the second day of GSU Cares events, volunteers helped the Atlanta Community Food Bank package food for almost 10,000 meals, painted an apartment for people without housing who have been impacted by HIV/AIDS with Status:Home, distributed 2,779 pounds of food to 84 households with NETWorks, and provided support for the Sandy Springs Recycling Center, North Gwinnett Co-Op and the Decatur Campus Community Garden.

Learn more about GSU Cares and how the Georgia State University Alumni Association keeps alumni connected with and invested in Georgia State at alumni.gsu.edu.