Good Deeds

Consumer Stories

Thanksgiving Highlights Businesses’ Yearlong Need for Gratitude

Publisher’s Note: We are a week away from Turkey Day! It’s a good time to be thankful for those who help us succeed in the CSRA, like customers, co-workers, employees, vendors, and the community. Dr. Rick Franza breaks down each group and how to show gratitude to those folks who help you! While for many, giving thanks has a religious and spiritual component, there are personal benefits to being grateful for all individuals, whether their thanks are directed at God or not. Therefore, being thankful, while highlighted this time of

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Consumer Stories

Sensory Santa Returns in November; medical office needs your help

Every holiday season, there’s a special kind of magic that fills our community — one made of laughter, wonder, and togetherness. But for many families who have children with sensory sensitivities or special needs, that magic can sometimes feel out of reach. The lights are too bright. The music is too loud. The lines are too long. That’s why, since 2017, we’ve opened the doors of Flack Family Chiropractic each holiday season for one of our most meaningful traditions: Sensory Santa — a free, heart-centered event designed to bring joy,

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B2B Stories

Good Deeds: Guest Column on Hurricane Helene

It’s All Heart (my friends) Eric Parker, Make Startups Founder One year ago this week, our city and our team were devastated by Hurricane Helene. Most of us had damaged homes, and the roads in and out of our neighborhoods and across the city were blocked by downed trees and power lines. We went weeks without power, and with limited access to food, gas, and other basic supplies. Every family learned how to use chainsaws, and communities banded together to help each other clean up, and most of all, actually

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Consumer Stories

Good Deeds: Supporting an Important Cause

Area businesses have the opportunity to support a small, nonprofit organization that is marking its 10th anniversary. Day One Fitness plans to celebrate in style with a gala on Nov. 15th at First Baptist Church of Augusta on Walton Way. In advance of the event, businesses can sign on as sponsors to help underwrite the gala. “Businesses can really support us by purchasing a table or a sponsorship. We have some other sponsorships that are a little bit higher, that have a little bit more perks to them, that also

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B2B Stories

Rocking a $25,000 grant

Aiken Technical College has been selected for the third year in a row for the prestigious Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI). The $25,000 grant provides scholarships and student support for those enrolled in the college’s cybersecurity, computer technology, and CompTIA programs. Since 2023, Aiken Tech has been able to impact more than 200 students thanks to funding from MSI. “Thanks to the generous support and dynamic partnership of MSI, we successfully launched our inaugural Cyber Power Camp this summer, that provided middle and high school students with hands-on experience and insight

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Consumer Stories

Good Deeds: Supporting local nonprofits

The coffers of seven local nonprofit organizations are healthier following a contribution from a local financial institution. The funds are from Peach State Federal Credit Union (PSFCU) through a foundation it created several years ago. “The foundation accumulates money based on certain criteria,” Ed Presnell, Regional Business Executive for PSFCU, explained for ABD. “The foundation allows our volunteers, our advisory board members in each area, to choose charities that they want to donate to. We don’t choose them. So, each year we present checks.” Money is distributed to nonprofits across

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Consumer Stories

Good Deeds: Rewarding future leader

2023 Spherion Franchisee of the Year Angela Swarts (in red) was happy to provide a difference to Aaron Hudson in the form of a $5,000 scholarship to help him at the Augusta Technical College and his transition to Augusta University. The Sandy Mazur Scholarship celebrates leadership, excellence, and the next generation of community leaders. “Sandy Mazur was the former President of Spherion Staffing LLC, my franchisor,” said Swarts, an Augusta franchisee since 1995.  “The owner community created the Sandy Mazur Leadership Scholarship in honor of her when she retired.  Every year, the

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B2B Stories

Hungry college students get help

The Community Foundation for the CSRA (CFCSRA) and Golden Harvest Food Bank are continuing their partnership to attack food insecurity head-on on a local college campus. The Knights Corner Food Pantry opened in Aiken Technical College’s Student Activities building in the fall of 2024. That anniversary was celebrated during a recent open house. A study by the Government Accountability Office found that 3.8 million college students, that’s an estimated 23%, face food insecurity. Of that number, 2.2 million are classified as very low food security, meaning they often skip meals

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Consumer Stories

Businesses band together to fight cancer during annual event

A local organization’s mission to fund innovative research at the Georgia Cancer Center (GCC) has a deep bench of allies from area businesses. Registration is underway for PaceDay 2025, set for Sunday, Oct. 5. The annual event is sponsored by Paceline, a nonprofit organization that supports cancer research at GCC. “The mission at Paceline is simply to bring communities and organizations together around ending cancer,” Martyn Jones, Paceline’s President, told ABD. “Officially, our mission statement is that we’re a movement of communities and organizations setting the pace to end cancer.

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Consumer Stories

A familiar mission setting a new goal

A local nonprofit organization that partners with companies helping individuals face life’s challenges is focusing on a new goal. The Fellowship Hall at First Baptist Church of Augusta was packed full of business and community leaders as the United Way of the CSRA (UWCSRA) held its annual campaign kickoff. In years past, it included the announcement of the campaigns’ monetary goal. Not this year. “What we will announce is that our goal is to help 30,000 ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families by the year 2030,” explained Brittany Burnett,

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