When it comes to getting involved and lending a helping hand, look no further than the nonprofit HNL organization.
Above, members of the nonprofit HNL organization are always lending a helping hand to those in need. Photo/Submitted.
With 50 members operating in Fayette, Coweta, Fulton and Clayton counties, spokesman Josh Shelton said the organization began 10 years ago as a running group when that group of “local do-gooders” decided to make a difference.
Today, and now a nonprofit, the organization has become a project incubator that continues its helping ways, said Shelton.
“The idea was to help people level up in life by taking on projects that make an impact,” Shelton said.
An example of the projects includes working with the Peachtree City Police Department after an officer learned about a grandmother who needed to take custody of her grandchildren.
“It was around Christmas. It was cold and the grandmother couldn’t pay the heating bill. HNL paid the bill through the winter months,” Shelton explained.
Another project came when the group learned of a family whose home had burned. The family was provided with more than 30 gift cards for grocery stores and other merchants to help defray some of their expenses.
An ongoing project is The Dignity Store, based in area schools. HNL raises money to purchase high-quality personal hygiene items and food that can be secured by students in a discrete fashion.
“Some kids simply don’t have what they need. We utilize technology and a great community to make these items available to needy children,” said Shelton.
So who gets involved in HNL? Shelton chuckled when asked that question. He said it’s people of all ages, from kids to adults.
It’s all about making a difference, with one good deed followed by another.
For more information on this helpful group of do-gooders visit www.runhnl.com or www.thedignitystore.org.
