Inspire Atlanta

We recognize a big part of our journalistic mission is to shine a spotlight on wrongdoings and to hold our public officials accountable. But we also understand the importance of celebrating our region’s moments, milestones and people. That’s exactly what we hope to accomplish with Inspire Atlanta. Each week, Inspire Atlanta will profile a person that makes metro Atlanta a better place in which to live.
Of course, we can’t do this alone: We need your help in finding extraordinary people and identifying inspiring stories across our region. Know someone who inspires you or makes metro Atlanta a better place for others? Email us at InspireAtlanta@ajc.com.

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Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC

Sweet Tea: Wet, soft and soggy

Find out more about the Hardy family who has been growing their peanut stand business for 25 years and how the central Louisiana town of Bunkie is getting the last laugh.

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Credit: spe

Atlanta mass media class for kids gains national attention

Students at The 411 Brand Saturday School create winning video on food justice

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Credit: Phil Skinner/AJC

Sweet Tea: Counting bats

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Credit: Phil Skinner

Hall County’s Santa Randy’s faith leads him to feed the homeless community

Gainesville’s “Santa Randy” Smith runs a faith-based outreach for the homeless community in Hall County, delivering food, clothing and prayer with help from volunteers.

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Credit: John Gregory Strelecki

Georgia breast cancer patient faces chemo in costume to spread joy

Karen Strelecki, 72, started the Fun Fights Fear project with her husband to bring joy and happiness to fellow cancer patients.

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Credit: spec

Orthopedic surgeons give Hondurans reason to hope

Since 2018, Stephen Smith has organized biannual trips for health care professionals to Honduras, where they provide free joint replacements to people who cannot afford them.

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Credit: Safa Wahidi

Injured child from Gaza arrives for medical treatment in Atlanta

Yassin Alghalban, 12, is part of the largest evacuation of injured Palestinian children since the start of this Gaza crisis.

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Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Blank Foundation gives $2.7 million in grants to area food banks

The grants will allow local food banks to invest in both immediate relief and long-term solutions to food insecurity.

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Credit: spec

18 nurses at Austell hospital go through baby bumps, births together

They laugh when people ask what’s in the water at Wellstar Cobb?

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Credit: spe

Dough Bros roll up their sleeves for a sweet summer

Dough Bros is the summer business of two Marietta brothers, London and Leo Lampley, who bake and sell sourdough, muffins and cookies — often selling out in just hours.

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Sweet Tea: Black family reunions go deep

From the past and present of Black family reunions to celebrating Louis ARmstrong, there is a lot of good news in the region.

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Credit: Phil Skinner

Forest Park fire chief has burning desire to bring women into profession

Latosha Clemons has spent 3 decades in a profession where women make up less than 10% of the workforce.

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Credit: Phil Skinner

Toddler beats leukemia with help from Atlanta Ronald McDonald House

After a leukemia diagnosis, a Rome family found support at an Atlanta Ronald McDonald House while their son underwent chemotherapy at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

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Credit: Phil Skinner

90-year-old ‘sets the bar’ as Peachtree City school crossing guard

Fayette County needs more people to be crossing guards, to cover retirements and when someone calls in sick.

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Credit: Phil Skinner

Power of second chances on display at City of Refuge

QuinKnoca Owens is part of a team of formerly incarcerated men who are mentors at Atlanta's City of Refuge program for people re-entering their communities from incarceration.

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Credit: Phil Skinner

Businesswoman gives 20 years to setting homeless female addicts on new path

For 20 years, Val Cater's Gilgal residential program for homeless female addicts has helped women find a new path.

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Credit: (Photo courtesy of the Penix family)

Love and discipline: Michael Penix Jr. received both from his dad

‘My Dad, that’s my hero,’ says Atlanta's starting quarterback.

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Credit: Phil Skinner

Forsyth County clinic offers free medical care with a dose of compassion

Volunteer doctors and nurses have treated everything from the common cold to cancer, with hypertension and diabetes being the most frequently diagnosed.

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Credit: Courtesy of Reel South

FROM UATL

Spelman professor wins Peabody Award for health care documentary

Anjanette Levert produced “The Only Doctor” about the sole physician in rural Clay County.

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Credit: Phil Skinner

INSPIRE ATLANTA

Standing in the Crossfire: Minister on a mission to uplift Southside children

This former teacher and pastor runs a nonprofit to help children who live at the troubled apartment complex Freedom Park.