Community-Focused Nonprofit Sets Up Curbside Collection and Drop Box for Donation of Non-Perishable Food Items for Families Hard-Hit by COVID-19

Lawrenceville, Ga. – September 25, 2020 – Like most things in 2020, Great Days of Service will look a little different this year. Created by the Gwinnett Coalition for Health and Human Services – a nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the health and human service needs of everyone in Gwinnett County, Great Days of Service is a cooperative and community-focused initiative. In light of the fact that so many local families have been hard-hit by COVID-19 – leaving them struggling to meet basic needs, the Coalition is mobilizing its partners to collect much-needed items like food, cleaning supplies and personal care items.  To that end, Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful (GC&B) is establishing a curbside collection site at One Justice Square Building in Lawrenceville, as well as collection bins in the lobby, for anyone who wishes to donate non-perishable food items and help their neighbors.

“Each year for Great Days of Service, Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful teams up with Gwinnett County’s Department of Water Resources to host a watershed cleanup event and promote awareness of the importance of clean water to the collective health and well-being of our community,” said Schelly Marlatt, Executive Director of Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful. “And every year, we know we can count on a terrific response from community members who are eager to get out there and help us remove litter and debris from local waterways and watersheds. This year, like so many other companies, organizations, schools and families out there, we are pivoting to meet the challenges presented by the global pandemic. Our neighbors need our help and we want to meet those needs. We’re hoping that everyone who has ever taken part in our contribution to Great Days of Service in the past will take part in a new way this year so we can collect an unimaginable amount of food as a heartwarming show of that Gwinnett County spirit.”

Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful is asking for the donation of non-perishable items such as:

• Rice
• Pasta and pasta sauce
• Peanut butter and jelly
• Canned soups and beans (preferably with a “pop-top” so they’re easier for senior citizens and homeless individuals to open)
• Canned meats
• Macaroni & cheese
• Granola bars
• Fruit cups
• And more

Between October 1 and October 22, GC&B will be accepting donations at the One Justice Square Building at 446 West Crogan Street in Lawrenceville. Between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, donors can simply bring their donations into the lobby and place them in clearly marked collection bins or call (770) 822-5187 to have donations collected curbside. GC&B asks that anyone who wishes to have their donation collected curbside to please call to schedule a time and date or call 30 minutes in advance of their arrival if dropping off the same day.  Please note, curbside collection will not be available Friday, October 16.

“Thank you in advance to everyone who chooses to support these efforts geared toward neighbors helping neighbors,” added Marlatt. “To increase your impact, please help us spread the word and convince your friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers to take part in Great Days of Service 2020. You may even want to set up a collection of your own at your school, office or neighborhood, and then drop those collections off to us and we’ll see that they get to front line service providers. We can’t WAIT to see what you are able to help us do for the community that we love!”

About Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful:  Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful Services, Inc. (GCB) is a Keep America Beautiful affiliate and award-winning 501(c)(3) charitable organization. It boasts an expansive community-based network dedicated to finding long-term solutions to environmental and quality of life issues through individual action. The organization is guided by a Citizens Advisory Board that represents all sectors of the Gwinnett County community. A nationally recognized leader in creating cleaner, greener and more livable communities throughout Gwinnett, GCB involves more than 100,000 volunteers annually to clean and restore public places, recycle more, protect watersheds and develop the next generation of environmental stewards. To learn more about Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful and its mission of “Connecting People and Resources for a Sustainable Gwinnett,” please visit www.GwinnettCB.org.