Dream Maker ($10,000+)

Sponsors one person for an entire year. For 18 years, Side by Side has been the only nonprofit in Georgia that provides long-term support specifically for adults with brain injuries – and their families. Our Clubhouse is a day program where our members and staff work side by side on skills development, support and advocacy to assist people with brain injuries in managing health and well-being.

Visionary ($5,000+)

Supports 4 months of supervised volunteer activities. Members and staff work side by side at local Atlanta nonprofits to give back to our community. We are regular volunteers at Fernbank Museum of Natural History, Lions Lighthouse and the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Last year alone, Side by Side members contributed 841 hours by sorting eye glasses, greeting and stewarding museum guests and packing donated food supplies. Choosing the lunch spot afterward is a hot topic during our house-wide meetings as is the report of how many thousands of meals were packaged for local families and how many hundreds of screaming school children filled the museum halls. All of this creates purpose, community and lifelong friendships.

Advocate ($2,500+)

Provides 10 weeks of food shopping. On Fridays, members and staff of our Kitchen Unit descend upon the local grocery store to shop for next week’s lunches, snacks and breakfast. Every week there are different items on the shopping list so everyone takes a section and reconvenes at the checkout with 5 or so full carts. We have 12 weeks worth of main dishes, sides and desserts that we rotate throughout the year. We like to keep it interesting – but also healthy!

Grocery shopping every week at the same time means our members get to know people in the community like other shoppers and staff at the store. They also learn the nuances of food shopping like budgeting, following a list and protecting fragile foods (ie. eggs) while bagging and transporting. Some also buy personal items since this is often their only chance to shop. Everyone comes out to help unload, label and stock once they get back to Side by Side because that day’s lunch is already waiting to be served!