How Atlanta’s Hospitality Industry is Redefining Community Engagement

By Taylor Boser

Published December 20, 2024
Last Updated January 8, 2025

Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau ensures every event has all its needs covered while committing to being the best and most hospitable city to do business with. Finding ways to give back to the community in a sustainable way is an important mission, not just for ACVB, but for the Atlanta community as a whole.

ACVB provides a turnkey way for groups in town to have access to resources to give back to the community and leave a lasting impact.

“At ACVB, we never take a one-size-fits-all approach. We’re all about learning about the customers’ needs and finding that resource that fits best,” said Kristin Delahunt, ACVB vice president of Destination Services. “Whether a group wants to do a monetary donation or a donation of leftover materials from their trade show floor or conference, we can match them to the right partner to help get that done.”

ACVB makes it easy by having nonprofits available to partner with that offer a variety of unique community service opportunities.

Many conventions and events are hosted throughout the year right in downtown Atlanta at the Georgia World Congress Center. Georgia World Congress Center Authority’s (GWCCA) mission is to enhance the quality of life for every Georgian by delivering unconventional solutions for people, the planet and performance.

Shavannia Williams, GWCCA’s director of strategic partnerships, works with clients to find out about their events and what opportunities there may be for donations or ways to give back to the community.

Donations Go the Extra Mile

Coverings is one of the many conventions that happens at the Georgia World Congress Center. It is the largest and most significant ceramic tile and natural stone conference and exhibit in North America. The convention had more than 1,000 global exhibitors from 40 countries.

“I worked closely with Coverings for more than a year to understand their show, the materials that were going to be brought into Atlanta and our congress center, and then I identified specific organizations that were going to be able to use those materials,” Williams said.

After the convention, a variety of useful materials were donated to nonprofits and organizations in the Atlanta area, including Lifecycle Building Center, Georgia Building Trades Academy and Atlanta Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Lifecycle Building Center is a nonprofit that takes used materials and repurposes them back to the public so they don’t end up in landfills.

“It’s a win-win for everybody,” said Ken Davis, Lifecycle Building Center of Atlanta donations and field operations manager. “The previous owner doesn’t throw away the material and it goes to a good home.”

Atlanta Habitat for Humanity ReStore is a nonprofit home improvement store and donation center. Megan McCabe, Atlanta Habitat for Humanity ReStore director, said all the proceeds from these Coverings donations benefit families that they are building homes for, but also customers at the ReStore.

“It really means a lot to them to have this beautiful product and to be able to update their homes in an affordable way and be able to just make an impact in their own lives and use this product that would otherwise be going to a landfill,” McCabe said.

The Georgia Building Trades Academy is for ages 16 to 24 to give them hands-on training in construction fields. 

Kristina Smith, Georgia Building Trades Academy director, said materials are expensive and receiving donations allows more students more opportunities.

“Some of these natural stones would cost our program a fortune, and so we’re very happy to be able to have things that young people can have hands-on training with applying these techniques,” Smith said.

Atlanta’s Hospitality Community Gives Back

Other opportunities for conventions to donate include food conventions. ACVB’s Destination Services team has found a way to make sure the food doesn’t go to waste by donating the items to local food pantries.

“Not only do we want to be able to be the easiest city to do business with, we also want to be able to take your information, take your ideas and say hey, this is what can work for you,” said Monica Coleman, ACVB director of Destination Services.

But giving back to the Atlanta community goes beyond conventions. 

“One of the biggest initiatives we’re finding with a convention group is a give-back opportunity, so why not us in our own backyard?” Coleman said.

Team members from ACVB, GWCCA, Atlanta Marriott Marquis and The Westin Peachtree Plaza, Atlanta enjoyed an afternoon of volunteering at Meals on Wheels Atlanta.

Meals on Wheels Atlanta is a nonprofit that delivers consistent meals to senior neighbors. Volunteers are able to help by donating financially, packing boxes that will be delivered to seniors or driving around the routes to deliver meals to their homes. 

“Those volunteers that come, it’s good for them, but it’s also good for us because those moments act as team building opportunities for groups that come in,” said Jason Tucker, Meals on Wheels Atlanta Senior Director of Community Engagement

Destination management companies in Atlanta, like PRA, are able to help clients find ways to volunteer in a variety of ways.

“After COVID, we started seeing a lot of influx of clients and visitors to our city looking for meaningful opportunities to engage with the actual space that they’re in,” said Natalie Williams, PRA director of business development.

Williams said PRA has worked with clients to find volunteer opportunities like Meals on Wheels Atlanta all the way to packing gift baskets for NICU babies.

ACVB Practices What They Preach

That’s what the Atlanta community does: works together for the greater good.

“At ACVB, we’re dedicated not just to events and services, but to making a meaningful impact where it’s most needed,” said Daniel Hernandez, ACVB Destination Services assistant manager.

ACVB’s Destination Services team organized a month-long clothing drive, donating items to Gateway Center. The nonprofit is a resource for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

“By supporting this cause, we’re contributing to breaking the cycle of poverty and homelessness one step at a time,” Hernandez said.

From giving back to the community through donations or volunteering, there are endless opportunities to make an impact. Whether you’re here for a quick visit or you’ve made Atlanta your home, the hospitality community is here to help pay it forward.

“We want our clients to know that choosing to have their event, conference, sports experience, here is not just giving their clients and attendees and sports fans a really compelling guest experience, they’re also going to make an impact in Atlanta,” Williams with GWCCA said.

The endless amount of resources in Atlanta ensures a seamless event, no matter what the clients’ needs are.

“Our hospitality industry is a very tight-knit, passionate group and we really do work all together, from hotels to venues and everything in between, to make these projects come to life for our customers,” Delahunt said.

For more about the Atlanta hospitality community, explore how its collaborative nature can benefit your next event.

A Chicago transplant, Taylor loves exploring what makes Atlanta the place to be. Name a popular festival, food hall or brewery to check out and she will be there.