News & Stories

Record-Breaking Winter Supply Drive Reaches 620 Families in Tucker

NAAFSRI's January 2025 Winter Supply Drive surpassed all previous records, distributing 2,480 supply kits to 620 families across DeKalb County over four days. The drive, held at the Northlake Community Center in Tucker, GA, drew 74 volunteers and received in-kind donations from 12 corporate sponsors including a major office supply retailer and a regional logistics company that provided free transportation.

New this year was a dedicated "Teen Corner" — a separate distribution station for high school students featuring age-appropriate supplies including graphing calculators, college-ruled notebooks, and USB drives. "We heard from families that older kids were often overlooked in supply drives," explained Program Director Sarah Okafor. "This year, we made sure every age group felt seen."

Volunteer Marcus Thompson, a retired teacher who has participated in every NAAFSRI supply drive since 2015, called it "the most organized and impactful drive we've ever run." The organization is already planning its next drive for August 2025.

New After-School Tutoring Hub Opens in Stone Mountain, Expanding Access to 120 More Students

NAAFSRI officially opened its third after-school tutoring center in Stone Mountain, Georgia on November 4, 2024, expanding the organization's tutoring capacity by 120 students per week. The new center, located at the Stone Mountain Community Recreation Center, operates Monday through Thursday from 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM, offering free tutoring in math, reading, science, and writing for students in grades 3–12.

The center is staffed by 18 volunteer tutors, including eight students from Georgia State University's College of Education who are completing their supervised teaching hours through a formal partnership with NAAFSRI. "This partnership is a win-win," said Dr. Patricia Owens, the university's community engagement coordinator. "Our students get real-world teaching experience, and NAAFSRI gets highly motivated, trained tutors."

Within two weeks of opening, the Stone Mountain center had a waitlist of 34 students — underscoring the depth of demand for free academic support in the area. NAAFSRI is actively recruiting additional volunteer tutors to expand capacity.

NAAFSRI Announces Three-Year Corporate Partnership with Regional Technology Firm

NAAFSRI announced a landmark three-year partnership with a Tucker-based technology company that will provide $90,000 in funding, 200 refurbished laptops, and 500 volunteer hours annually to support the organization's Digital Access Initiative. The partnership, formalized at a signing ceremony at NAAFSRI's Tucker headquarters, represents the largest single corporate commitment in the organization's history.

"Education in the 21st century requires digital access," said the company's Director of Corporate Social Responsibility. "We believe every child deserves a device and the skills to use it. This partnership is our commitment to making that a reality in our community." The laptops will be distributed to middle and high school students from households without home computers, accompanied by a digital literacy training program developed in collaboration with NAAFSRI's program team.