Patch Picks: Local Nonprofits

Lots of folks like to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr Day by volunteering for a charity. Why not do the same on Presidents Day, if you have the day off? Here are five local charities you could contact to ask about volunteer opportunities on the holiday or any other time you have to donate.

Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC): This charity at 4900 Lewis Road, Stone Mountain, helps the physically disabled regain mobility by providing the needed equipment. Call 770-491-9014 or click here for more information.

Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity or DeKalb County Habitat for Humanity:  Volunteering with Habitat is a life-changing experience. These nonprofits build houses and renovate homes with people in need of safe, decent shelter. Habitat doesn't give away houses; it offers no-profit loans for those with lower than average incomes. Click on the links above for more information about volunteering or donating.

LifeLine Animal Project: This nonprofit works with rescue groups, the Humane Society and animal shelters on finding no-kill solutions for the area's large population of homeless animals. Click here for more information about volunteering by helping to walk dogs or tending the animals.

Refugee Family Services: This organization helps refugee women and children who have relocated to Stone Mountain and Clarkston, often from war-torn countries, attain self-sufficiency. Click here for more info on volunteering opportunities. 

Parkwood Farms Therapy Center: Horse lovers, this one's for you. Located in Snellville, this nonprofit offers horse-riding therapy for special-needs children, and volunteers assist by walking alongside the horses, but are also needed daily to feed and groom them.  Click here for more information on volunteering at Parkwood Farms.