Atlanta, Ga. (January 31, 2024) –Across the state of Georgia, Piedmont’s hospitals participated in a variety of activities to observe Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Day on Jan. 15.

A celebration held at the system’s founding hospital, Piedmont Atlanta, was broadcast across the state to Piedmont’s 40,000-plus employees. The event included a fireside chat with civil rights icon Xernona Clayton that was facilitated by Piedmont Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Jo Anne Hill along with musical performances by Piedmont team members. Piedmont Columbus Chaplain Marlon Scott also provided an inspirational reading of Dr. King’s legendary “I Have a Dream” speech.

Before the systemwide event, Columbus Chaplain Sandra Tyler shared her family’s story of growing up in Selma, Ala., during the Civil Rights Era. A particularly troubling time was when both her brothers were jailed for several weeks for participating in demonstrations and were mistreated by the guards.

Other events held throughout the system included:

• Piedmont Athens collected supplies for the Athens Boys and Girls Club, and performed a service project in the Auxiliary Healing Garden. Eleven volunteers were in the garden where they reinforced the creek bed, spread mulch on the playground, installed a paver border and spread wild-flower seeds.
• Piedmont Columbus Regional collected clothing and toiletry items for Hope Harbour and SafeHouse Ministries.
• Piedmont Eastside collected dozens of blankets to donate to Gwinnett Senior Services.
• Piedmont Fayette participated in the annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday Parade, organized by the Fayette County Branch of the NAACP. The hospital also collected items for The Real Life Center, a local organization that supports community members in crisis through donations, food pantries, education and financial assistance. Piedmont Fayette has also scheduled an evening to volunteer stocking their local food pantry at the end of the month.
• Piedmont Henry collected items for Operation Lunchbox, a local organization working with the board of education, social workers and school counselors to provide free food for homeless and underprivileged children.
• Piedmont Macon Medical Center and Piedmont Macon collected money from employees wearing blue jeans on Fridays and donated it to the Brookdale Resource Center, which offers a variety of services to Macon’s homeless population. The center also serves as a warming center for the homeless during the winter months.
• Piedmont Newnan conducted a blanket drive for a local organization, ONE Roof, as part of its service project to give back in honor of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Collection bins were placed on campus to collect new blankets, winter gloves and hats for those in need in Coweta County.
• Piedmont Augusta, Piedmont McDuffie, Piedmont Cartersville, Piedmont Mountainside, Piedmont Newton and others held watch parties for the system celebration event.
• Piedmont Rockdale hosted a toiletry drive for the Rockdale County Women’s Shelter.
• Piedmont Walton collected supplies to support Project Renewal, a local organization that helps domestic violence victims.