Heroes for Hope returns on October 9th! Here’s what to know.

Since 2000, Hope Atlanta’s annual Heroes for Hope gala has honored trailblazing community leaders dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness. As we gear up for the 2024 event on October 9th, we look forward to celebrating an inspiring lineup of achievements and remarkable “Heroes.”

Let’s meet this year’s 2024 honorees, co-chairs, and sponsors and discover what’s in store for attendees at this highly anticipated event!

Individual Hero: Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens

We’re thrilled to honor Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens as this year’s Individual Hero for Hope! Mayor Dickens, a passionate advocate for affordable housing, recently launched a bold rapid housing initiative to address Atlanta’s ongoing homelessness crisis. The Melody, the first rapid housing development under this initiative, welcomed its first residents this year and is a testament to the power of collaboration.

Following the Supreme Court’s Johnson v. Grants Pass ruling, Mayor Dickens reaffirmed Atlanta’s commitment to humane, sustainable solutions. He also launched an LGBTQ Advisory Board, with our CEO Julio Carrillo proudly serving as a member.

Corporate Hero: QuikTrip

QuikTrip will be recognized as this year’s Corporate Hero thanks to its unwavering commitment to community investment and transformative support for organizations like Hope Atlanta. Since 1958, QuikTrip has donated 5% of net profits to its communities. In 2023, they took it further, investing over $7 million in organizations across Atlanta.

QuikTrip made a generous donation that allowed us to significantly increase our footprint in the Atlanta community and renewed our partnership with a multi-year commitment in 2024, showcasing how corporate citizenship drives meaningful change. We’re also proud to have QuikTrip as a Title Sponsor this year!

Volunteer Hero of the Year: Cheryl Naja

This year at Heroes for Hope, we are proud to honor our first-ever Volunteer Hero of the Year: Cheryl Naja, a dedicated servant leader and a longstanding friend to our clients and organization. Cheryl’s dedication to community service spans her entire career, from teaching high school to becoming a law librarian and ultimately creating and leading Alston & Bird’s community engagement program for 20 years. Alston & Bird honored Cheryl by creating a community service award in her name, and she received the inaugural “Cheryl Naja Friend of Justice Award” in 2023. She was also recognized as a Leader in Corporate Citizenship by ABC.

In addition to spearheading major corporate responsibility initiatives, Cheryl is a hands-on servant leader who motivates those around her to strive for greater impact. She has served as president of the Corporate Volunteer Council, co-founded the Georgia Asylum & Immigration Network, and contributed to multiple boards addressing diverse issues. In addition to serving on Hope Atlanta’s board and chairing our Marketing Committee, Cheryl frequently volunteers at our Women’s Community Kitchen & Outreach Center.

Heroes for Hope Co-Chairs: Matt Keith and Tiffany Callaway Ferrell

Matt Keith, SVP, Segment Executive-West Division at Bank of America, and Tiffany Callaway Ferrell, Vice President of Operations at Atlanta Gas Light and Chattanooga Gas Company, have been hard at work preparing for an epic evening. The two first met at last year’s Heroes for Hope, where they were inspired to get involved in leading this year’s event, and both went on to join Leadership Atlanta’s class of 2024.

Matt, who also serves on Hope Atlanta’s Board of Directors, is a respected Atlanta business leader and Leadership Class of Atlanta 2024 member recognized for promoting diversity and inclusion. He was Bank of America’s 2021 Global Diversity and Inclusion Award Winner, and named Business Leader of the Year by Out Georgia in 2020. He also sits on the board of the Atlanta Beltline Partnership.

Tiffany is a seasoned leader in the energy sector, known for driving results through operational excellence, organizational development, and strong financial management. Tiffany currently serves on the Atlanta Business League Board of Directors, Chair, and is an officer on The National Coalition of 100 Black Women Incorporated, Metropolitan Atlanta Board of Directors. Tiffany is an active member of the community and was honored in the 2012 issue of “Who’s Who in Black Atlanta for Corporate Brass.” She was honored as one of the 100 Most Influential African American Women in Atlanta in 2017 by the Atlanta Business League and received the prestigious League Leadership Award in 2016.

Heroes for Hope 2024 Sponsors

In its 10th year partnering with Hope Atlanta, Northside Hospital will return as Title Sponsor! QuikTrip (our 2024 Corporate Hero) will also join as a Title Sponsor this year. Northside has been dedicated to improving the well-being of our community and the families within it, partnering with organizations like ours that uphold the principles of social justice: access to resources, equity, diversity, participation, and human rights.

QuikTrip’s partnership with Hope Atlanta exemplifies how corporate citizenship can drive positive change, enabling us to acquire new outreach staff and provide a critical lifeline for even more neighbors facing and experiencing homelessness.

Other top event sponsors include The RMR Group, Berckmans Spirits, The Coca-Cola Company, Colonial Pipeline, Chick-fil-A, Inc., Delta Air Lines, Georgia Power, and our 2023 Corporate Hero, Atlanta Gas Light. We’re thrilled to have an outpouring of support for this year’s event, and appreciate every one of our generous sponsors! Please click here for the complete list.

Heroes for Hope 2023

What to Expect at Heroes for Hope 2024

This year’s theme is “Journey to Hope.” In addition to celebrating our exceptional honorees, we’re ushering in a bold new chapter in our 124-year history, highlighted by a refreshed brand and a renewed commitment to building a “Bridge to Self-Sufficiency” for every client we serve. With exciting surprises, special guests, and a live auction, this year’s event promises to be one to remember!

Items up for bidding during the live auction include:

• A luxury one-week stay in Mérida, Mexico, with a private tour of Mayan ruins. Also included is a private guided agave tasting dinner experience at Tiendita at El Ponce to kick off your trip to Mexico!
• Seven nights in an oceanfront room at the renowned Omni Amelia Island Resort
• A luxury 4-night stay in Portugal + 250,000 IHG Points
• A weekend getaway in Blue Ridge, Georgia, at a luxury mountain home
• Accommodations at Moonlight Waters Lodge, a picturesque retreat nestled in the natural beauty of East Ellijay

A few more details:

• This year’s event is on October 9th from 6–9 p.m. at Curate.
• The dress code is business attire.
• Complimentary valet parking and limited street parking will be available; however, rideshare services are highly encouraged.

While the event is sold out, we invite you to support Hope Atlanta’s critical work by making a donation or joining the BridgeBuilders corporate partnership program. We’ll also be sharing live updates on Instagram throughout the event. We can’t wait to celebrate this year’s milestones and look forward to an incredible evening!