CASA Joins Junior Achievement of Georgia to Inspire Community Impact

[ATLANTA, GA] – Junior Achievement of Georgia (JA of Georgia) is proud to announce CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children) as their newest partner at the JA Chick-fil-A Discovery Center.

Located in Midtown Atlanta, the JA Chick-fil-A Discovery Center hosts over 30 companies dispersed across two simulation spaces. CASA is proudly represented in Junior Achiement Finance Park. Through this partnership, CASA is enlightening students on the importance of Philanthropy and giving back within their community.

“The greatest investment we can make in a community is not in its buildings, but in the potential of its children. At Atlanta CASA, we believe education opens doors, advocacy changes trajectories, and volunteerism creates generations of leaders who give back.” Domonique Cooper
,Chief Executive Officer of Atlanta CASA, continued by sharing, “When we connect young people to opportunity and inspire them to become advocates for others, we do more than change individual lives. We create a pipeline of purpose, where today's children become tomorrow's mentors, leaders, and changemakers. That is how we transform communities and build a legacy that outlives us all.”

CASA and Junior Achievement of Georgia share a commitment to helping young people build brighter futures. While CASA advocates for the safety, stability, and well-being of children who have experienced abuse or neglect, JA works to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. Both organizations recognize that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, discover their potential, and build a successful future. Together, these missions reflect the importance of supporting young people with the resources, guidance, and opportunities they need to succeed.

About Junior Achievement of Georgia

Junior Achievement (JA) of Georgia is a business- integrated education partner with expertise in experiential learning that successfully develops key mindsets and skills for students to lead meaningful and successful lives. JA’s high-impact programs drive long-term outcomes in areas of financial literacy, career readiness, and fostering the entrepreneurial spirit, and are delivered by corporate and community volunteers. JA of Georgia offers multiple programs, with a focus on middle and high school students, including JA BizTown, JA Finance Park, 3DE by Junior Achievement, and the JA Dream Accelerator. JA of Georgia has locations in Atlanta, Cumming, Dalton, Evans, Morrow, and Savannah. For more information, visit georgia.ja.org

About CASA Atlanta

Court Appointed Special Advocates (Atlanta CASA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for children experiencing foster care in Fulton County, Georgia. Through the recruitment, training, and support of dedicated community volunteers, Atlanta CASA ensures that children who have experienced abuse or neglect have a consistent, caring adult advocating for their safety, well-being, educational success, and permanent placement in a safe and loving home. By amplifying children's voices and connecting them with critical resources and opportunities, Atlanta CASA works to create brighter futures and lasting change for some of our community's most vulnerable children. For more information, visit www.atlantacasa.org.

Junior Achievement of Georgia Celebrates Outstanding Volunteers for Their Service by Announcing 3 Awards

ATLANTA, GA — Junior Achievement of Georgia (JA of Georgia) is celebrating 24 companies, organizations, schools and individuals for their outstanding commitment to volunteerism and student success during the 2025-26 school year.

For the first time, JA of Georgia is recognizing these partners through three awards designed to celebrate the organizations and individuals who help bring Junior Achievement programs to life for Georgia students. From recruiting hundreds of volunteers to creating meaningful student experiences and championing JA within their communities, these partners play an important role in helping young people prepare for success in a global economy.

JA Partner Milestone Award | Recognizes companies, organizations, and schools who recruited 100+ volunteers annually across JA of Georgia’s programs and regions. These partnerships help inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.

JA Volunteer Impact Award | Recognizes an outstanding individual whose exceptional dedication to volunteer service and advocacy with JA of Georgia goes above and beyond, inspiring others, enriching student experiences, and creating a meaningful impact on the next generation.

JA Volunteer Champion Impact Award | Recognizes an outstanding individual from a corporation or organization whose leadership, advocacy, and excellence in JA of Georgia volunteer recruitment go above and beyond to expand Junior Achievement's reach, inspire engagement, and create lasting impact for students.

Together, these organizations contributed thousands of volunteer experiences that helped Georgia students explore careers, develop essential skills and connect what they learn in school to the world around them.

From Left to Right: Lindsay Allward-Theimer, Dennis McGourik, Dr. Gina Kertulis-Tartar, Mallory Safley, Thurman Williams, & Emily Jourdain

Four of this year's award recipients were recognized in person during JA of Georgia's Fall 2026 Board Meeting on September 24: Dalton State College, recipient of the JA Partner Milestone Award for 900+ volunteers; Thurman Williams, recipient of the JA Volunteer Impact Award; and Dennis McGouirk and Mallory Safley, recipients of the JA Volunteer Champion Impact Award.

JA of Georgia will continue recognizing partners throughout the remainder of the year, celebrating the companies, organizations, schools and individuals whose time, talent and commitment help create meaningful opportunities for students across Georgia.

Junior Achievement of Georgia to Induct David Cummings and Craig Menear into JA Atlanta Business Hall of Fame

ATLANTA, GA — Junior Achievement of Georgia (JA of Georgia) has named David Cummings and Craig Menear as the 2027 JA Atlanta Business Hall of Fame Laureates.

Junior Achievement of Georgia is proud to host the 37th annual gala and continue the tradition of honoring outstanding members of the Metro Atlanta business community. This black-tie event, co-founded with the Atlanta Business Chronicle, will take place on Saturday, February 20, 2027, at Flourish in Buckhead.

David Cummings is an Atlanta-based tech entrepreneur who has founded 10 companies employing thousands of people, including Pardot, Salesloft, and Intown Golf Club. David is also the founder of the Atlanta Tech Village, the fourth-largest tech hub in the United States, and the lead investor in Calendly, the world’s most popular scheduling app. After selling Pardot, he was named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and one of the 100 Most Influential Atlantans by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. He is now renovating one of the largest collections of historic buildings in the country in downtown Atlanta. David is a member of YPO Southern 7 and serves on the boards of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Buckhead Coalition, Central Atlanta Progress, Atlanta Committee for Progress, and The Westminster Schools. A native of Tallahassee, Florida, David earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Duke University. He blogs regularly at DavidCummings.org and shares insights on X at @davidcummings.

Craig Menear is a distinguished retail executive and former chairman and CEO of The Home Depot, where he spent 25 years helping shape the company into the world’s largest home improvement retailer. He joined the company in 1997 and held several leadership roles before serving as CEO from 2014 to 2022 and chairman from 2015 until his retirement in 2022. Under his leadership, The Home Depot expanded its interconnected retail capabilities and invested in its stores, supply chain, technology, associates, and future leaders. During his tenure as CEO, annual sales grew from approximately $83 billion to more than $151 billion. Craig currently serves on the boards of Chick-fil-A, Camp Southern Ground, and Junior Achievement’s 3DE initiative, as well as the Advisors Excel advisory board. He is also vice chair of Junior Achievement USA. His previous board service includes the Retail Industry Leaders Association, Atlanta Committee for Progress, and Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. A native of Flint, Michigan, Craig earned a Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University’s Eli Broad College of Business. He later received the university’s Distinguished Alumni Award and an honorary doctorate.

In addition to the formal induction of David and Craig, the 37th JA Atlanta Business Hall of Fame will welcome guests to a cocktail hour featuring a seated dinner, followed by a tribute to the revolutionary programs JA of Georgia is bringing to over half of Georgia’s middle school students and beyond.

“David Cummings and Craig Menear represent the innovation, leadership, and commitment to community that define Atlanta’s business legacy,” said John A. Hancock, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Georgia. “Through their remarkable careers, both have created opportunities, strengthened our region, and demonstrated the lasting impact business leaders can have on the people and communities around them. We are proud to welcome them into the JA Atlanta Business Hall of Fame.”

To learn more about the JA Atlanta Business Hall of Fame, sponsorship opportunities, or the laureates, please visit georgia.ja.org/atlanta-hall-of-fame. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the event, please email Hannah Thompson at hthompson@georgia.ja.org.