2019 Community Heroes Week Honorees

In 2016, Bayley was diagnosed with leukemia and non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma as a 19-year-old freshman at the University of West Georgia. In 2017, after undergoing a bone marrow transplant at Emory Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta, Bayley recognized the need for an organization to support teens and young adults receiving cancer treatments. He noticed his peers were alone without the love and support that he was receiving daily from his family. This motivated Bayley to start uCANcervive, an organization aimed at gifting young adults receiving cancer treatments with unique experiences, TVs, gaming systems, etc.

Braves players Max Fried, Mike Foltynewicz, Luke Jackson, Sean Newcomb, Touki Toussaint, and Fox Sports talent Chip Caray and Paul Byrd surprised Bayley during lunch at the Battery Atlanta and presented him with a $5,000 donation from the Atlanta Braves Foundation. After the surprise, Bayley was taken on a VIP tour of the clubhouse with Braves players, played catch on the field, and hit in the Braves batting cages with gear provided by Mizuno.

Allison Giddens founded the Dave Krache Foundation after her late father passed away unexpectedly in 2009. Dave was an active member of the Cobb County community, where he frequently gave back to those in need volunteering at his church and the local food pantry. To keep Dave's legacy alive, Allison started the Dave Krache Foundation in 2012 to provide funds for families in Metro Atlanta who cannot afford recreational sports fees.

To date, the Dave Krache Foundation has helped 718 kids of all ages, and all school levels, play almost every sport. From baseball to football, basketball, soccer, even martial arts, and more, hundreds of kids throughout Metro Atlanta are playing their favorite sports because of this amazing organization.

Braves players Johan Camargo, Darren O'Day, and Mike Soroka and Fox Sports South talent Chip Caray and Ashley ShahAhmadi surprised Allison during her speaking engagement at a girls' softball camp and presented here with a $5,000 donation from the Atlanta Braves Foundation. Mizuno also donated gear for the girls' softball team while the team enjoyed a game of catch with the Braves players.

In 2014, Michael and Tempa Kohler opened Special Kneads and Treats, a bakery in Gwinnett County that provides employment opportunities to adults with special needs. Bradley Kohler, Michael and Tempa's son, was born with Fragile X Syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes mild to severe mental impairments. As Bradley neared adulthood, they realized there were very few employment opportunities or programs for him after high school. Currently, Special Kneads and Treats employs 16 special needs adults in their bakery, where they bake and decorate cakes and baked goods daily.

Braves players Freddie Freeman and Brian McCann and Fox Sports talent Kelsey Wingert and Nick Green surprised Michael and Tempa at the bakery and presented them with a $5,000 donation from the Atlanta Braves Foundation. Additionally, Kroger donated funds to support the grocery needs for the bakery, and Braves players and Fox talent stuck around to make baked good and decorate cakes with the staff.

In 2009, Blake and Micah created the BigHouse Foundation, a dream they've had since college, to impact the world of foster care in a positive way. After being personally exposed to the needs these children and families they knew, they could no longer sit back and do nothing, so they acted on their passion. The BigHouse Foundation's mission is to connect the needs of foster families with the generosity of the community. They focus on serving families in two ways: by providing resources and building relationships aimed at impacting the lives of children in foster care.

The BigHouse Foundation provides beach trips for families each year, organizes foster moms' meet up groups, Kids Night Outs, which allows the foster parents have a night off each month, a birthday club, and summer camp experiences for every foster child in Lee County.

Braves players Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies, Charlie Culberson, Tyler Flowers, Nick Markakis, Austin Riley and FOX Sports talent Jeff Francoeur, and Nick Green surprised Blake and Micah and multiple foster families during a tour of Truist Park and presented them with a $5,000 donation from the Atlanta Braves Foundation. Following photos and the player meet and greet on the field, the foster families were invited to lunch in the Terrapin Taproom.

Denise Leak is a retired U.S. Army veteran and founder of Joseph and Sarah Caring for Vets, a non-profit organization that provides transitional housing and referral services for homeless veterans.

Joseph and Sarah Caring for Vets maintains a house in the historic Vine City neighborhood of Atlanta and provides a safe, cost-free, and comfortable location for up to six (6) veterans who are experiencing homelessness. Additionally, Joseph and Sara Caring for Vets provides counseling, job skills training, and life coaching for veterans. Since 2012, they have supported over 100+ veterans in obtaining permanent housing.

Braves players Dansby Swanson, Julio Teheran, and Jacob Webb and FOX Sports talent Kelsey Wingert surprised Denise and presented her with a $5,000 donation from the Atlanta Braves Foundation. Braves players took a tour of the house, learned more about the organization, and stuck around for a family BBQ.