Abel Solutions and Hands on Atlanta Create a Better Learning Environment at Decatur’s McLendon Elementary School

September 26, 2006

The employees of Abel Solutions, Inc., a 20 person, Alpharetta-based technology consulting firm, will network in a completely different way. As part of Atlanta’s area-wide Hands on Atlanta Day, they will join with partners, customers, vendors and children to give Decatur’s McLendon Elementary School some much needed TLC. The day’s work will include removal of overgrowth, planting flowers and shrubs, and building a beautiful environment in which students can learn and thrive.

This year marks Abel Solutions’ sixth year as a Hands on Atlanta Day sponsor, providing financial contributions as well as encouraging employees and others to participate. Abel Solutions’ founders, Kevin and Cindy Abel, have been involved with Hands On Atlanta since shortly after the organization’s founding in 1990. Cindy Abel currently serves on the Hands on Atlanta Board of Directors.

"For us, community action is much more than just a feel-good buzzword," stated Kevin Abel. "It is a fundamental belief, central to the way we operate and connect with the world beyond our business. Hands on Atlanta Day, in particular, offers a great opportunity to bring together the people we work with and their families in a way that counts, long after the day is over."

Tracy Hoover, Hands On Atlanta Executive Director, concured: "Abel Solutions is a great example of high impact corporate community involvement " she says. "Our relationships with large organizations that have extensive resources and whole departments dedicated to community service do tremendous things. But that’s not the only kind of company that can provide positive community impact. In fact, due in large part to Kevin and Cindy’s input, we’ve established a small business initiative to help smaller companies support and enliven their community service agendas."

Hoover says that Abel Solution’s 2006 Hands on Atlanta Day project at McLendon Elementary is an excellent example of how one company’s commitment, involvement and leadership truly can make the community a better place. The school’s suburban surroundings are well tended, but the Title I school, built in 1958, has suffered the effects of time, erosion and years of student foot-traffic. According to the Georgia Department of Education, 97% of McLendon students are economically disadvantaged and 20% are English language learners.

These issues make it that much more important to show students that someone wants to make a difference in their school, explained McLendon Elementary Principal, Rosalind McIntyre: "We believe it is very important to provide an aesthetic standard – both for the local neighborhood and for the children. A lot of our students live in areas that aren’t particularly green or thriving. But we want them to know that’s not the only way."

Equally important, McIntyre believes that a beautiful, living school environment has the power to change attitudes, making a difference in how students see both their school and themselves: "When students come to a school that looks beautiful and cared for, they respect those surroundings. And because they identify with their school environment, it helps them respect themselves more as important members of a flourishing community."

Abel Solutions, Inc.

Abel Solutions employs innovative technology to increase the productivity of businesses by making the right information available to the right people at the right time. A Microsoft Gold Certified Partner for Information Worker and Integrated E-Business Solutions, Abel Solutions is widely recognized for their SharePoint-based solutions, custom application development and innovative delivery methodology. Abel Solutions has been delivering custom solutions for businesses, state and local government and non-profit organizations since 1997.