Judi Carlson, the longtime director of Malachi’s Storehouse in Dunwoody, Georgia, was named the inaugural winner of Neighbors Bank’s Neighbor of the Year contest on Sept. 28, National Good Neighbor Day. Carlson was selected by public vote from 10 finalists and will receive a $20,000 community grant, the bank announced. The award recognizes years of work at a local pantry whose weekly service continues through a wider circle of volunteers and partners.
Carlson’s connection to Malachi’s began in 2012, when she started as a volunteer. She later joined the board, became co-director and eventually spent 12 years leading the organization, according to Neighbors Bank’s winner profile. She stepped down from that directorship earlier this year, but the bank says she still returns each week to serve with the volunteers who keep the pantry running. Her path through several roles gives the award a community scale: long-term leadership alongside continued hands-on service.
Malachi’s distributes food, baby supplies and clothing on Wednesdays, according to its website. Rough Draft Atlanta reports that visitors can shop market-style for groceries, have a hot lunch and find gently used clothing and fresh produce from an organic garden at Brook Run Park. Those details describe more than a one-time donation; the pantry offers a recurring place where families can find practical supplies and neighbors can take part in the work.
The scale of that weekly effort depends on many people. Neighbors Bank describes a volunteer team of more than 100 people. In 2025, Malachi’s distributed 713,000 pounds of food and served roughly 325 families each week, the bank’s profile reports. Rough Draft also cites an estimate that the pantry reached 70,000 people during the year. That annual estimate is not defined as a count of unique individuals, so it is best read as a separate measure from the weekly family figure.
One of the pantry’s distinctive features is that people who once came for assistance may later return to help others. The bank says roughly a quarter of Malachi’s volunteers are current or former clients. Rough Draft’s account of the award release describes former visitors joining the morning circle, receiving a volunteer shirt and working alongside others. That detail does not mean every visitor becomes a volunteer; it shows that the community includes people who have experienced both receiving help and contributing time.
Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch nominated Carlson for the award. Rough Draft reported that Deutsch first sought her help after recognizing that local children relying on free or reduced-price school meals could be affected by a gap in support. Carlson agreed to coordinate help through Malachi’s, the report said. The nomination connected a local need with a pantry already serving families each week and helped bring attention to a network that depends on volunteers and community partners.
Malachi’s Storehouse says it began in 1991, initially serving about 20 to 30 families on Wednesdays. Its history page recounts volunteers driving to Atlanta to collect food and bring it back before deliveries from the Atlanta Community Food Bank became part of the operation. The pantry now lists the food bank and other community organizations among its partners. That history traces growth from a small weekly effort to a larger service, while keeping the work grounded in local participation.
The award contest opened nominations in August and held public voting from Sept. 14 through 21, according to Neighbors Bank’s timeline. A committee selected 10 finalists, and the winner was announced on National Good Neighbor Day. The $20,000 community grant gives Carlson’s recognition a practical dimension, while the public-vote format invited people to take part in celebrating neighbors whose work often happens without much attention.
The bank’s winner profile describes Malachi’s as a place where people can find food and connection as well as practical help. The pantry’s own pages describe its continuing Wednesday service and volunteer opportunities. Carlson’s award shines a light on years of leadership, but the story reaches beyond one title: a steady operation sustained by people who bring food, organize supplies, welcome guests and return to help week after week.
Carlson continues to volunteer, and Malachi’s continues its weekly work in Dunwoody. Its history, current services and volunteer circle describe a community effort that has changed over time while keeping its purpose close to home. The Neighbor of the Year award gives one person public recognition; the pantry’s service is carried forward by many people showing up together.
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