(ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE) -- The owners of 60 metro Atlanta Chick-fil-A restaurants provided 5,900 lunches Wednesday to children in seven counties who typically receive free and reduced lunches at school, reports Marietta Daily Journal.

The food made its way to children through MUST Ministries, whose summer lunch program has been around for 19 years. Program volunteers meet at churches in Bartow, Cherokee, Cobb, Forsyth, Gwinnett, north Fulton, Paulding and Pickens counties five days a week to make, pack and deliver lunches to nearly 6,000 children across eight counties for 10 weeks during the summer.

(WXIA) -- Kroger customers in metro Atlanta recently showed that they are a charitable bunch.

During the final two weeks in May, shoppers raised $232,000 for the Children's Miracle Network through the Miracle Balloons promotion.

For only $1, a customer could purchase a paper balloon to hang in a local Kroger. All proceeds from the fundraiser went directly to Children's Miracle Network hospitals and health networks, such as Children's Hospital of Georgia in Augusta and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.

"Kroger customers consistently show their care for our communities by constantly going above and beyond with their charitable donations," Glynn Jenkins, spokesperson for Kroger's Atlanta division, said in a release. "Through their support of the Miracle Balloons program, we can continue to make a difference in the lives of children."

(WXIA) -- Every year, 11Alive News honors extraordinary metro Atlanta residents who make a daily difference in the community.

The annual Community Service Awards recognize some of the area's unsung heroes.

11Alive is accepting nominees for the 39th annual Community Service Awards. This year's dinner and awards ceremony will be held Saturday, Apr. 22. Proceeds benefit a local charity; the 2014 recipient is the Ron Clark Academy.

To nominate a deserving person, visit 11Alive.com/CSA and click on the nomination form link at the top of the page. The deadline is Jan. 10.