Mercedes-Benz USA and Brad Guzan Unite to Support the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta After Devastating Fire
On the eve of the Labor Day weekend, Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) transformed its annual employee cookout into a day of camaraderie, service, and meaningful community impact. The event, held at the company’s Atlanta headquarters, brought together employees, their families, and a special guest—Atlanta United goalkeeper and MBUSA brand ambassador Brad Guzan—for a gathering that went beyond burgers and barbecue.
The afternoon celebration carried an important purpose: to build furniture for the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing essential furnishings to families in need. This year’s cookout became a rallying point for hope and solidarity, helping replenish the Furniture Bank’s depleted inventory following a devastating warehouse fire in June.
A Cookout with a Cause
What might have been a typical corporate holiday event took on new meaning as MBUSA invited employees to roll up their sleeves, trade grilling tongs for hammers, and assemble furniture that would soon be placed in the homes of Atlanta-area families. Workstations were set up where participants built tables, dressers, and bed frames—items that would otherwise take months for the Furniture Bank to replace given the scale of their recent loss.
Children in attendance joined in as well, some helping parents with sanding and finishing, while others took part in soccer drills led by Guzan, who seamlessly blended his on-field leadership with his off-field advocacy for community causes.
Beyond the furniture, MBUSA volunteers also crafted personalized encouragement cards to accompany each item donated, ensuring that every family receiving the furniture would also feel the warmth and care of the community supporting them.
A Mission Rooted in Responsibility
The event underscored MBUSA’s national corporate social responsibility initiative, Driving Your Future, a program focused on empowering the next generation through education, sustainability, and community support. More than just a slogan, the initiative has shaped how MBUSA engages with its communities nationwide, and in Atlanta—the company’s U.S. home since 2015—that responsibility is felt even more deeply.
Adam Chamberlain, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, emphasized the importance of aligning celebrations with meaningful action.
We are proud to call Atlanta our home, and MBUSA employees are passionate about supporting the communities in which we live and work,” Chamberlain said. “The destructive fire at the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta spotlighted an urgent need, and I am proud that together with our MBUSA ambassador and community advocate Brad Guzan we ensured that when our employees gathered for a Labor Day cookout, we gathered to build the furniture that supports local families.”
For Chamberlain, the act of building furniture was symbolic of a broader commitment—one that strengthens not only households but also the ties between MBUSA and the city it calls home.
Brad Guzan: A Team Player On and Off the Field
Guzan, known for his leadership in the net for Atlanta United, lent his time and energy to the day’s activities. More than simply lending a hand, he embodied the connection between sports, teamwork, and community engagement.
On the field, we win as a team, and it’s the same in the community,” Guzan remarked. “It’s inspiring to see so many people come together to support the Furniture Bank and help our neighbors get back on their feet. Being here today, building furniture and kicking a ball around with the kids, is a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we all work together.”
For children at the event, meeting a professional athlete was memorable, but seeing him help build a bed frame or share encouragement cards illustrated a more profound lesson: that leadership comes not only from performance but from service.
The Furniture Bank’s Mission and Challenge
The Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta plays a quiet yet critical role in the community. Its mission is straightforward but life-changing: to provide beds, tables, sofas, and other essential furnishings to families transitioning out of homelessness, escaping domestic violence, or coping with health challenges such as HIV/AIDS.
For families moving into an empty house or apartment, the absence of basic furniture often prolongs instability. A bed to sleep in, a table to share meals around, or a sofa to gather on are not luxuries—they are the cornerstones of dignity, stability, and normalcy. Each year, the Furniture Bank serves thousands of individuals and families across the metro area.
In June, however, a warehouse fire struck a devastating blow, destroying much of the nonprofit’s inventory and disrupting its ability to serve those most in need. Recovery efforts have required extensive community support, from monetary donations to hands-on volunteer work.
Megan Anderson, Executive Director of the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta, expressed her gratitude for the outpouring of support.
After the devastating fire at our warehouse, the response from the community has been truly overwhelming, and this event is a perfect example of that spirit,” Anderson said. “To see the Mercedes-Benz USA team and Brad Guzan physically here, building the very tables and dressers our families need, is incredibly powerful. This isn’t just about replacing furniture; it’s about providing the stability and dignity that turns a house into a home.”
More Than Just Furniture
The symbolism of rebuilding furniture after a fire was not lost on participants. For many employees, the event was a reminder of the resilience of the Atlanta community and the importance of coming together in times of need.
Families who will eventually receive the items assembled at the cookout are not just being given furniture—they are being given a fresh start. The encouraging notes tucked inside drawers and attached to bed frames extend that support even further, offering families a sense of hope alongside tangible help.
MBUSA’s Broader Commitment
The cookout is just one example of how MBUSA lives out its Driving Your Future initiative. In addition to supporting local organizations like the Furniture Bank, MBUSA has partnered with Safe Kids Worldwide and Junior Achievement USA to develop programs focused on career readiness, injury prevention, and sustainability education.
Through these efforts, MBUSA continues to make investments not only in the next generation of drivers but also in the next generation of leaders, innovators, and community builders.
The company’s community-driven events often blend employee engagement with local partnerships, ensuring that service becomes a shared experience rather than a corporate obligation. This model of “corporate social responsibility in action” strengthens bonds both inside and outside the organization.
As Atlanta families begin to receive the furniture built during the Labor Day cookout, the impact of MBUSA’s event will ripple far beyond the walls of its headquarters. For each family, a bed means rest, a table means togetherness, and a sofa means comfort after hardship.
The collaboration between MBUSA, its employees, Brad Guzan, and the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta reflects the power of collective action—an illustration that even in the aftermath of tragedy, communities can come together to build resilience and restore dignity.
In a city known for its resilience and renewal, the cookout was more than an afternoon gathering. It was a declaration of solidarity, a celebration of community spirit, and a reminder that when corporations, nonprofits, and individuals unite, they can turn loss into opportunity and challenge into hope.
