Today we’d like to introduce you to Angie Ulibarri.
Hi Angie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My husband Frank and I have always been passionate about serving our community, no matter where we’ve lived. After moving to Atlanta in 2016, we knew we wanted to put our desire to serve into action by doing meaningful work to benefit our new community.
Throughout my childhood, I always looked forward to our local Festival of Trees, and I was shocked to find out there wasn’t one in Atlanta. Frank and I kept toying with the idea of starting one, but we knew that we wanted a compelling cause.
We always thought human trafficking was a problem in other countries, having had a close friend who lost a child to traffickers in Haiti. We were unaware of the trafficking crisis occurring in the United States, specifically in our own backyard. Once armed with this knowledge, we knew we had to get involved with organizations working to combat this crisis, thus finding a compelling cause to start the Georgia Festival of Trees!
We are honored to bring back a beloved tradition to the Atlanta community for the third year while directly benefiting nonprofit organizations focused on helping survivors as they work to end human trafficking. Our hope is that this family-friendly holiday event will bring joy, connectedness, and enjoyment for years to come.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
With any large undertaking, there are plenty of challenges. We started with zero volunteers, zero tree donors, zero sponsors, and a worldwide pandemic. With faith and perseverance, we overcame our early challenges and found success. Now in our third year, we are getting traction in the Atlanta market, driving new interest among potential and ongoing volunteers, tree donors, sponsors, and guests. We are thrilled that the Atlanta community has shown up and embraced the festival.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am the President and CEO of the Georgia Festival of Trees, a nonprofit community event that seeks to unite residents of Atlanta to connect and work together to support local nonprofits in the fight to end human trafficking. I have the honor of bringing back this beloved holiday tradition to the Atlanta community while benefiting a cause that is near and dear to my heart. The mission of the Georgia Festival of Trees is what motivates me to continue to bring back this holiday tradition. Sharing holiday joy and cheer with a much larger purpose – to end human trafficking – is really what it’s all about!
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
I learned to be patient and not to panic. We were faced with difficult decisions leading up to our event in 2021, but we took them one at a time, followed the guidance we received from the Georgia World Congress Center, the CDC and the local government, and we ultimately were able to be one of the first large events to open during the holidays in 2021, with 7,500 people in attendance.
Pricing:
- Adults – $18.95
- Seniors (62+) – $13.95; Senior Day (11/21) – Free
- Children (ages 3-12)- $13.95; Children 2 and Under – Free
- Child + Wristband for Unlimited Kids’ Activities – $18.95
- Wristband on-site – $9.95; Tickets for Kids’ Activities on-site – $1.00/ticket
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gafestivaloftrees.org
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/georgiafestivaloftrees
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/gafestivaloftrees
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/@gafestivaloftrees7794/featured
Image Credits
Georgia Festival of Trees
