Judi Carlson, a 14-year volunteer at Malachi's Storehouse in Dunwoody, won $20,000 as the inaugural Neighbor of the Year from Neighbors Bank, a Missouri-based mortgage lender.

Carlson plans to put every dollar back into the ministry.

"I was so blown away. I still can't believe that this is happening," Carlson told Appen Media. "It's really, really exciting for Malachi's because … these funds will go a really long way to help us with repairs and purchasing equipment."

Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch nominated Carlson for the national contest, which launched in August and drew nominations from 34 states. Ten finalists were chosen by a panel of judges, and a public vote held Sept. 14-21 determined the winner, according to a Neighbors Bank press release.

Deutsch surprised Carlson with the award on Tuesday, Sept. 29, showing up at the start of Carlson's weekly volunteer shift at Malachi's.

"Judi has the biggest heart and the most compassion of any human being I've ever met," Deutsch said in a statement included in the Sept. 28 award announcement. "She has a gift for working with people of all types, in all kinds of places, and frankly, just getting the job done."

According to the press release, Deutsch first reached out to Carlson after recognizing that local children who relied on free and reduced-price lunch programs would face a gap in support. The two did not know each other, but Carlson immediately coordinated help through Malachi's.

Malachi's Storehouse, a ministry of St. Patrick's Episcopal Church, has served metro Atlanta families for more than 30 years. It collects and distributes food, clothing and baby supplies from its location at 4755 North Peachtree Road.

Carlson began volunteering there in 2012 and spent a decade as director before stepping down. She still shows up weekly. In 2025, she led more than 100 volunteers in distributing 713,000 pounds of food and serving roughly 70,000 people. Through the first nine months of 2026, the ministry has distributed an estimated 500,000 pounds of food, serving more than 300 families each week.

About a quarter of Malachi's volunteers are former clients, according to the press release. Families shop market-style for groceries, eat a hot lunch and find gently used clothing.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when older volunteers stepped back due to health risks, a group of high school freshmen showed up every Wednesday to haul 55-to-60-pound boxes of food to families. Several of those volunteers still return when they come home from college.

Carlson told Appen Media the recognition belongs to the whole team. She said she can't step away because the work is too close to her heart.

Malachi's Storehouse is open Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Donations are accepted Tuesdays from 4 to 6 p.m.