Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative

Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative A new approach to community safety and wellness.

The World Cup may be over, but we're still seeing the impact of the care PAD provided during the tournament.During the W...
08/21/2026

The World Cup may be over, but we're still seeing the impact of the care PAD provided during the tournament.

During the World Cup, PAD's Resource Center welcomed 290 community members and delivered 2,041 services, creating a place where people could rest, access resources, and connect to care.

That included meals, hygiene supplies, clothing, transportation, resource navigation, document assistance, respite, and more.

The Resource Center also helped connect people to longer-term support. Nineteen PAD participants received respite, recovery, or temporary housing support during the tournament.

These numbers represent more than services delivered. They represent people who had a place to go, someone to talk to, a resource when they needed one, or a little more stability during an uncertain time.

The World Cup gave Atlanta a moment to come together. PAD's work was making sure that care was part of that moment and continues long after the final whistle.

Care doesn't have an offseason. Neither do we.

Atlanta needs more PAD HEROES.Want to help build safer, healthier, more connected communities? Become a PAD Hero and put...
08/17/2026

Atlanta needs more PAD HEROES.
Want to help build safer, healthier, more connected communities? Become a PAD Hero and put your time, talents, and care into action.
PAD volunteers support our work in a variety of ways, including:
🤝 Community Response
🧭 Care Navigation
🏘️ Community Engagement
And there's room for your unique skills, too. Whether you bring experience in catering, art, fitness, education, organizing, or something completely different, there's a way to contribute.
Your time can help create moments of connection, support, and care for PAD participants and the broader Atlanta community.
Upcoming PAD Hero orientations:
• August 22 | 10 AM
• August 25 | 11 AM
• September 22 | 11 AM
• September 26 | 10 AM
Ready to become a PAD Hero?

Learn more and register at https://www.atlantapad.org/volunteer.

Yedda became a familiar face at PAD during the FIFA World Cup.Nearly every day, she visited our Living Room during exten...
08/14/2026

Yedda became a familiar face at PAD during the FIFA World Cup.

Nearly every day, she visited our Living Room during extended hours for a place where she could rest, enjoy a hot meal, find community, and take a break from the uncertainty of living without a home.

Yedda accessed clothing and hygiene supplies, participated in yoga, connected with mental health support through an Intensive Case Management team, received harm reduction resources, and shared meals with us. But one conversation came up again and again: housing.

She often talked about how ready she was to have a place of her own. Even through the waiting and uncertainty, she never gave up hope.

Today, we're celebrating a new beginning: Yedda has a place to call home. 🏡

Stories like Yedda's remind us that meaningful change doesn't always happen overnight. Sometimes it starts with something as simple as a safe place to rest, a warm meal, a listening ear, and people who continue to show up.

Care doesn't have an offseason. Neither do we.

Congratulations, Yedda! We're honored to have been part of your journey, and we can't wait to see all that's ahead.

# HousingFirst

💻 What if you had more tools to respond when someone is in distress?PAD’s Expanded Networks of Care (ENC) Compassionate ...
08/13/2026

💻 What if you had more tools to respond when someone is in distress?

PAD’s Expanded Networks of Care (ENC) Compassionate Response Training helps community members build practical skills for responding to neighbors or loved ones experiencing mental health distress.

In this free 2.5-hour training, you’ll learn about:
• De-escalation and nervous system regulation
• Harm reduction approaches
• Mental illness, poverty, addiction, policing, and incarceration
• Alternative responses to people experiencing distress
• Atlanta’s emergency response systems and how they connect

Through scenario practice and discussion, we’ll explore what it can look like to respond with care while being proactive about the well-being of our communities.

Upcoming trainings:

💻 Online
• August 13 | 12–2:30 PM
• September 10 | 6–8:30 PM
• September 24 | 12–2:30 PM

📍 In person at PAD
• August 25 | 1–3:30 PM
• September 22 | 1–3:30 PM

Whether you're a community member, advocate, service provider, or simply someone who wants to feel more prepared when a neighbor is in distress, there's a place for you in this training.

Ready to build your care toolkit? 💙

Register through the link in our bio or visit atlantapad.org/trainings.

Share this with someone who could use these skills!

08/06/2026

Strong communities are built one conversation at a time.

That's why PAD was proud to participate in Atlanta's City Wide National Night Out, connecting with neighbors in Summerhill, West End, Adamsville, and Midtown.

National Night Out is about bringing communities together. And for us, it was an opportunity to listen, answer questions, share resources, and introduce more Atlantans to PAD's care-first approach to public safety.

When more people know where to turn during a non-emergency involving mental health challenges, substance use, or extreme poverty, our communities become stronger, more connected, and better equipped to support one another.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by to meet our team, ask questions, and learn more about PAD. We loved being part of this citywide celebration of community.

Because building trust doesn't happen in a single event. It happens by showing up, again and again.

Showing up looks different every day.Sometimes it's responding to a concern related to mental health, substance use, or ...
08/04/2026

Showing up looks different every day.

Sometimes it's responding to a concern related to mental health, substance use, or extreme poverty.

Sometimes it's helping connect someone with resources.

And sometimes it's celebrating a new school year with Atlanta families.

Over the past few weeks, PAD was honored to participate in the Fresh Cutz Back-to-School Event, the Greenbriar Mall Back-to-School Event, the APS Back-to-School Bash, and a community giveback with our partners at Barred Business.
Because every opportunity to build trust, strengthen community, and support our neighbors matters.

Our World Cup campaign may be over, but our commitment to Atlanta never takes a season off.

Care doesn't have an offseason. Neither do we. 💙

he World Cup may be winding down, but PAD’s work continues long after the final whistle. Every day, PAD provides direct ...
07/17/2026

he World Cup may be winding down, but PAD’s work continues long after the final whistle.

Every day, PAD provides direct support to community members across Atlanta, including food, clothing, MARTA cards, personal hygiene supplies, and basic resources. These items help us meet immediate needs, build trust, and connect people to longer-term care and support.

If you’d like to help, you can support PAD by shopping our Amazon wish list, making a monetary donation, or organizing a supply drive for the items our teams use most often in the field.

Because every great team needs support and care doesn’t stop when the tournament ends.

🛒 Donate through our Amazon wish list: a.co/02xSGffT

🤝 Make a donation: https://www.mightycause.com/donate/Atlantapad

📧 Interested in donating items or organizing a supply drive? Email us at [email protected].

✨ It's the final match day in Atlanta, but the work continues at PAD. Here's another "Best Assist" before kickoff. Mee...
07/15/2026

✨ It's the final match day in Atlanta, but the work continues at PAD. Here's another "Best Assist" before kickoff. Meet Victoria Kendrick, Lead Care Navigator, at PAD. ✨

If PAD had an official team motto; what would it be?

"Empowering people, strengthening communities, and seeing possibilities where others see limitations—because every person deserves the chance to shine."

Behind every PAD assist is a person committed to helping another person move forward and we're grateful for Victoria's contributions.

Read Victoria's message about PAD or the people PAD serves she would like everyone to know and more at: https://www.atlantapad.org/best-assist-victoria-kendrick

✨Next up in "The Best Assist" is Reese Ward, a Care Navigator at PAD. ✨ If PAD had an official team motto; what would i...
07/13/2026

✨Next up in "The Best Assist" is Reese Ward, a Care Navigator at PAD. ✨

If PAD had an official team motto; what would it be?

"PAD works to meet people with dignity and respect, build meaningful relationships, and create opportunities for individuals to achieve stability, recovery, and self-sufficiency. Every interaction is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves a second chance and access to support."

That would make a great motto! Read more of Reese's answers at https://www.atlantapad.org/best-assist-reese-ward

✨For our next "The Best Assist", we'd like you to meet one of our Community Responders, Thaddeus Pettrey. ✨If you could ...
07/10/2026

✨For our next "The Best Assist", we'd like you to meet one of our Community Responders, Thaddeus Pettrey. ✨

If you could leave people with one message about PAD or the people PAD serves, what would it be?

"Regardless of their current circumstances, the people PAD serves are our neighbors and should be recognized and treated as a valued part of our community."

We couldn't have said it better! Read more of Thaddeus' answers at https://www.atlantapad.org/best-assist-thaddeus-pettrey

Address

236 Forsyth Street SW, Suite 500
Atlanta, GA
30303

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Policing Alternatives & Diversion Initiative:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category