At the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF), we understand that legal advocacy is just one part of a much larger journey toward justice. True impact requires compassion, rapid response, and the ability to meet people where they are, particularly in situations of crisis. That is the work of our Community Support and Prevention Program.
The Community Support and Prevention team works hand in hand with AVLF’s Safe & Stable Homes and Safe & Stable Families programs, providing non-legal emergency financial assistance to clients receiving legal support. They are also responsible for providing services to our non-legal clients.
We believe in being reactive, not just proactive, because real life does not always provide us with time to plan. Our team is designed for those urgent moments when families face eviction or lights are about to be cut off. Through client screenings, intakes, emergency financial assistance, and access to community resources, the team helps stabilize lives.
Their work is deeply rooted in urgency, empathy, and a profound commitment to the community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the team served over 1,000 families, ensuring that those hit hardest by job loss, illness, and housing instability received the support they needed to survive and recover.
In a powerful demonstration of what community partnership can look like, the team also worked closely with the City of Atlanta to provide supportive services to over 200 families displaced due to systemic housing challenges.
That initiative, which concluded in 2024, is a testament to the team’s courage and capacity to take on complex, large-scale community needs with compassion and precision.
The Community Support and Prevention Program is not just a component of AVLF; it is an essential extension of our mission. By removing immediate barriers and addressing urgent needs, this team allows our legal teams to focus on ensuring justice for our clients. Their work may not take place in court, but it is no less important. They are the steady hand, the listening ear, and the open door in times of chaos. Their presence reminds our clients that they do not have to face this alone.