Justice shouldn’t require a trip downtown. For too many Atlanta families, accessing legal help has historically meant navigating systems designed around complex buildings, schedules, and processes, which is an approach that isn’t always realistic or supportive of real-life situations.
At AVLF, we’ve spent years rethinking what access to help and resources should look like when families are already facing housing instability, safety concerns, or health challenges. Our commitment to “From Courthouse to Community” reflects a fundamental shift in how we approach legal support: one that reduces barriers and recognizes the effectiveness of meeting people where they are
The 2026 Vision:
Traditional legal service models were built around the assumption that people could just show up. For working parents, people working multiple jobs, families without reliable transportation, or survivors of intimate partner abuse seeking safety, this model simply is not accessible for all. That’s why AVLF is continuing our commitment to change how we deliver legal services by establishing our presence where our clients already are: in their neighborhoods, their children’s schools, their doctors’ offices, and safe meeting spaces in our mobile advocacy van.
This trauma-informed approach recognizes that accessing legal justice shouldn’t add another burden to families already facing tremendous challenges. By eliminating transportation barriers, accommodating work schedules, and meeting people in spaces where they already feel comfortable, we’re able to reach families before legal issues escalate into crisis.
How We’re Showing Up
Our community-based model takes many forms across Fulton County. We’ve opened office locations in the neighborhoods where clients live, making legal help nearby rather than a long commute.
Our Standing With Survivors (SWS) mobile advocacy units meet survivors of intimate partner abuse in locations where they feel safe. This could be community centers, local parks, grocery stores, or another trusted space.
Through school partnerships, we’re addressing housing and family stability needs right where they are, allowing our Standing With Our Neighbors (SWON) team to offer assistance before a child’s attendance or performance is impacted.
Our Medical-Legal Partnerships (MLP+) is a medical-legal collaboration that links patients to the legal and social services they need to stay healthy and stable. By recognizing how legal issues like unsafe housing or financial instability impact health, MLP+ builds a coordinated support network that goes beyond treatment.
These approaches create a ripple effect that transforms entire families and communities. Our community presence leads to early intervention, which ensures housing stability, which produces better health outcomes, which helps children thrive in schools, which ultimately enables families to build generational stability.
Justice begins in the community. Whether you need help, want to volunteer, or want to get involved through donations or partnerships, we’re here.