AADD | Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities

About AADD

The Atlanta Alliance on Developmental Disabilities (AADD) has a 50-year history as Atlanta's premiere nonprofit organization in service and advocacy to people with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. AADD primarily serves the greater metropolitan area of Atlanta, though two of our advocacy programs are statewide in scope.

Our mission is to build communities of support, acceptance, and opportunity for children, adults, and families living with developmental disabilities. We believe people with developmental disabilities, and their families, are among the most challenged and excluded people in society. In response, AADD works to build strong communities that encourage and support all individuals to:

Make informed choices
Participate in sporting, social, and recreational activities
Live in safe and positive environments
Grow, develop, and access and utilize resources
Achieve health and wellness throughout their lives.

AADD's work makes a difference every day to:

Teenagers who learn that drinking while pregnant is the leading known environmental cause of developmental disabilities.
Single mothers with mental retardation who are also a victims of sexual abuse. AADD's programs teach them how to stand up for themselves and their children, helping to stop multigenerational cycles of violence and abuse.
Individuals with mental retardation who have the joy of contributing to society by holding a fulfilling job and living independently instead of being confined to a costly institution.
Couples whose children receive a free and appropriate public education, when 50 years ago those children would have been institutionalized.
Aging parents who have a plan in place that ensures that their adult children with Down Syndrome, mental retardation, or other developmental disabilities will be cared for when they can no longer care for them.
Families torn apart by the overwhelming expense of therapies and medical care, and yearn to hear that state-supported services are available for a sibling with special needs.

These success stories reflect the impact and reach of AADD's programs, services, and the organization's unwavering commitment to help support individuals and families living with developmental disabilities.

AADD's efforts in education, legislation, community-based care, advocacy, employment, recreation, worship, family support, health and wellness, life choices, and civil rights have produced many improvements in the lives of those affected by developmental disabilities. Just a few highlights:

Through our Georgia Family Support program, hundreds of individuals living with disabilities prove that interdependence - living and working together - works best for all of us.
A state-of-the-art, easy-to-use Website created by our Public Policy division allows families living with disabilities and other AADD supporters to track legislation and current events so they stay updated, involved, and able to voice their opinion on matters and issues that affect them most.
A groundbreaking program for women with developmental disabilities, AADD's Women Against Violence program (WAV) empowers women whose lives have been shattered by violence, poverty, and sexual and economic abuse to gain the strength and courage to stand up for themselves and their children as never before.
Through the help of AADD's Interfaith Disabilities Network (IDN), communities of faith learn how to better include people with disabilities, and how to tap into the gifts and resources people with disabilities bring to their congregations.

For many of the people we support, AADD means the difference between stability and homelessness; sickness and health; isolation and inclusion; discrimination and dignity. As AADD begins its sixth decade of service, it continues to develop its legacy of leadership and history of creating hope for people living with developmental disabilities. We invite you to join us - whether it's signing up for our services, donating your time, services or monetary contributions, or simply helping spread the word about all the good work we do.