As healthcare systems across the nation grapple with rising costs, health disparities, and limited access to care, one Atlanta-based organization is redefining what community healthcare can look like. Atlanta to Anywhere Community Events & Screenings (A²CES) is pioneering a preventive healthcare model that brings physicians, pharmacists, educators, nonprofit leaders, corporate partners, and volunteers directly into the communities where people live, work, worship, and gather.
Rather than expecting patients to navigate barriers to healthcare, A²CES removes those obstacles by delivering free preventive services where they are needed most. Through a collaborative network of more than 16 healthcare and community organizations, the nonprofit provides health screenings, prostate cancer education, medication consultations, vision and hearing exams, nutrition education, mental health resources, and connections to ongoing medical care for underserved, uninsured, and unhoused populations.
The organization’s mission extends beyond Atlanta. Its name, “Atlanta to Anywhere,” reflects a vision of creating a scalable healthcare model that can improve health outcomes locally, nationally, and globally through partnerships focused on prevention and education.
That vision has already produced measurable results. In partnership with Atlanta Mission, A²CES recently transformed Shepherd’s Inn into a comprehensive wellness event serving more than 220 men. Volunteer physicians, pharmacists, nurses, medical students, and community leaders provided preventive screenings, wellness education, medication consultations, grooming services, and referrals for continued healthcare, demonstrating the impact of coordinated community collaboration.
Building on that momentum, A²CES will host its inaugural Race for P.A.C.E.S. (Prostate Awareness, Cancer Education & Screening) 5K/10K Walk/Run on Sept. 12, in partnership with Emory Winship Cancer Institute, Georgia Urology, and Advanced Urology. The event will take participants along Atlanta’s historic Westside Beltline before concluding with the Race for P.A.C.E.S. Awards Gala, recognizing healthcare professionals, volunteers, community organizations, and corporate partners advancing health equity across Metro Atlanta.
The initiative seeks to raise $300,000 to expand community health screenings, provide prostate cancer education and screenings to 5,000 men, ensure clinical follow-up for those requiring additional care, and increase awareness about the importance of preventive healthcare. By placing prevention at the center of healthcare, A²CES is demonstrating how collaboration and community engagement can help shape a healthier future.
