South Atlantans for Neighborhood Development (SAND) is an umbrella organization that was formed in 1979 to serve the residents and businesses of the South East Atlanta neighborhoods situated between Grant Park and East Atlanta.
Our Beginning
SAND was born in 1973. Why South Atlantans for Neighborhood Development? The organizational structure followed the pattern of the revivalists in the Little Five Points neighborhoods. They had formed B.O.N.D., the Bass Organization for Neighborhood Development to coordinate the work of Candler Park, Inman Park, Little Five, and Ponce Highlands. The only place where you will still find B.O.N.D. in the name is that of the Credit Union.
So what did SAND do? Not much at the start. There were only four of us in the first meeting. We did get a boost from the work of prior leaders who had formed the 30th House District Town Hall meeting led by State Representative John Savage. At first we were a “stationary” organization which means we wrote letters to city officials complaining about the lack of quality municipal services on the south side of I-20. A few of us became the Anne E. West PTA. Riki shouldered the task of a little monthly newsletter called the Sandpaper and we looked for opportunities to “raise sand.” We held a Community Flea Market and Carnival in the parking lot of the Ormewood Presbyterian Church (now the Community Church) with booths and children’s games. We concocted a Kudzu Soup for another festival, and created a float in one of the July 4th parades downtown. One year SAND permitted a parade down Moreland Avenue which attracted candidates running for Governor, culminating in a festival in the parking lot of Moreland Shopping Center. Yes, we closed down Moreland and created a huge Saturday afternoon traffic jam. (Try doing that today!)
SAND is engaged in a number of initiatives to improve our community and quality of life of all our residents and neighbors. These include efforts to build out a trail system along Intrenchment Creek to connect our communities together and to the BeltLine and South River PATH Trail, mapping and installation of new sidewalks, improvements to local parks and roadways, community cleanups, and beautification projects.
Our Mission
The all-volunteer, 501(c)3 non-profit corporation brings together residents from the seven neighborhoods for the purpose of improving the quality of life within our community, to promote discussions of issues affecting our neighborhoods, and to promote a sense of community pride and belonging.
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Get Involved
If you are a resident, homeowner, and/or business owner in one of the SAND neighborhoods, please join SAND as a member and support our community. In addition, we are an all volunteer nonprofit and there are many opportunities to get involved, from volunteering for a leadership position, to volunteering at a community event or neighborhood cleanup. Donations are also vital to our growth, particularly as we seek out new initiatives to build a better, more inclusive community.
