"Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God."- Matthew 5:9

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Mission Statement: The Peacekeeper Initiative was founded to address mental health issues facing active duty and retired First Responders, Veterans and members of the public dealing with behavioral health issues through healthy wellness activities designed to reduce job-related or post-service stress with a trained peer, who will serve as a resource and hopefully, a friend and ally, as well as engaging in mental health advocacy to bring awareness of this issue to the public and policy makers.  We seek to provide a safe and supportive environment outside of the workplace, where the First Responder, Veteran, or others can feel comfortable that what they share with their peer will be confidential.  We serve the Greater Tampa Bay area in the State of Florida.  We follow Biblical principles, but, we do not discriminate against people of other faiths or who do not ascribe to any faith at all.

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At the Peacekeeper Initiative we value the mental and physical well-being of our First Responders, and our other local heroes, who experience and witness trauma on a daily basis, while running toward danger and responding to our calls for help, in order to keep our communities and our nation safe.  We strive to overcome the stigma associated with asking for help and to help reduce suicide, the leading cause of death among First Responders. 

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The Peacekeeper Initiative was founded by Rich Alvarez, a retired and disabled police officer from the Cleveland, OH area.  He suffers from PTSD and is a suicide survivor.  After recovering from the collapse of his entire life, he began the process of rebuilding, but he noticed that there were few support services for First Responders suffering from mental health issues, like PTSD, and wanted to prevent the pain and suffering he faced by helping others.  The Peacekeeper Initiative is a 501c3 nonprofit organization registered in the State of Florida, so all contributions are tax deductible.