PHILADELPHIA, PA — In a crusade to counter community violence and promote a culture of safety, Senator Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery) has recently announced that the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) will award over $24 million in grants. These funds will be meticulously distributed among community violence prevention groups and initiatives across Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties.
Senator Hughes expressed a clear mandate, “We must invest in the people and programs that are making a change at the local level.” These funds, explains Hughes, are being injected directly into communities. The goal: to stem gun violence and enable crucial programs that will offer young people additional spaces, education, and opportunities to divert them from any form of crime.
The PCCD has granted a whopping $40 million in total to back gun violence intervention and prevention work across the Commonwealth. A wide range of recipients were eligible to apply – community-based organizations, higher education institutions, municipalities, district attorneys, and counties.
Multitudes of organizations in Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties have been granted substantial amounts to further their endeavours. From rolling out mental health pipelines to launching comprehensive neighborhood revitalization projects, a diverse array of initiatives are sure to benefit from these funds.
For example, Philadelphia’s Achieve Now received $242,150 to implement the final two years of a 30-month literacy pilot aimed at improving academic success rates among children in Philadelphia’s low-income communities. Albert Einstein Healthcare Network gained $946,242 to support the expansion of their Trauma Intervention Program (TIP).
Furthermore, Brazo de Oro Foundation was given $943,536 to support a community violence prevention program, catering to up to 250 middle and high school youth and their families in Philadelphia’s Kensington and Frankford neighborhoods. This initiative provides after-school and weekend activities, especially targeting the underserved Latino community.
More than a dozen other organizations received varying amounts to support and expand their mission-driven programs, focusing on diverse areas such as trauma-informed mental health care, youth education, crime victim services, anti-violence prevention, workforce development, and more.
Montgomery County was not left behind; for example, Eastern University received $949,389 to support the implementation of a mental health pipeline of counselors within the Pottstown School District. Expressive Path Inc. was awarded $189,000 to provide interactive violence prevention education for the Norristown Area School District and the surrounding community.
The impact that these grants will have on numerous communities across Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties is substantial. By financing efforts to enhance community safety, provide educational opportunities, and offer spaces for the youth to grow positively, this initiative epitomizes a well thought-out investment for the future.
As Senator Hughes has rightly noted, investing in local-level change is key to ensuring community safety. By funding organizations that are dedicated to turning the tide on violence and fostering a crime-free environment, the PCCD grants may very well herald a transformation in community dynamics across Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties.
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