Investing in Our Community Groups: $100+ Million in Grants Will Help Us Win the War Against the Gun Violence

Today, I want to share some good news with you that has been a long time coming.

You may remember that back in September, my colleagues and I gathered at Mander Playground with Governor Wolf, to announce the availability of $100+ million in funding for community-based groups and initiatives working on the local level to prevent and reduce gun violence.

It was all part of a historic investment we made in the ’22-’23 state budget to make our communities safer.

Thanks to Governor Wolf, President Biden, and our leaders in congress, my Democratic colleagues and I were able to put $105 million toward community violence reduction efforts via the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) program.

That was a huge increase for the VIP program:  the program is in its second year and originally started out with $30 million in funding.

Its funding grew so much, because the groups working tirelessly across the commonwealth, and here in Philadelphia, told my colleagues and me they needed more help and more resources and asked for our help.

We delivered.

On Thursday, I stood with my friend and colleague in the House, Representative Donna Bullock, to announce the awarding of grants for this second round of VIP funding.

You can read more about the announcement here.

This money will truly make a difference, but don’t just take my word for it.

Here’s Joel Wilson from TechCORE2, who received funding in the first round of the VIP program:

And here’s what Majeedah Rashid with Nicetown CDC and Kendra Van de Water with YEAH Philly, respectively, have to say about how getting VIP grant funding this round will help them and their missions:

It is clear, investing in our community groups is making a big, positive impact on the fight to end the violence, and that is why I’m committed to making sure they keep getting the support and resources they need.

I will keep fighting to make sure our young people have access to safe and healthy environments and access to mental and behavioral health services.

I will keep fighting to make sure at-risk children and those personally traumatized by gun violence are steered in the right direction.

I will keep fighting to fund the groups on the ground that are making our communities safer for all.

Let’s end this epidemic of gun violence once and for all.

Together, we can do it and I know we will.    

Let’s put the guns down. Let’s support our young people.  Let’s get to work.