City of Grand Rapids issued the following announcement on Oct 25.
Building on the community’s enthusiastic support and desire to partner with the City to reduce crime, the Safe Alliances For Everyone (SAFE) Task Force is hosting another Pitch and Highlight Night. The task force is looking to award up to $10,000 each to five nonprofit organizations for their ideas and efforts to reduce violence in the community. It also hopes to present three individuals with up to $1,000 each to support their concepts.
The Pitch and Highlight Night is set for 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 17 at Ottawa Hills High School, 2055 Rosewood Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506. Nonprofits and individuals may register for the event and submit their ideas to the SAFE Task Force by completing the application HERE by November 13.
On Pitch and Highlight Night, each participant will get five minutes to present an idea and show how it will reduce violence in Grand Rapids. Ideas must address issues that 15- to 24-year-olds in the community face and be connected to the recommendations of the SAFE Task Force, The Police Department’s Strategic Plan, or the City’s Strategic Plan. A panel of judges will review proposals and applications.
“As we’ve seen from the pitches of the past, some of the best ideas to reduce violence in Grand Rapids come from our own community,” Asante Cain, assistant to the city manager and staff liaison to the SAFE Task Force, said. “We want to continue to promote and assist in the achievement of those ideas. We look forward to listening to these pitches and learning about new proposals that can benefit all of Grand Rapids.”
The SAFE Task Force is an anti-violence initiative created by mayoral action and sponsored by the City of Grand Rapids. It works to lower violence in our communities by partnering with organizations, individuals and businesses. Together, the groups work to solve issues 15 to 24-year-old residents are facing by focusing on gun violence, lack of recreational activities, and mental health issues, among other issues. More than $150,000 has been awarded over the last three years through Pitch and Highlight Nights to various non-profits including:
- Clean and Sober
- Elevated Principles
- Giant Steps
- Grand City
- Lifequest Ministries
- Muse and All of the Above Hip Hop
- Realism is Loyalty
- Urban Family Ministries
Source: City of Grand Rapids
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