City of Grand Rapids issued the following announcement on Nov 22.
Gun safety, community basketball, domestic violence awareness and arts education are some of the winning ideas that the Safe Alliances for Everyone (SAFE) Task Force believes will help reduce or prevent crime in Grand Rapids.
At its Pitch and Highlight Night event, held at Ottawa Hills High School last Wednesday evening, SAFE awarded opportunities to partner with the Task Force for $10,000 each to five nonprofit organizations for their ideas and efforts to reduce violence in the community. It also presented one individual with $1,000 to support its concept. The selected ideas, expected to be implemented by spring 2022, address challenges 15- to 24-year-olds in the community face and are connected to the recommendations of the SAFE Task Force, The Police Department’s Strategic Plan, and the City’s Strategic Plan.
SAFE awarded $10,000 opportunities to partner with the Task Force for the following organizations and proposals to help reduce crime:
We Matter Now
A 2-day conference that will provide conflict resolution, problem solving and self-efficacy training for youth.
Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation
Sponsorship of the Community Basketball League where young people will be able to participate in a basketball league in exchange for reduction in participants’ truancy and school suspensions, increased community engagement service with support from mentors while promoting wellness.
Neighborhood Association Collaborative of Grand Rapids
A collaboration of Neighborhood Associations in the creation and execution of a “Safe Streets = Safe Neighborhoods" public awareness campaign to focus on educating and training the community on gun safety and evidence-based practices to address the public health crisis of violence and trauma within the city of Grand Rapids.
Puertas Abiertas, Inc.
A six-month program to support adolescents between the age of 14-18 who are survivors of domestic violence. The project will be conducted by two bilingual culturally sensitive Michigan licensed therapists and one bilingual culturally sensitive physical educator. The services will include 1:1 therapy, group support, and physical education.
Muse
Muse will expand its Muse(ed) opportunities by providing a community production studio that allows people ages 15-24 a space to conduct photography and videography while learning the fundamentals of capturing photos and videos. This increases the continuum of Muse’s music-based programing, previously funded by SAFE, as it builds a creative ecosystem that promotes a sense of belonging for those who want to identify with people their age outside of the streets.
SAFE also awarded a $1,000 opportunity to partner with Freedom Elevated Defense Solutions (FEDR) for its proposal to help reduce crime:
Freedom Elevated Defense Solutions
In response to increased sales of guns, Freedom Elevated will provide training to those who desire to learn how to store and handle firearms in those areas most affected by crime. It will provide free basic firearm safety training and ways to properly secure firearms. With the use of a virtual simulator, it develops safer and more responsible gun owners, with legal feedback from an attorney.
The SAFE Task Force is an anti-violence initiative 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.
Original source can be found here.
Source: City of Grand Rapids
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