PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner joined community partners to announce on Monday that funding for the Crisis Assistance, Response, and Engagement for Survivors, or CARES, program has been renewed for another three years.
This time, the grant is for $1.2 million, up from $1 million in 2018, when the program began. Krasner's office will share the grant with the Medical Examiner’s Office and the nonprofit Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia.
The increased funding, from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, allowed the DA's office to purchase two vehicles designated to provide the program's services to homicide victims.
"It is intense care, every step of the way," Krasner said, when he announced the renewal at Christian Compassion Church in West Philadelphia.
CARES offers a helping hand to grieving families, with services including grief counseling, help with funeral arrangements, and everyday tasks like working with utility companies.
Rev. Myra Maxwell, who runs the CARES program with a staff of 14, says their crisis responders understand the pain of their clients.
"Each have lived experiences," Maxwell said. "All of our team members take this very serious and they are very dedicated to the work."
Maxwell says the program has helped over 800 people, providing more than 4,000 services. Their next goal is to launch a 24/7 CARES phone line and to work with the city's school system.
Krasner said Monday's announcement was the first in a series of weekly briefings on violence throughout Philadelphia and the work of his office.
According to data from the DA's office, from Jan. 3 through Jan. 9 there were six homicides, 18 non-fatal shootings, 121 arrests and 114 new open cases involving guns or gun violence, Krasner said.
The DA says low bails are one factor contributing to recent upticks in violence.
"The usual bail we request is $1 million, but we do not set bail. The bail is set by bail commissioners. And time after time after time, the bail commissioners are coming with bails far less than we are requesting," he says.
The DA's office promises to release a report on bails within the next 60 days.