PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf stopped by a West Philadelphia community center to announce an additional $15 million in funding for gun violence prevention programs across the state.
One of the groups funded is ACHIEVEability, a non-profit based in West Philly aimed at ending cycles of violence.
Executive Director Jamila Harris-Morrison said that with the funding, they will continue to support their newly-created jobs program.
Related
"We will be doing some training, helping with developing professional skills and people who are interested in education," she said.
"Our program is not directly connected to a school, but we’re really trying to get those individuals who are out on the street that we see loitering, nuisance behaviors. How can we get them into something more productive?"
This state funding is in addition to $30 million allocated last year. Lawmakers are still deciding where some of the money will go.
Related
Philadelphia Councilmember Curtis Jones was at Wolf's announcement and was asked about having funds go directly to city schools, where the kids already are.
"90% of the shootings that have been done by juveniles come from 22 schools in Philadelphia," Jones told KYW Newsradio's Kristen Johanson.
"In those same schools, you look at the dropout rate and it is extremely high. If we attack the dropout rate, we reduce the violence and stop the bleeding."
