PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Groups throughout the commonwealth working to address violence in their communities have a new online resource.
The PA Peace Alliance is designed to help organizations with access to technical support and information from their peers by facilitating meetings and events to help organizations working in the same communities build connections and coordinate crime-fighting efforts. It’s part of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s Violence Intervention and Prevention Grants program.
“The website has a whole host of documents, reports, fundraising tips, things that can help nonprofits with grants management and a whole bunch of other tools and resources at their disposal,” said Samantha Koch, director of policy and planning for Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.
“We hope that groups who are accessing those resources find it as helpful as we've tried to make it be,” Koch said. “It's a work in progress. So we really co-designed it with grantees and groups doing this work.”
Lieutenant Gov. Austin Davis says this is a one of a kind initiative.
“This initiative is meant to be a resource for folks who are doing the work to fight to reduce gun violence in our communities, so that they can be connected and learn from each other.”
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According to Davis, gun violence has been a big focus of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and, in Gov. Josh Shapiro’s most recent budget, he proposed $105 million for violence prevention programs.
“Hopefully we're going to be able to get [that] enacted in June and be able to get to the communities who are doing the great work to help make our community safe.”