(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Chicago CRED is a violence reduction organization started by former U.S. Education Secretary and Chicago School CEO Arne Duncan.
CRED is short for Create Real Economic Destiny. It started with a model based on a focus on the neighborhoods and individuals most at risk.
“So we're just some individual lives in neighborhoods, but bullets are still flying. We actually might actually increase their risk, and that's something that honestly haunts us,” Duncan said.
“So the only way we can get to neighborhood violence oppression is by really empowering groups in those neighborhoods and then building collaboration together.”
CRED is using grant money to empower other groups doing this work. CRED received $4 million from the U.S. Justice Department earlier this year.
One group CRED is helping is the House of Hope Found, run by Shawn Childs.
“I grew up in Cabrini Green when y'all called it the worst projects in the world,” Childs said. “I went to prison for a few stays, I've been shot four times.”
He said the birth of his son changed everything. Now, he's helping young people through mentoring, helping with basic needs, taking them on trips, and getting them to see the positives in life instead of the negatives.
“The majority of these kids that I work with, I can tell you that they know what they want to be when they grow up now.”
Childs said he doesn't have degrees, but he has the knowledge and wisdom to save lives — and that's his goal.
CRED is starting its eighth year working to prevent violence.
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