Battle Creek/Kalamazoo
The Community Violence Intervention grants were created as a joint effort by the City of Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo County to address the rising epidemic of gun violence in our communities. The Kalamazoo City Commission and the Kalamazoo County Commission invested a total of $1,050,000 of American Rescue Plan funds in this issue and invited specific local organizations to apply for these funds through a closed process administered by UWSCMI. These organizations were chosen based on their expertise and established presence in our community. Unspent funds will be applied to future grant processes to combat community violence in Kalamazoo. Listed below are the organizations that are supported by ARPA Community Violence Intervention Grants along with their program names, goals, and descriptions.
Building Blocks of Kalamazoo: RING Doorbell and Streetlight Initiative
Goal Area: Foster Safe and Strong Neighborhoods
Program Description: Distribute and install RING cameras and streetlights through resident-led initiatives in Northside, Eastside and Edison neighborhoods.
Charlie's PLACE: Charlie's PLACE Anti-Violence Program
Goal Area: Stop the Shooting, Stop the Violence
Program Description: In collaboration with community partners, Charlie's PLACE will introduce training in conflict resolution and de-escalation practices to students and parents in their existing programs. Once trained, these individuals will serve as conflict navigators and facilitate community programs including a summer reading challenge that emphasizes anti-violence conflict resolution methods.
Communities in Schools of Kalamazoo: Breaking the Cycle of Violence Through School Based Counseling
Goal Area: Healing and Community Restoration
Program Description: Support school-based therapy teams to provide individual counseling and grief groups to students impacted by multiple forms of violence. CIS will also support and collaborate with attendance improvement methods at KPS designed to reduce violence by addressing truancy.
Kalamazoo Literacy Council: Place Matters-Community Connections Program
Goal Area: Foster Safe and Strong Neighborhoods
Program Description: Support resident-led initiatives including: neighborhood safety and community building, employment training, financial literacy, adult education, family literacy, health literacy and more. Programs will be supported through Neighborhood Network Centers at New Village Park (serving CoK residents in the Eastside neighborhood), Interfaith Homes, and the Resident Scholars group in the Edison neighborhood.
Kalamazoo Youth Development Network (KYDNet): Building Bridges to Thriving Youth
Goal Area: Stop the Shooting, Stop the Violence
Program Description: Expand existing platform of Community Resiliency Model (CRM) training and Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) certification to include youth. This strategy will equip youth to play a key role in healing and preventing future violence, centering youth in healing and trauma support interventions. Newly certified youth will reach hundreds of their peers by facilitating workshops and utilizing CISM strategies with individuals who have experienced violence.
Legal Aid of West Michigan: Legal Representation for Eviction Defense
Goal Area: Cultivate Economic Stability
Program Description: Prevent criminal activity and support economic stability by providing legal representation to low-income tenants and homeowners with a wide range of legal issues that affect housing (including, but not limited to, eviction, landlord's failure to maintain rental property, termination from subsidised housing, mortgage or property tax foreclosure). Several academic studies show that reducing rates of housing displacement is likely to lower the impacts of crime.
Urban Alliance: Change of Status
Goal Area: Cultivate Economic Stability
Program Description: Increase the impact of the Change of Status program by engaging graduates in Tier 2 services including mental health supports, mentorship, education and employment supports, workforce development, housing, strategic planning, financial literacy, goal setting and more. Holistic relationships allow participants to create an individualized plan with their mentor to achieve personal goals and create a life free from criminal activity.
Young Kings and Queens: ROYAL Out of School Time Program
Goal Area: Support Children, Youth and Families
Program Description: R.O.Y.A.L. (Raising Our Youth's Awareness Of Life) out of school time program provides in depth identity development, college and career exploration, life skills training, and more to students aged 13-19. By offering a safe space to youth at risk of violence, Young Kings and Queens provides community, advocacy and financial support to students who wish to pursue extra-curricular activities, job shadowing experiences, college and career readiness, cultural activities, etc. Adult mentors provide support and advocacy when a teen's parents are not able to do so.
For questions, please call 269.250.9843 or submit the form below.