Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced on June 21 the initial recipients of the Cook County Gun Violence Prevention and Reduction Grant program, with more than $14 million awarded to five organizations. The grant program is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act and managed by the Cook County Justice Advisory Council.
The initiative was created in response to rising gun violence in Cook County since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to support communities most affected by gun violence through investments in local organizations providing prevention and intervention services.
“These grants represent an important step toward building safe and thriving communities for all residents of Cook County,” said President Preckwinkle. “In some of our communities, the epidemic of gun violence has claimed and damaged many lives. Yet gun violence is preventable and violence prevention programs have proven to be effective at reducing involvement in shootings. It is vital that we invest in organizations providing this life-saving programming that supports at-risk residents and increases community safety for all.”
The first five grant recipients—Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, Friends of the Children Chicago, Kids Above All Illinois, Roseland Cease Fire Project, and Saint Anthony Hospital—will receive a total of $14,387,260 over three years. These groups will implement evidence-based strategies such as street outreach, case management, trauma-informed counseling, and intensive youth mentoring.
Dan Kotowski, President of Kids Above All Illinois, said: “Priority number one is to place the safety and well-being of all kids above everything else. This significant investment in violence prevention through mental health, mentoring and job placement services will save kids’ lives and help those young people who have experienced trauma to start healing, ensuring they have every opportunity to become independent adults who lead meaningful, productive lives.”
Avik Das, Director of the Justice Advisory Council, said: “This grant campaign reflects our commitment to fund a comprehensive array of supportive services focused on helping our communities and residents most vulnerable to gun violence and its destructive effects. The volume of high-quality, innovative grant proposals we have received speaks to the expertise of the many community-based providers offering these services. We are grateful to be partnering with the exceptional organizations who were awarded funding and are excited to announce the additional grant recipients later this summer.”
The Justice Advisory Council continues reviewing applications for further awards from a total pool of $65 million available during this three-year period.
