EVERYTOWN COMMUNITY SAFETY FUND AWARDS $100,000 SUPPORT GRANT TO ATX PEACE/LIFE ANEW TO EXPAND STREET OUTREACH AND CRISIS RESPONSE IN AUSTIN
11.13.2025
EVERYTOWN COMMUNITY SAFETY FUND AWARDS $100,000 SUPPORT GRANT TO ATX PEACE/LIFE ANEW TO EXPAND STREET OUTREACH AND CRISIS RESPONSE IN AUSTIN
Everytown Invests In Austin’s Community-Led CVI Program Amid DOJ Funding Cuts
AUSTIN, TX — Today, the Everytown Community Safety Fund, a program of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, announced that ATX Peace/Life Anew will receive a $100,000 support grant over two years to expand its violence interruption and restorative justice work across Austin.
ATX Peace employs a street outreach and violence interruption model, with strategies including crisis response, conflict resolution, reentry support, CBT-based mentorship, and advocacy. Its newly launched mobile therapy unit has expanded access to trauma-informed care and strengthened the program’s impact citywide.
“ATX Peace is the primary community violence intervention organization in Austin and their work is critical to the bettering public safety of our county,” said Travis County District Attorney José Garza. “Our county’s public safety system has seen firsthand how community violence intervention organizations are saving lives and helping young people find safer paths forward. Commitment to organizations like ATX Peace that have a proven track record is critical in ensuring local programs help protect our communities.”
“We’re proud to invest in ATX Peace because its restorative justice and outreach programs have proven effective at de-escalating conflicts and healing communities,” said Michael-Sean Spence, managing director of Community Safety Initiatives at Everytown and creator of the Community Safety Fund. “Now, more than ever, it’s critical that Austin’s trusted leaders have the support they need to keep saving lives.”
“Austin families deserve solutions that meet people where they are, with compassion and credibility,” said Sherwynn Patton, Co-Executive Director, ATX Peace/Life Anew. “Everytown’s support will help us expand our outreach and ensure that no neighborhood is left behind as federal funding disappears.”
The announcement comes as the Department of Justice has slashed funding for public safety grants, challenging community organizations to sustain their lifesaving efforts with declining support. At the same time, many cities that have invested in community violence intervention (CVI) are seeing gun homicides decline, a powerful testament to the effectiveness of programs like ATX Peace. Research shows that community-level violence prevention programs can contribute to drops in crime.
Since its launch in 2019, the Everytown Community Safety Fund has invested more than $15.7 million in grants to 142 CVI organizations across 72 U.S. cities, in addition to technical support and capacity building resources. This year, Everytown is awarding $2.67 million in grants nationwide, including renewed support for long-standing partners like the ATX Peace. More about the Everytown Community Safety fund and their grantees can be found here.
About ATX Peace / Life Anew
ATX Peace, a program of Life Anew Restorative Justice, implements evidence-based CVI strategies in Austin, Texas. Through crisis response, reentry support, conflict mediation, CBT-based mentorship, and trauma-informed services, ATX Peace is working to interrupt violence and foster healing across Austin neighborhoods. Learn more at https://www.elifeanew.com/atxpeace.