No More Red Dots, Inc. Awarded $100,000 Grant From Everytown Community Safety Fund
10.4.2024
Investment in Community Violence Intervention Initiatives Will Support No More Red Dots’ Operation Hope Mentorship Program and Other Initiatives to Combat Gun Violence in Louisville
LOUISVILLE, Ken. –– Today, the Everytown Community Safety Fund, part of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, has announced a significant $100,000 grant for No More Red Dots, Inc. (NMRD) to advance its work of ending gun violence in Louisville and other communities through effective intervention and mentorship programs. This grant is part of Everytown Community Safety Fund’s more than $2 million investment in 20 gun violence intervention organizations nationwide announced today. The Everytown Community Safety Fund (CSF), a program of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund , is the largest national initiative solely dedicated to fueling the life-saving work of community-based violence intervention organizations in cities nationwide.
According to the U.S. Surgeon General, a public health approach to gun related injury and violence prevention requires immediate “investments in community‑based interventions and educational programs.” Utilizing the Risk Reduction Model, NMRD provides comprehensive support to youth impacted by gun violence, focusing on de-escalation, conflict mediation and Cognitive Behavioral Treatment. An Everytown CSF grantee since 2019, NMRD’s Operation Hope Mentorship Program (OHMP) matches youth with around the clock mentors who guide them to become productive citizens valuing education and human life. By providing constant support and standing between participants and conflict, OHMP helps youth navigate challenges and develop positively.
“Community-based violence intervention programs like No More Red Dots are crucial in safeguarding lives and preventing future tragedies,” said Michael-Sean Spence, Managing Director of Community Safety Initiatives and Fund at Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund. “We are proud to model the necessary long tail of local and national philanthropic and governmental support to sustain these impactful programs. Their success tomorrow hinges on our continued investment today, securing a safer and more hopeful future for all.”
“Gun violence is a deep-rooted community issue that cannot be fixed overnight. It requires relentless community effort and genuine hope for our youth,” said Dr. Eddie L. Woods, founder and CEO of No More Red Dots, Inc. “We are grateful to Everytown for their multi-year commitment to helping us maintain and increase our impact. With this funding, we can expand our Operation Hope Mentorship Program and other initiatives, empowering youth to become warriors for peace.”
Gun homicide has significantly declined in cities across the nation from a post-pandemic spike — due in part to the scaling and city coordination efforts with community based violence intervention organizations working on the frontlines of the gun violence epidemic in cities across the country. And though local communities have seen a reduction in gun violence, data shows that gun homicide rates in the U.S. are still 26 times higher than in other developed countries. In the United States, every day, more than 120 Americans are killed with guns and more than 200 are shot and wounded.
Since 2019, the Everytown Community Safety Fund (CSF) has granted over $13 million in support of 136 community-based violence intervention organizations implementing promising strategies, like street outreach, hospital-based violence interventions and youth development and counseling, in more than 69 American cities. This latest round of support grants, currently CSF’s largest grant offering, will provide grant recipients $100,000, in two disbursements over two years, as well as access to CSF’s quarterly calls, peer convenings, capacity-building trainers, national conferences, as well as support from Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and its grassroots networks Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, and national partners.
The full list of community-based violence intervention organizations currently supported by the Everytown Community Safety Fund and more information about the program can be found here.
About the Everytown Community Safety Fund
Everytown Community Safety Fund, a program of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, is the largest national initiative solely dedicated to fueling the life-saving work of community-based violence intervention organizations in cities nationwide. Since 2019, the Everytown Community Safety Fund has granted over $13 million in support of 136 community-based violence intervention organizations implementing promising strategies, like street outreach, hospital-based violence interventions and youth development and counseling, in more than 69 American cities.
About the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund
Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with nearly 10 million supporters. The Everytown Support Fund seeks to improve our understanding of the causes of gun violence and help to reduce it by conducting groundbreaking original research, developing evidence-based policies, communicating this knowledge to the American public, and advancing gun safety and gun violence prevention in communities. Learn more at www.everytownsupportfund.org.