TRAUMA VICTIM ADVOCACY PROGRAM AT TEMPLE HEALTH AWARDED $100,000 SUPPORT GRANT FROM EVERYTOWN COMMUNITY SAFETY FUND TO EXPAND HOSPITAL-BASED SERVICES FOR SURVIVORS

Everytown Reinvests In Philadelphia’s Community-Led Intervention Program Amid DOJ Cuts And As Homicides Decline In Cities Sustaining CVI, Including Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA — Today, the Everytown Community Safety Fund, a program of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, announced that the Trauma Victim Advocacy Program (TVAP) at Temple Health will receive a $100,000 support grant over two years to expand its hospital-based violence intervention services for survivors of violent crime.

TVAP uses a hospital-based violence intervention model, supporting survivors from the moment of hospital admission through recovery and beyond. Services include crisis response, relocation assistance, victim advocacy, and connections to housing, employment, and job readiness programs.

“We’re proud to invest in Temple Health’s Trauma Victim Advocacy Program (TVAP) because its hospital-based model has proven effective in reducing re-injury and retaliation while promoting long-term healing,” said Michael-Sean Spence, managing director of Community Safety Initiatives at Everytown and creator of the Community Safety Fund. “As federal funding disappears, it’s critical that organizations join Everytown step up to help fill funding gaps so programs like TVAP can continue meeting survivors where they are—and when they need it most.”

“When survivors come into our hospital, they deserve more than medical care — they deserve a pathway to safety and recovery,” said Scott Charles, Director, Trauma Victim Advocacy Program. “This grant ensures we can keep walking alongside survivors beyond the hospital walls, even as federal support recedes.”

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, including Philadelphia, a powerful testament to the effectiveness of programs like TVAP. 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 TVAP. More about the Everytown Community Safety fund and their grantees can be found here.

About Trauma Victim Advocacy Program

The Trauma Victim Advocacy Program (TVAP), based at Temple Health in Philadelphia, provides hospital-based violence intervention services to survivors of violent crime. TVAP offers crisis response, advocacy, and wraparound support to help survivors stabilize, prevent re-injury, and reduce retaliation. Learn more at https://www.templesafetynet.org/victimsupport.