FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 8, 2022
For More Information:
Adam Garber, CeaseFire PA Executive Director, (267) 515-1220, adam.garber@ceasefirepa.org
STATEMENT
HARRISBURG, PA – Today, Governor Wolf proposed investing $35 million more in community-based violence prevention in his FY23 budget address. This money would be awarded through a PA Commission on Crime & Deliquency (PCCD) grant program that has given out $45 million for targeted violence reduction strategies over the last six months.
CeaseFirePA Education Fund’s Executive Director, Adam Garber, issued the following statement in response:
“For too many Pennsylvanians, gun violence has become part of daily life. Those same communities have the solutions to this crisis, from violence interrupters who intervene before shots are fired, to trauma-informed care that prevents retaliation. These community violence prevention efforts have cut gun violence significantly elsewhere and can do the same in the Commonwealth — but only if they have enough resources.
“Today’s proposal will continue funding from Governor Wolf and the General Assembly to invest in evidence-based solutions for safer communities. It is a start. With gun homicides reaching a record level in 2020 and likely higher in 2021, we urge the Governor to work with the General Assembly to go even further in supporting community leaders trying to prevent violence. We know other governments that have made an investment which meets the scale of this public health crisis have benefited from life-saving results. An investment of at least $100 million would allow these efforts to reach the necessary scale to do the same in Pennsylvania.”
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As the Commonwealth’s leading gun violence prevention organization, CeaseFirePA Education Fund organizes with communities closest to the issue, educates the public and maximizes the strengths of every member in its broad coalition — understanding that the strongest work is work done by many.
