A $2 million federal grant will help two nonprofits in Oklahoma City, supporting their efforts to decrease gun violence and disrupt cycles of incarceration.
LiveFree OKC and Diversion Hub have a history of collaboration, but money from the U.S. Department of Justice will officially merge their efforts through 2027. The grant will enhance LiveFree OKC’s violence reduction services and increase access to holistic social service support at Diversion Hub.
LiveFree OKC operates using community-based violence intervention. Based in Oklahoma City’s Eastside community, the organization sends out “PeaceMakers” to de-escalate conflict using their personal experiences and connections.
Deputy Director at LiveFree OKC Jess Eddy said these efforts are necessary to end interpersonal violence.
“Violence intervention can only be done effectively by members of the communities that are impacted by gun violence, and particularly people who have been impacted by gun violence,” Eddy said.
Now, with additional funding, LiveFree OKC plans to add more PeaceMakers to its staff.
“This grant is transformational because it directly will support the employment, the professional development, of community members who otherwise have been prohibited from being able to put those skills to use in our society,” Eddy said.
The grant will also enhance Live Free OKC’s partnership with Diversion Hub, a local nonprofit offering support and resources to people involved in the justice system.
At Diversion Hub, Ryan Mukes will fill a new role of “community navigator” to facilitate the handoff of clients between organizations.
Meagan Taylor, Executive Director of Diversion Hub, said the community navigator will also solicit community feedback on approaches to violence reduction and increase the accessibility of Diversion Hub’s resources.
Taylor said one way the partnership will monitor progress is by tracking violent arrests in the community.
“We will attempt to move the needle on that and reduce the amount law enforcement is having to respond to,” Taylor said.
“This is public safety,” she added. “This is not us trying to work against the efforts of law enforcement, but to actually stand with the community and say, how do we fix this kind of broken criminal legal system? How do we make sure people are accessing what they need to survive and even thrive?”
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