The Baker-Polito administration announced earlier this month that it has awarded more than $10.4 million statewide to fund programs targeting youth violence, with more than $1.2 million earmarked in Springfield for 13 programs targeting youth identified as high-risk. of getting involved in a gang.
The funds are part of Senator Charles E. Shannon Jr.’s Community Safety Initiative Grant program, a competitive grant that funds everything from violence intervention programs, youth programming to reentry services. Each grant recipient will distribute their funds to the partner agencies and programs identified in their grant application.
In a statement, Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said the Shannon Grant funds come with a comprehensive plan to coordinate prevention among “multidisciplinary partners.”
“I want to thank the Baker-Polito Administration for their continued support of the successful Shannon Scholarship Initiative. These key funds seek to strike the right balance between proactive youth development programs with a public safety operation, when and if necessary to take down “critical areas,” Sarno said.
In the past, the city has used Shannon grant funds to increase the number of patrols around Emerson Wight Park and the South End Community Center. Some money from the Shannon Scholarship also went to Boys & Girls Clubs, the Salvation Army and the Springfield Parks and Recreation Department.
Youth and emerging adults between the ages of 10 and 24 who live in a community that has been identified as a hotspot for at-risk or high-risk gang involvement are the primary target of this initiative.
“Since I took office,” Governor Charlie Baker said in a statement, “I have worked to ensure that Massachusetts communities have the resources necessary to promote public safety and provide positive opportunities for youth. There is no single agency or approach that can achieve this goal. The partnerships built through the Shannon Community Safety Initiative are an important part of our work to create safer communities.”
Holyoke, with Chicopee as a partner community, also received an award of $566,000, which will go towards seven programs.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst was awarded nearly $75,000, which will be used to provide technical research and support youth violence initiatives being developed by the City of Holyoke. Salem State University, according to the state announcement, was awarded nearly $45,000 to provide the same services in Springfield.
Shannon Scholarships are administered by the Office of Scholarships and Research, which is part of the Executive Office of Public Safety.
Terrence Reidy, secretary of Public Safety and Security, said the grants have strengthened partnerships across the state.
“Public safety requires law enforcement and communities to work together, and these grants help grow those vital relationships,” Reidy said.
Translated by Damaris Pérez-Pizarro