Kim announces $500K in funding to curb gun violence in Harrisburg

Grant was one of 40 approved after more than 300 applications had been submitted

HARRISBURG, Dec. 2 – State Rep. Patty Kim, D-Dauphin, announced the city of Harrisburg has been approved for $500,000 in funding through the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Grant Program.

“I’m hopeful that this grant will provide the funds needed to not only address violence in the city of Harrisburg but also decrease the gun violence in our city,” Kim said. “State funds will be used to help local organizations and community aides to work at the street level to make changes that will have a positive impact in our community.”

The funds from this grant will allow the city to expand resources for the Community Service Aide Program and increase partnerships with nonprofit organizations.

The aides, in turn, will provide outreach, street mediation and violence interruption. The grant will provide for the supplies needed, the salary and benefits of an independent contractor who will provide technical assistance, and the training costs of evidence-based gun violence intervention for the aides.

The VIP grant program, which is administered through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, announced in September the Harrisburg project was one of 40 approved throughout the state after more than 300 applications had been submitted for funding. The program is intended to support local intervention in using preventative measures to curb gun and group violence.