Four Berks Organizations Get $2M to Fight Violence
Four organizations in Berks County, Pennsylvania, have been awarded nearly $2.2 million in state grants to combat violence. The funding is part of a larger $40 million Violence Intervention and Prevention grant initiative by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, which has been distributed to over 60 groups across the state.
The Berks County Adult Probation and Parole Department will receive $950,000 to implement cognitive behavioral programming and evidence-based practices targeted toward individuals under supervision who were convicted of a firearm-related offense. The goal is to reduce firearm-related crime and the number of violent victimizations.
The Court Appointed Special Advocates of Berks County will receive $139,319 to implement the Youth in Transition Counseling Program. This program will recruit volunteer licensed mental health therapists to work directly with foster youth and former foster youth between the ages of 15 and 21 who are at risk of violence perpetration or victimization.
The Daniel Torres Hispanic Center has been granted $792,517 to use evidence-based approaches to enhance positive parenting practices, expand positive youth development programming, provide wraparound services, and generally provide more support to Latino youth and their families.
The Camel Project will receive $273,829 to provide training sessions to educate and empower students, educators, families, and community leaders about the dynamics and impacts of bullying. They will expand services provided at Reading School District’s Northwest Middle School by hiring additional trainers and allotting more time overall to service delivery.
State lawmakers Sen. Judy Schwank and Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz applauded the funding and praised the recipients for putting together strong applications. "I’m proud to see Pennsylvania supporting groups in Berks County that are working hard to address violence in our community,” Schwank said. Cepeda-Freytiz added, "It’s very encouraging to see our community receive the support it deserves, and I commend the dedication of the grant recipients for their commitment to addressing violence in our area.”