Everytown Community Safety Fund and New Jersey Moms Demand Action Applaud New Jersey Governor Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matt Platkin for Awarding $15 Million to Community Violence Prevention Organizations

Three Everytown Community Safety Fund Grantees Were Among the 29 Organizations to Receive Funding 

TRENTON, NJ. — The Everytown Community Safety Fund and the New Jersey chapters of Moms Demand Action, part of Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund’s grassroots network, released the following statements applauding New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin for announcing that $15 million in grant funding will be distributed to 29 Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs, including current and previous Everytown Community Safety Fund grantees the Paterson Healing Collective, Trenton Community Street Team, and the Center for Family Services. 

“This announcement recognizes the critical role that our community leaders play in helping to end gun violence,” said Jeanne Stifelman, the chapter lead of the New Jersey chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Community-based violence intervention groups are proven to save lives and we are grateful to have partners in Governor Murphy and Attorney General Platkin who are putting resources in the hands of those who can make the most impact. With this funding, our state and these community groups can continue to address the root causes of gun violence and save lives.” 

“As communities throughout New Jersey continue to be plagued by senseless and preventable acts of gun violence, Community Based Public Safety Professionals like TCST, and so many others, are answering the call to engage residents in their city. The goal is to assist citizens in unlocking their personal power and aiding them in understanding the impact of trauma within their community,” said Perry Shaw, Director of the Trenton Community Street Team and Executive Director of Building A Better Way For Trenton. “The Trenton Community Street Team looks forward to utilizing these much-needed resources to support our objective of enhancing the health and well-being of Trentonians. We will continue to collaborate with our advocates across all levels of government in the fight to end gun violence.”

“Investments in the work of Paterson Healing Collective and other organizations in the state are essential to making sure that we have the resources necessary to disrupt gun violence in our own communities,” said Liza Chowdhury, Project Director of Paterson Healing Collective. “While we continue to strive for sustained and adequate funding for this work, this is a victory to ensure a safer future in 2024 and beyond.”

As gun violence continues to devastate communities following an increase during the pandemic, shootings in New Jersey decreased in 2022. CVIs like the Paterson Healing Collective are tirelessly continuing their life saving work, connecting with individuals at the highest risk of shooting or being shot and helping to reduce violence through targeted interventions — including street outreach and hospital-based violence intervention — in the state’s most vulnerable communities. These programs are on the frontlines in the cities with the highest rates of gun violence working to protect communities experiencing the disproportionate impact of gun violence. 

Since its 2019 inception, the Everytown Community Safety Fund has granted $11.3 million in support of 119 community-based violence intervention organizations implementing promising strategies, like street outreach, hospital-based violence interventions and youth development and counseling, in more than 68 American cities.

In an average year, 427 people are killed by guns in New Jersey and another 874 are wounded. Gun violence costs New Jersey $5.3 billion each year, of which $168.9 million is paid by taxpayers. More information about gun violence in New Jersey is available here.