Milwaukee County is partnering with community organizations and the Milwaukee Bucks Foundation in a new violence prevention initiative, county executive David Crowley announced on June 24.
The “Destined for Greater” campaign is funded by a $1.5 million grant from the Wisconsin Office of Violence Prevention. The money will go to county health services and youth groups, as well as crisis housing and professional development programs, Crowley said. Those will be combined with existing violence intervention programs and mental wellness services and resources. The idea is to have new programs build on the successes in existing efforts.
“‘Destined for Greater’ reflects a more complete way of thinking about safety,” Crowley said. The program, he said, will “help us reach people before violence reaches them and create opportunities and hope for young people across Milwaukee County.”
On Wednesday, county officials, community organizers and young people roamed health department booths, chatted with youth group leaders, and posed for photos with the Bucks’ mascot Bango at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society and Museum.
The Bucks are partnering with the county to provide job training and prison reentry programming.
“We are proud to serve as a partner in this work because we believe that we have a responsibility to show up in, and for, the community in ways that create access, opportunity and hope – not just for our fans, but for the community,” Bucks president Joshua Glessing told the crowd.
The county’s health and human services department will manage the funds, Crowley said.
“This is an approach that’s not rooted in enforcement, but in prevention,” deputy director David Muhammed said. “If we want safer communities, we must invest in healthier communities.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Community groups join Milwaukee County’s new violence prevention push
Reporting by Zachary Suri, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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By Zachary Suri, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
