Lexington Announces $100,000 in Grant Money for Gun Violence Prevention
In a bold stride towards curbing gun violence, the city of Lexington, Kentucky, has announced a sum of $100,000 in grant money. This fund is aimed at supporting non-profit organizations actively participating in efforts to reduce violence. This step comes amidst decreasing trends in gun violence, notably a 39% drop in gun-related homicides since last year.
Gun Violence Statistics Show Promising Trends
Recent data has shown positive signs, highlighting that the issue of gun violence is being addressed effectively in Lexington. According to figures released by the local authorities, there were 36 homicides involving guns in the year 2021. This number had dropped to 22 in 2023, marking a decrease of 39%. Similarly, overall shootings decreased by 38%, falling from 135 to 84. These figures have been encouraging, especially as it marks the first time in five years that the number of shootings has dropped below 100.
$100,000 in One Lexington Violence Prevention Grants
In light of these promising trends, the Mayor of Lexington announced plans to allocate $100,000 in One Lexington Violence Prevention Grants, pending council approval. While applauding the efforts of non-profit organizations in driving these positive changes, representatives from the city’s public safety agencies, along with One Lexington, appealed for more non-profits to apply for the grant.
There are no clear-cut reasons for this decrease in numbers. However, the community outreach coordinator, Larry Johnson, believes that counseling has played a significant role in this positive shift.
“There are some groups of our community who are not traditionally used to getting counseling and we’re getting more and more people involved with getting counseling and addressing their needs, so that the anger, the hurt, the trauma is being addressed in a positive way,”
Johnson said.
The grants range from $1,000 to $7,500, allowing local nonprofits to get the financial support they need to continue their work in preventing gun violence. Groups that don’t already have non-profit status can still apply by working with a fiscal agent.
The Future of Gun Violence Prevention
While acknowledging the progress made in gun violence reduction, officials made it clear that the work doesn’t stop at just reducing the numbers. Efforts should also focus on improving graduation rates, decreasing homelessness, and reducing unemployment.
Applications for the grants are open until 5 p.m., Friday, April 5.
