Harrisburg, PA – Over the last week, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis has been meeting with local leaders, law enforcement officials, community groups and gun violence survivors to highlight $100 million in proposed investments in the Shapiro-Davis budget to address the epidemic of gun violence and make Pennsylvania communities safer.
This past week, Davis hosted events in Delaware County and Dauphin County to highlight the work being done through the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) grant program, which is administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). The VIP program supports a wide range of models focused on reducing violence and relies on local groups that are in tune with their communities, and it would receive a $37.5 million increase under the Shapiro-Davis budget proposal.
State Sen. Vincent Hughes said:
“The VIP grant program is working, and today’s roundtable offered good discussion with leaders who are making use of those grant dollars to bring positive change to communities.”
Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor said:
"The proposed $100 million in the 2024-25 budget by the Shapiro-Davis administration will further empower us to sustain and expand our efforts. This funding is not merely an expenditure but an investment in our future. A future where every resident in Delaware County can live without the fear of gun violence."
“Over the past three years, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, which I lead, has awarded nearly $35 million in violence intervention and prevention grants to more than 100 Philadelphia-based projects. The grantees are implementing programs ranging from youth-based mentoring and after-school programs to street outreach and hospital-based violence intervention programs to neighborhood revitalization efforts. In last year’s state budget, the Shapiro-Davis administration invested $40 million into these grants across the commonwealth, and our current budget proposes a $37.5 million increase for this impactful program. Overall, our budget invests more than $100 million to reduce gun violence and build on the important progress we’re seeing in Philadelphia and other communities.”
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