On September 9th, Missouri Governor Mike Parson announced that ARCHS will be awarding a $900,500.00 grant from the Missouri Department of Social Services to the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.
The grant will support the Urban League's Save Our Streets program, which will provide anti-crime activities to support under-resourced individuals and impoverished communities disproportionally impacted by generational trauma and violence. Services will include neighborhood outreach, real-time conflict de-escalation, and expansive case management for educational/health/social/workforce support services. The program will focus on the Jeff-Vander-Lou, Kingsway East, and Hyde Park neighborhoods.
"The daily headlines of violence call for thoughtful and urgent action to help de-escalate conflict," says Wendell E. Kimbrough, ARCHS' Chief Executive Officer. "St. Louis needs to build long-lasting systems and infrastructures that lead to meaningful change. Fortunately, St. Louis has established organizations such as the Urban League to foster systemic changes in Neighborhoods suffering from physical and emotional trauma."
The Save Our Streets program announcement garnered media coverage across the Show Me State through NPR, St. Louis Post Dispatch, FOX 2/KPLR 11, United Press International, Missouri Net, Missouri Public News Service, KMOV, KSDK, Channel 41 Kansas City, and you can watch the full press conference on ARCHS' YouTube Channel.
Last month, ARCHS also announced the creation of the Neighborhood Healing Network (NHN) to provide trauma-informed support services to crime victims and victimized communities through five organizations in St. Louis, including the Urban league. NHN provides public education on the impact of crime and violence.