ARCHS has issued $1 million to the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (UL) to further the success of the Serving Our Streets program (SOS), aimed at intervening and preventing violent gun confrontations.
The program was created in 2020 to address the chronic gun violence plaquing the St. Louis region. UL responds to information given to them by neighborhood residents, or who call a hotline with knowledge of gun violence confrontations.
This is the third grant cycle ARCHS has provided funded and strategic support for the program that has served more than 8,500 participants. Since 2020, the program has intervened to de-escalate 207 conflicts, all within 72 hours. On average, 98% of participants did not engage in violent crimes while in the program during a six month follow up period. In addition to the de-escalation efforts, the program provides extensive wrap around education, employment, health, legal, safety, and social services.
ARCHS secured its funding from the Missouri Department of Social Services. UL provides additional leveraged/in-kind support to further advance the ARCHS funded program. SOS focuses on the three St. Louis neighborhoods:
-Hyde Park: A historic North St. Louis neighborhood, bound by Ferry to the North, I-70 to the east, Palm Street and Natural Bridge Avenue to the south, and Glasgow to the west.
-Jeff-Vander-Lou: Situated between North Vandeventer Avenue on the northwest, Natural Bridge Avenue on the northeast, North Jefferson Avenue on the east, Delmar Boulevard on the south, and North Compton Avenue and Martin Luther King Drive on the southwest.
-Kingsway East: Defined by Natural Bridge on the north, Martin Luther King on the south, Marcus Avenue on the east, and Kingshighway on the west.