It was 17 months ago when state funding was snatched from the anti-violence organization that many said reduced violence in their neighborhoods.
It was 17 months ago when state funding was snatched from the anti-violence organization that many said reduced violence in their neighborhoods.
Now CeaseFire is ready to resume full operations in all 16 communities it once had a strong presence in, the organizations executive director said.
State funding to the group – $4.6 million – was restored in February.
“Now we can move our program forward by connecting with existing community partners to reduce shootings and killings. We remain hopeful that law enforcement approaches CeaseFire’s scientifically proven method, and others will help reverse this terrible trend of gun violence,” said Gary Slutkin, executive director of CeaseFire.
CeaseFire is a Chicago-based organization that leads anti-violence marches, does outreach work and conducts conflict mediation between gangs to calm tension.
In August 2007, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich abruptly cut the $6.2 million the organization had been receiving. The group received $16.2 million between 2004 and 2006, with $11 million coming from Illinois.
______
To read the rest of this article, subscribe to our digital or paper edition. For previous editions, contact us for details.
In photo: Tio Hardimon, director of CeaseFire Illinois
Copyright 2009 Chicago Defender. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
About Post Author
