MACON, Ga. — Efforts to tackle violent crime in Macon got a big financial boost Wednesday.
31 nonprofit and faith-based organizations got over $860,000 awarded in the second round of Macon Violence Prevention grants.
13WMAZ’s Jessica Cha spoke to some people who say it's making a big difference in young lives.
“I look forward to once again looking at all the great work that these guys are going to put behind us in making a great difference in our community,” says Mayor Lester Miller.
The Macon Violence Prevention (MVP) was created in 2021 to address the violent crime happening in the community with long-term solutions.
25 groups were awarded grants last year.
This year, it's grown to 31.
Miller says they’ve even raised the amount of money given from $625,000 to $860,000 to help support more programs in preventing violence.
“Well, l screamed when I found out that I got the grant,” says Julie Groce.
It's Appleton Episcopal Ministries' first time applying.
Groce says they got $15,000 to help run their reading summer program called “Free to Read.”
“We operate with families and children. We do tutoring, we do feeding programs,” she says. “We do a summer literacy program that’s for rising first- through third-graders. We do a concentrated reading program every day for six weeks free of charge. We give them brand new books.”
Groce says their program would still be possible with the donations they get, but they want to secure better resources and pay their staff to make the program the best it can be.
“We provide them a safe, loving environment to be with us,” Groce says.
Next Level Community Development Director Lakesia Toomer says it's their second time receiving grant money.
“This funding allows us to provide quality programming. We're using prevention curriculums that are actually proven to be successful with our young people,” she explains.
For 23 years, Next Level has served at-risk youth who fall below the poverty line. Toomer says 166 kids ages 5-19 are in their summer camp.
They focus on working on academics, promoting youth development classes like sex education, drug, and gang-violence prevention, and college and career prep.
The money supports their efforts to transform lives.
“This crime and violence that we're experiencing in this community, a lot of it has to do with children who are broken, who are hurt. They need somewhere to go,” Toomer explains. “The funding works if there is intentional programming.”
Take 12-year-old Ava Foster's word for it.
She's been attending the summer camp for seven years.
“We really learn about things that we're going to do in the next grade,” she explains, “Going on field trips, going to the pool. They treat us very well."
The Next Level Community Development group received the largest chunk of the money: $90,000.
$60,000 went to Central Georgia CASA, a youth volunteer training group.
$50,000 for both the Central Georgia Boy Scouts and Big Brothers & Big Sisters of the Heart of Georgia.