Have you been a victim of gun violence? These KC area groups provide help and resources
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Grappling with gun violence
Kansas City’s Oak Park neighborhood has a high homicide rate from gun violence. KCPD and local leaders are rolling out a new anti-crime plan, KC 360, in the area, but residents have doubts and their own ideas of what the city could do improve things.
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So far this year, there have been 173 homicides in the Kansas City area and the vast majority were shootings. Several organizations around the metro offer resources for victims of gun violence and their family and friends. Here are some of the options:
Ad Hoc Group Against Crime
A married Kansas City couple had their house shot up in 2016.
The husband died, the mother was injured and their house was left riddled with bullet holes. With the main breadwinner dead, the family didn’t know what to do.
The Ad Hoc Group Against Crime — a nonprofit organization that works to bridge the community and criminal justice system to help reduce violence — put them in a hotel for about a month and a half, said Damon Daniel, the organization’s president. “We ended up helping them find a new place.”
This is just one life-altering incident of gun violence etched in Daniel’s memory from his time working with the organization.
“There’s the bullet to skin incidents, but then there’s also people whose property is damaged as well,” Daniel said.
Through a partnership with the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office called Caring for Crime Survivors, the group helps families restore their homes after a violent incident and provides additional services for victims.
“Part of the reason why we do the minor home repair and crime scene cleanup is because it helps reduce the trauma,” Daniel said.
To reach the Ad Hoc Group’s 24-hour community hotline, call 816-753-1111. For the youth hotline, call 816-531-2665. For more information on how to get involved or make a donation, visit adhocgroupkc.com.
REVIVE
The Ad Hoc Group Against Crime works with The University of Kansas Health System through a program called REVIVE, which stands for Reducing the Effects of Violence through Intervention and Victim Empowerment.
The program focuses on patients, ages 12-24, who are victims of violence, and helps their families as well. When a victim arrives at the hospital, a referral can be made so they can perhaps avoid a future trip to the hospital.
“Ultimately, what we’re trying to do is be able to support that young person and that family to address those factors that resulted in why that young person may have been involved in a violent episode,” said Jomella Watson-Thompson, the program’s director. “Both locally, but also nationally, oftentimes, our older youth or young adults are more impacted, disproportionately impacted, as well as our young people of color.”
To learn more about REVIVE visit communityhealth.ku.edu and search for “revive.”
Center for Conflict Resolution
The Center for Conflict Resolution provides mediation and works to educate the community to reduce acts of violence.
“We kind of work in a lot of different areas, which is kind of different for a nonprofit, but we are able to cover pretty much any aspect of life and have processes that we can help people solve conflict peacefully,” said Annette Lantz-Simmons, the group’s executive director.
The center provides training and support for those who have been affected by violence.
“I don’t think people realize how prolific gun violence is,” Lantz-Simmons said. “I think for a lot of people, they think that is happening somewhere else.”
To contact the Center for Conflict Resolution call 816-461-8255 or visit ccrkc.org. To make a donation, visit ccrkc.org/donate.
