Safe Streets Campaign

IN 1989 COMMUNITY LEADERS CALLED A PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS THE EXTREME GANG-RELATED VIOLENCE IN PIERCE COUNTY. APPROXIMATELY 200 PEOPLE WERE EXPECTED TO ATTEND, BUT MORE THAN 2,000 FLOODED INTO THE HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM THAT NIGHT. FROM THIS GATHERING, SAFE STREETS EMERGED AS A GRASSROOTS INITIATIVE TO EMPOWER NEIGHBORS TO UNITE AGAINST CRIME. IN THE INTERVENING 34 YEARS, SAFE STREETS HAS ORGANIZED, TRAINED AND MOBILIZED A NETWORK OF OVER 125 NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS IN HIGH-RISK AREAS, EMPOWERING MORE THAN 13,500 COMMUNITY LEADERS AND 190,000 RESIDENTS TO ENSURE THAT THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AND SCHOOLS ARE SAFE. IN RESPONSE TO EVOLVING COMMUNITY NEEDS, OUR WORK IS INCREASINGLY FOCUSED ON 1) CREATING SAFE, POSITIVE, AND INCLUSIVE NEIGHBORHOODS AND ENVIRONMENTS WHERE CHILDREN AND YOUTH CAN THRIVE; AND 2) ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE TO BECOME TOMORROW'S CIVIC LEADERS.

COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION HAS ORGANIZED MANY NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS THROUGHOUT PIERCE COUNTY TO TAKE ACTION IN CREATING SAFE COMMUNITIES AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT. THIS WORK HAS BEEN ACHIEVED BY NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PRESENTATIONS, AND BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS FOR A SAFE, HEALTHY, THRIVING COMMUNITY. IN 2023, WE SUPPORTED UP TO 125 NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS INVOLVING 586 UNDUPLICATED GROUP MEMBERS. SOME OF THESE GROUPS WERE PRE-PANDEMIC GROUPS THAT REACTIVATED IN THE LAST YEAR AND CHOOSE TO MEET IN PERSON. ALL PROGRAM SERVICES ARE OPEN TO ALL AT NO CHARGE. WE HAVE ADDED WASTE WIZARDS (LITTER CLEANUP AND BEAUTIFICATION) PROGRAM TO OUR MENU OF SERVICES. STAFF RECEIVED TRAINING IN ADMINISTERING NARCAN/NALOXONE AND WE NOW HAVE NALOXONE AT OUR OFFICE TO SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY. STAFF WHO FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH USING IT, CARRY IT. SAFE STREETS PARTNERS WITH CITY OF TACOMA, PIERCE COUNTY, TACOMA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, FRANKLIN PIERCE SCHOOL DISTRICT, TACOMA POLICE DEPARTMENT AND PIERCE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

YOUTH LEADING CHANGE YOUTH LEADING CHANGE (YLC) IS A FREE, OUT-OF-SCHOOL EXPANDED LEARNING PROGRAM AVAILABLE TO ANY HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH IN PIERCE COUNTY. YOUTH EXPLORE CAREERS, BUILD LEADERSHIP AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING SKILLS AND IMPLEMENT YOUTH-LED PROJECTS TO IMPROVE THEIR SCHOOL AND LARGER COMMUNITIES. YLC STRENGTHENS PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR YOUTH PARTICIPANTS, AN EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGY THAT SUPPORTS PREVENTION AROUND VIOLENCE, MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE MISUSE DISORDERS. THE YLC PROGRAM IS ACTIVE IN THE FRANKLIN PIERCE AND TACOMA SCHOOLS AND WORKS WITH LOCAL YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATIONS TO WORK WITH ALL HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH REGARDLESS OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. IN 2023 WE ADDED A YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE THAT IS NOW A PROGRAM CALLED YOUTH HEALTH IS WEALTH. WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH TOGETHER TACOMA TO FACILITATE THE PROGRAM IN SALISHAN AT THE FAMILY INVESTMENT CENTER. UNDUPLICATED YOUTH SERVED THROUGH YOUTH LEADING CHANGE IN CLASSROOM WAS 61. YOUTH WHO PARTICIPATED IN SPRING AND FALL CAMPUS CLEANUPS WERE NOT COUNTED. AT HEALTH IS WEALTH, THERE WERE 27 UNDUPLICATED YOUTH OVER THE COURSE OF THE PROGRAM.