July 28, 2022

The West Philadelphia Promise Zone faces an array of challenges including poverty, housing and employment insecurity, and chronic violence. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated already present racial and economic inequities. These are linked to a significant increase in gun violence in the Promise Zone resulting in the second highest year of gun violence and homicides in the city's recent history. Investments in housing, education, public safety, and workforce development in the Promise Zone are key to uplifting this community. Luckily, the area has a plethora of assets: community-based organizations and programs, strong neighborhood civic associations, the 16th Philadelphia Police Precinct’s Community Advisory Council, and committed residents. These are the same assets that were built upon in the recent West Philadelphia Promise Neighborhood, an education-based initiative that shares the same geographic footprint as the Promise Zone.

Amy Carroll-Scott, PhD, MPH, recent UHC Community Engagement Core lead and now Chair of the DSPH Department of Community Health and Prevention is leading the evaluation of the Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program award, funded by the United States Department of Justice. A collective impact model led by Mt. Vernon Manor Community Development Corporation, and focused on the Promise Zone, this is the second Byrne grant to this area of Philadelphia. The goal of this round of funding is to reduce gun violence and to promote the physical, mental, and emotional health of residents by developing and implementing collaborative strategies that empower communities, bolster violence prevention and intervention programs, transform public policies, improve the built and natural environment, and promote individual self-realization. Tyler Munn from the West Philadelphia Promise Neighborhood team is the Project Coordinator and creating a public safety data dashboard for use by diverse project partners for collective gun violence prevention planning and evaluation purposes.