ST. LOUIS — St. Louis leaders are turning to local businesses for corporate donations that will go towards fighting crime.
Last fall, the Board of Aldermen approved $5 million in funding for 'Cure Violence.' Next week, Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed will ask corporate donors for $7 million or more in donations.
This will allow the program to get up and running in twice as many communities than already planned.
“What that will allow us to do, instead of opening up three sites, we can open up six sites and cover more of the city,” Reed said. “We are looking to get upwards of $7million in corporate match funding to match what we already have in place to expand the program right now why wait?”
The $5 million will fund Cure Violence in Walnut Park, Wells Goodfellow, Hamilton/Heights and Dutchtown.
The Cure Violence program will be fully rolled out in March, Reed said. He said the crime in the first few days on 2020 underscore the importance of the program in St. Louis.
St. Louis Police Chief John Hayden supports the fresh ideas.
“I’m very hopeful for Cure Violence,” Hayden said. “That’s not a law enforcement program but it’s a violence reduction program and we will support it anyway we can. I want that to be successful.”
Reed expects to see signs of change by June.
Cure Violence treats crime like a public health crisis and will be run through the Health Department.
MORE ON CURE VIOLENCE
- St. Louis announces 3 targeted areas for $5 million Cure Violence program
- St. Louis Board of Aldermen approves funding for Cure Violence program
- Cure Violence is one step closer to coming to St. Louis
- St. Louis BOA president proposing $11 million for 'Cure Violence' and body cams to stop violence
- St. Louis mayor approves funding for 'Cure Violence' project to treat gun violence as health crisis