Momentum Matters
WE CAN’T LET PROGRESS SLIP AWAY
Every life saved shows what’s possible. Every action keeps us moving forward.
As of September 1, there have been 150 homicides in 2025, an 18% decrease from 2024, marking the lowest mid-year count since the 1960s, as reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer. There was only one homicide reported in the past two weeks, according to the Philadelphia Police Department Crime Data.
Philadelphia has proven that progress is possible. Together – through prevention, intervention, and enforcement – this City has driven gun violence down to levels we have not seen in years. Families are safer, and lives have been saved.
But let’s be clear: progress is fragile. We cannot let up.
Across the country, cities that slowed their efforts saw hard-won gains disappear. The same risks exist here – economic pressures, social challenges, and conditions like those we saw during the pandemic can push the numbers back up. That’s why the Civic Coalition to Save Lives will not waver. Intervention remains our focus, and urgency remains our posture.
We will continue to stand with the credible messengers and community organizations working on the ground, where lives are most at risk. We will support Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, Chief Public Safety Officer Adam Geer, and newly appointed Commissioner Kehinde Solanke at DBHIDS – because public safety, behavioral health, and opportunity are inseparable.
Our path forward is clear: connect high-risk individuals to stable housing, behavioral health support and workforce opportunities. With Econsult, we are mapping the challenges and developing strategies that move men from crisis to opportunity, connecting them to careers that create lasting security and hope.
We’ve seen progress – from pilots to partnerships, from restored trust to measurable impact. This is our moment to double down, not to pull back. Philadelphia has shown what’s possible when a city unites around saving lives. Now we must push further and scale what works. Success is not defined by how far we’ve come, but by how relentless we are in finishing the work.
With resolve,
Rev. David W. Brown, Executive Director Civic Coalition to Save Lives
Pennsylvania’s Communities See Historic Declines in Gun Violence
Pennsylvania is making measurable progress in reducing gun violence, driven by sustained investment in community-based strategies. Since January 2023, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) has awarded $85 million in Violence Intervention & Prevention (VIP) funding to support more than 130 projects statewide.
- Gun violence is down 42% across the Commonwealth.
- Gun deaths by firearm have dropped 38% since January 2021.
- In 2024 alone, violent crime declined nearly 12% compared to 2022.
Philadelphia is seeing homicides fall to levels not experienced since the 1960s, while Pittsburgh has reached its lowest homicide rate in eight years. These trends show that targeted community violence intervention (CVI) programs work.
Lt. Governor Austin Davis, who chairs PCCD, put it plainly:
“Just as you don’t stop medical treatments when symptoms improve, we must not become complacent in the fight against gun violence. Continued and increased investments are essential to ensuring every Pennsylvanian can be safe and feel safe in their community.“
The Shapiro-Davis Administration has proposed a $10 million boost for VIP and the Building Opportunity through Out-of-School Time (BOOST) program in the 2025–26 budget. If approved, this would raise the state’s commitment to $75 million, expanding resources for prevention initiatives.
Spotlight on Community Impact
Beyond the Bars, a Philadelphia nonprofit, empowers youth through music and leadership development. With more than $530,000 in VIP funding over two cycles, the program has expanded opportunities for young people and strengthened pathways to success.
Other VIP-funded initiatives address root causes of violence through mentorship, job training, youth engagement, street outreach, victim services, and stronger collaboration between law enforcement and community organizations.
Coalition Partners Join Pulitzer Prize–winning Journalist and MSNBC Contributor Trymaine Lee for Free Library Talk on A Thousand Ways to Die
Next month, three partners of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives will bring their personal and frontline perspectives to a powerful conversation on Trymaine Lee’s new book, A Thousand Ways to Die: The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America.
Moderated by WURD host James Peterson, the discussion will connect Lee’s national lens to the urgent local realities for far too many Philadelphians.
Chantay Love (EMIR: Every Murder Is Real), Pastor Carl Day (Beat The Block), and Tasnim Sulaiman (Black Men Heal), all three Coalition grantee partners, will share how their lived experiences, intervention-based programs, and mental health services are helping communities confront trauma and build pathways to healing, hope, and better lives for the people they serve and support.
Part of The Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation’s Author Events Series, the event is Thursday, September 11, 2025, at 7:00 PM at the Parkway Central Library. Admission is $5 with books available for purchase.
ICYMI
News Roundup: Spotlight on Intervention
Each month, we feature news stories from Philadelphia and beyond that highlight the power of intervention—showcasing programs, research, and community efforts working to prevent violence, support those at highest risk, and build safer neighborhoods through proven, people-centered strategies
Shapiro Spotlights Youth Violence Prevention Efforts During Philadelphia Visit By Maryann Pugh, MyChesCo, syndicated to Metro, MSN | August 3, 2025
Governor Josh Shapiro visited West Philadelphia’s Community Education Center to spotlight the expansion of Beyond the Bars, a youth-focused music and leadership nonprofit, which has grown to 56 music labs across the city thanks to over $530,000 in state VIP (Violence Intervention and Prevention) funding—a key part of his historic investment in over 130 community violence-prevention initiatives.
Homicides are way down in Philly | Morning Newsletter By Julie Zeglen, The Philadelphia Inquirer | August 5, 2025
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the city is experiencing its lowest mid-year homicide total since the 1960s, with 134 homicides recorded through July 2025. That marks an 18% drop from the same period last year and continues a sharp decline from the pandemic-era peak. While summer months, especially August and Labor Day, have historically seen spikes in gun violence, this year’s trend shows sustained progress.
Nicetown community celebrates $3.4 million renovation to help reduce gun violence By Miguel Martinez-Valle, NBC10 | August 7, 2025
The Nicetown neighborhood in North Philadelphia celebrated the completion of phase one of its $3.4 million park renovation, featuring new lighting, cameras, walkways, bathrooms, and an amphitheater—efforts aimed at enhancing safety and curbing gun violence.
From Philadelphia to Pittsburgh— State Investments to Reduce Gun Violence are Working By Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | August 8, 2025
Covered by: Franklin County Free Press, NorthcentralPA.com, Altoona Mirror
Since January 2023, the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) has awarded $85 million through its Violence Intervention & Prevention (VIP) grants, helping drive a statewide 42% drop in gun violence and a 38% decrease in firearm-related deaths—marked by historic lows in homicides in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia reaching levels not seen since the 1960s. The administration’s proposed 2025-26 budget adds $10 million to VIP and BOOST programs to sustain and expand these efforts.
Philly maintains steep homicide declines into 2025 By Isaac Avilucea, AXIOS | August 12, 2025
Philadelphia continues to sustain a steep decline in homicides halfway through 2025—recording just 137 killings as of mid-August, an 18% drop from the same period last year. Experts credit this improvement to improved data-driven policing tactics and growing investment in anti-violence programs, all taking root during what is typically the city’s most violent season.
Larry Krasner Has a Warning for Other Democratic-Led Big Cities By Mensah Dean, The Trace | August 14, 2025
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, joined by faith leaders on August 12, strongly condemned President Trump’s threats to deploy troops to Democratic-led cities—calling it a “military invasion” rooted in fear and racism—and pointed to a sharp decline in Philadelphia’s violent crime (including a 17% drop in homicides) to refute claims of a public safety emergency.
The Data Doesn’t Support Trump’s Justification for Deploying the National Guard By Chip Brownlee and Jennifer Mascia, The Trace | August 14, 2025
President Trump’s August 2025 move to federalize Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police and deploy the National Guard under Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act sparked widespread criticism—despite violent crime being at a 30-year low—and included over 800 troops, 550 arrests in two weeks, and protests over perceived overreach and dubious justification.
‘5 Shorts Project’ shares the screen with teens who have experienced gun violence August 15, 2025
The “5 Shorts Project” in Philadelphia empowers teens affected by gun violence to tell their stories through filmmaking—most notably via its “Bout Mine I Matter” initiative—and also offers a commercial production training course in Germantown, led by Executive Director Shameka Sawyer, whose own family tragedy inspired the effort.
Pennsylvania legislator to introduce bill blocking federal takeover of local police By Kenny Cooper, WHYY | August 15, 2025
In response to President Trump’s August 2025 move to seize control of the Washington, D.C. police force and deploy the National Guard—even as violent crime in the capital was at a 30-year low—State Senator Art Haywood (Montgomery County) will introduce the “Protecting PA Police Act” to explicitly shield Pennsylvania’s over 1,200 municipal police departments and state troopers from any federal takeover.
Data-Driven Early Intervention Strategies May Be Answer to Crime in Philly By Caterina G. Roman, The Philadelphia Tribune | August 24, 2025
Temple University criminal justice professor Caterina G. Roman advocates for shifting Philadelphia’s focus from costly juvenile incarceration (over $200,000 per youth annually) to early, data-driven, relationship-centered interventions, highlighting successful models like Bartram High’s Youth Violence Reduction Initiative (which saw steep drops in firearm assaults and gang-related incidents) and YEAH Philly’s community-based Violent Crime Initiative, which led to lower rearrest rates.
Philadelphia district attorney talks about new violence prevention grants By 6abc Digital Staff | August 25, 2025
On August 25, 2025, District Attorney Larry Krasner encouraged local nonprofits—particularly those offering STEM education, vocational training, and family violence prevention—to apply for new microgrants through the DAO’s Violence Prevention Grant Initiative (deadline: September 18, 2025), noting that serious crimes like homicides, shootings, robberies, and aggravated assaults have declined year-over-year.
Neighbors call for more safety measures after double shooting in Juniata Park By Shaira Arias and Brendan Brightman, NBC10 | August 26, 2025
On Monday, August 25, 2025, two men were shot and injured in the Juniata Park neighborhood of Philadelphia—on the 4000 block of Claridge Street around 10:30 p.m.—prompting concerned residents to call for enhanced safety measures and city intervention.
Billy Penn Weekly brief on gun violence prevention – a weekly report in partnership with the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting By Billy Penn Staff | August 27, 2025
- There were 17 shooting victims in Philadelphia during the week of August 17–23, including 5 fatalities, up slightly from 15 victims the previous week (which also included 5 fatalities)
- Year‑to‑date homicides stand at 149, marking a 17% decrease compared to last year and a 49% decline relative to five years ago
