A Message From Executive Director Rev. David W. Brown
Dear Coalition Friends and Supporters,
As we step into 2025, I am honored to reflect upon my first few months as executive director of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives. This journey has been profoundly moving and inspiring. I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of intervention in reducing gun violence and the unwavering commitment of so many who work tirelessly toward saving lives.
I have had the privilege of meeting leaders at both the city and state levels who understand that protecting our communities is not a partisan issue. Together, we are united in our mission to reduce gun violence. I have also spent time with community heroes who provide unwavering support in times of crisis. These include those who stand beside families in hospital trauma centers after a loved one has been shot, mentors and credible messengers who change the trajectory of young lives, and organizations that deliver tangible support, such as groceries to grieving families, offering a glimmer of hope during dark times. I’m also pleased that we published our first-ever Impact Report that chronicles where we’ve been, where we are and where we’re going in our efforts.
Philadelphia continues to see encouraging reductions in homicides, a testament to the hard work and dedication of countless individuals and organizations. In 2025, the Civic Coalition to Save Lives is committed to building on this momentum with bold, targeted strategies that will strengthen our city’s violence intervention efforts.
Looking ahead, we will remain dedicated to our mission by convening, collaborating, connecting, and communicating. Specifically, we will:
- Support and expand intervention programs: Strengthening community- and hospital-based violence intervention efforts to save more lives.
- Collaborate with City leadership: Partnering closely with Mayor Cherelle Parker, Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel, and Chief Public Safety Director Adam Geer to ensure alignment and impact.
- Promote economic stability: Working with employers to create job training and employment opportunities for high-risk individuals.
- Expand housing programs: Strengthening initiatives like the Philadelphia Housing Authority Program to provide secure pathways for at-risk residents.
- Amplify grassroots efforts: Raising and distributing impactful funding to grassroots organizations to maximize their reach and effectiveness.
- Enhance public awareness and education: Increasing understanding of effective violence intervention strategies and their lifesaving potential.
Our success lies in collaboration—with city officials, community leaders, philanthropic partners, and every one of you who shares our vision of a safer Philadelphia. Together, we can create lasting change and ensure that every Philadelphian has the opportunity to thrive in a safe and vibrant community.
Thank you for your partnership and commitment to this critical work. Together, we can save lives.
With gratitude,
Rev. David W. Brown
Executive Director, Civic Coalition to Save Lives
Recognizing Romona Riscoe-Benson and Ted Qualli for Their Leadership in the Civic Coalition to Save Lives
Romona Riscoe-Benson retired in December 2024, concluding a distinguished career as Director of Corporate and Community Impact at PECO, an Exelon Company. Over her decades-long career, she has left an indelible mark on Philadelphia’s cultural, philanthropic, and social fabric.
As a founding member of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives’ steering committee, Romona’s leadership has driven collaboration among stakeholders to support intervention-based strategies contributing to Philadelphia’s significant drop in gun violence.
With experience in nonprofit leadership, business development and corporate philanthropy to her work with the Civic Coalition to Save Lives, Romona brought skilled strategic planning and deep community connections to the steering committee. She has been crucial in helping the Coalition begin to address the economic and workforce challenges among the high-risk individuals engaged in intervention programs and played a key role in identifying Rev. David W. Brown as the executive director, succeeding Estelle Richman when she stepped down to return to retirement.
“Romona’s contributions have set a standard for corporate and community leadership that will inspire generations to come,” said Shawn McCaney, president and CEO of the William Penn Foundation and co-chair of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives. “Her efforts have consistently demonstrated that corporate resources can help drive meaningful change in Philadelphia’s communities.”
The Civic Coalition to Save Lives extends its heartfelt congratulations to Ted Qualli on his appointment as President and CEO of the Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia (CFGP), which oversees the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s annual Catholic Charities Appeal.
As Director of Marketing and Communications at the Philadelphia Foundation, a founding member of the coalition, Ted played an integral role in the launch and introduction of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives. As the coalition researched the most effective ways to reduce gun violence, Ted worked with the Coalition and subject matter experts to solidify a strategy for Philadelphia. Along with the Coalition’s founding executive director, Estelle Richman, Ted served as a primary face of the community safety education campaign, briefing more than 1,500 decision makers, civic, business, and community leaders about the coalition’s mission.
Pedro Ramos, President and CEO of the Philadelphia Foundation, shared, “Ted’s commitment and passion for the success of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives, as well as his dedication to all of the work we do at the Philadelphia Foundation, have been nothing short of extraordinary. This new position is well deserved and a testament to Ted’s hard work and impact. We are so proud of him and look forward to seeing his continued success.”
We thank Ted for his invaluable contributions to our mission and wish him the very best in this next chapter of his career.
ICYMI: Civic Coalition in the News
- Special Report: Downswing in Philadelphia Homicides Brings Hope for Community Groups in 2025 – The Philadelphia Tribune – January 18, 2025
- Sharp Decline In Homicides Shows That Mayor’s All-Of-The-Above Strategy May Be Working – Inquirer Editorial Board – January 5, 2025
- A Coalition Of Residents, Government, Community and Civic Partners Have Helped Turn The Page On Gun Violence – Executive Director David W. Brown’s Opinion Piece – December 15, 2024
- Philly’s Civic Coalition to Save Lives Releases Impact Report – Tribune story on Impact Report – December 12, 2024
- Violence interrupters move to break the cycle of gun violence in Philly – WHYY – November 15, 2024
Father’s Day Rally Committee’s Lifeline to a Safer Philadelphia
The Father’s Day Rally Committee (FDRC) plays a vital role in Philadelphia’s ongoing efforts to combat gun violence and its devastating effects on the community. Founded to inspire action and promote solutions, the organization focuses on helping African American men embrace nonviolence, strengthen families, and redefine their roles in society.
At the core of FDRC’s work is Project Lifeline, a 12-week group therapy program that supports African American men in North Philadelphia’s 22nd Police District. The sessions offer a structured path for personal growth, emphasizing emotional resilience, self-confidence, and nonviolent conflict resolution. Participants learn how to turn away from violence when expressing emotion or as a way to solve a problem while being more self-reflective and pursuing constructive change.
Over the past year, 122 men completed the program and received certificates at a closing ceremony that honored their progress. These participants gained tools to shift their perspectives on life and engage with their communities as positive role models. “Group sessions offer Black men an opportunity to change their thinking and see themselves differently from how society often defines them,” said Bilal Qayyum, president of FDRC. “By changing behavior and addressing the root causes of arguments that escalate into violence, we can reduce shootings and save lives.”
FDRC’s commitment to ending violence extends beyond individual transformation. The organization runs gun buyback events, where residents exchange firearms for gift cards, and expungement clinics, which give individuals a chance to rebuild their lives by clearing criminal records. Programs like Fathers on a Mission (FOAM) create safe spaces for fathers grieving loved ones lost to violence, providing emotional support and pathways toward healing.
FDRC’s commitment to ending violence extends beyond individual transformation. The organization runs gun buyback events, where residents exchange firearms for gift cards, and expungement clinics, which give individuals a chance to rebuild their lives by clearing criminal records. Programs like Fathers on a Mission (FOAM) create safe spaces for fathers grieving loved ones lost to violence, providing emotional support and pathways toward healing.
Collaboration fuels FDRC’s success. Support from partners like the Civic Coalition to Save Lives has strengthened its ability to expand outreach and create lasting impact. “We’re not just reducing violence—we’re building confidence, faith, and a sense of community in the men we serve,” Qayyum said. “Every life we touch helps create a ripple effect that strengthens families and neighborhoods.”
The Father’s Day Rally Committee invites everyone to join its mission to build a safer, more unified Philadelphia. By attending events, volunteering, or supporting programs like Project Lifeline, community members can help drive meaningful change. “Together, we can transform our city and ensure that future generations grow up in communities where hope, not violence, defines their lives,” Qayyum said.
For more information on FDRC and its initiatives, visit fathersrally.com.
Timely Insights: Research and Testimony Underscore the Civic Coalition’s Vital Role in Violence Intervention.
In a striking convergence of perspectives on gun violence intervention programs—an opinion piece calling for expanded metrics, news highlighting critical federal funding debates, and firsthand testimony showing real-world impact—illuminate the multifaceted challenges and opportunities in addressing gun violence. This coincidental timing of the related information underscores the vital role of the Civic Coalition to Save Lives as a convener, collaborator, connector and communicator in helping advance effective, sustainable violence intervention efforts.
Research: Broadening How We Define Intervention Success
Dr. Andrew Papachristos’s recent opinion piece calls for a reevaluation of how the success of Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs is measured. Papachristos is a professor of sociology and director of CORNERS: The Center for Neighborhood Engaged Research and Science at Northwestern University and a member of The Justice Collaboratory at Yale Law School. He challenges the reliance on narrow metrics, emphasizing that intervention programs do more than mediate conflicts—they rebuild trust, mentor youth, and reshape community norms. As he writes, “True scientific rigor lies in accurately capturing complex realities, not in forcing messy social phenomena into ill-fitting methodological boxes.”
News: Public Policy at a Pivotal Moment
Public policy developments further illustrate the importance of intervention programs to reduce violence. Medicaid funding has been allocated to support community-based interventions, offering a critical resource for initiatives like Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Programs (HVIPs). However, debates over this funding reveal its fragility, underscoring the need for sustained federal support and investment to expand the life-saving intervention-based efforts. As Dr. Vivek Ashok of CHOP notes in this WHYY story by Sandra Jones, “Violence — including firearm violence — is not just a criminal justice issue but also a pressing public health crisis.”
Firsthand Testimony: Real Impact, Real Lives
The Coalition supports local Hospital Violence Intervention Programs (HVIPs) at Temple, Penn Presbyterian, CHOP, Drexel, Jefferson Einstein and Thomas Jefferson that help address the traumatic effects of gun violence, providing resources such as housing, employment, and mental health services for victims and their families. Scott Charles, MAPP, FCPP is the Trauma Outreach Manager and Director of Temple University Hospital’s Trauma Victim Advocacy Program and shared how Coalition efforts recently supported a shooting survivor with groceries and referrals for mental health care. While small in scope, such actions rebuild the social fabric and offer a glimmer of hope during recovery—highlighting the often-overlooked value of gun violence and community intervention work.
“Bags of groceries will obviously not make her whole, but it was clear they provided a glimmer of hope in what is easily a very dark time for her,” says Charles. “This is something that was only made possible by the support the Coalition provided.”
The Civic Coalition to Save Lives: Connecting the Dots, Filling the Gaps
This recent intersection of opinion, news, and testimony is a powerful reminder that effective gun violence intervention requires a multifaceted approach—one that aligns evaluation frameworks, secures sustainable funding, and amplifies the voices of those on the frontlines. Now more than ever, the Coalition’s work is crucial to helping build safer, stronger communities.
