Institute for Nonviolence Chicago

11/20/2025

Last week we were honored 🙏🏽 with the 2025 Coalition Builder Award ☮️ at One Aim Illinois' 3rd Annual Fall Fundraiser, “Voices for Change: In the Fight to End Gun Violence." We were celebrated for 10 years of powerful leadership and commitment to building safer, more just communities.❤️ As a cornerstone of the movement to end gun violence in Illinois, we appreciate One Aim Illinois for this honor and we are GRATEFUL TO ALL our partners and supporters who are stepping up to end the cycle of gun violence in Chicago. Together, we will make Chicago's future bright! 🌟


Communities Partnering 4 Peace - CP4P Metropolitan Peace Initiatives

11/18/2025

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The center, set to open next summer, is a partnership between Lurie Children’s Hospital, the nonprofit Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives and other organizations to address the West Side's life expectancy gap.

11/17/2025

Les Jenkins, Associate Director of Reentry & Support Services, wrapped up cohort 4 of the University of Chicago's Community Violence Intervention Leadership Academy last week by presenting his capstone project on the reentry crisis in Chicago, "No Man Left Behind: Transforming Reentry Through Housing, Healing, and Hope. A Story of Redemption and Purpose."

Les graduated Friday, Nov. 14 during a special ceremony in Washington DC. Congrats to Les and all the other grads from around the US. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

11/13/2025

Join us this Saturday.
Nonviolence Trainer, Orion Meadows, will be presenting on the history of systemic racism and mass incarceration as a form of violence against minorities and impoverished communities as a preface to the Expungement process.
Hosted by Rep. La Shawn K Ford

11/13/2025

Peer to peer communication is key in educating new people about public safety strategies, like . Thanks again to Loyola University Chicago's Students Demand Action Chapter.
https://loyolaphoenix.com/2025/11/sweets-and-safety-students-demand-action-chapter-at-loyola-hosts-their-first-fundraiser/

We'd love to help you host a fundraiser supporting our mission for peace and help educate your friends, family, colleagues, etc about Chicago's public safety plan.
Email us at info@nonviolencechicago.org

The fundraiser sold Insomnia Cookies in support of the October 2024 shooting near the Rogers Park storefront.

11/12/2025

We ❤️ Baltimore!
Special thanks to Roca, Inc., Daniel Webster and his class at John’s Hopkins School of Public Health, Shani Buggs and The Black and Brown Collective, and Safe Streets Baltimore ☮️for hosting us during our recent visit! We love visiting other leaders and learning how they run their programs. And we love opportunities to speak about our approach and programs and how they've helped Chicago see historic declines in gun violence this year.

We hope to see you all in Chicago! ❤️

11/11/2025

Sign up for our Saturday, Nov 15 online Survivor and Grief Groups. This is a safe space for anyone who has been a victim of gun violence or lost a loved one to gun violence.
Sign up now:
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=uKIC4UtApkKP93RGiRLVyN6mtQFkFExPpOaJ2PHscflUNllJOFpIM0RNQU1KVE45MlZRQ0ZNOFVHNy4u
The survivor group will start at 1 pm, and the grief group will start at 2 pm.

Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P)

11/10/2025

While Chicago is experiencing a steady decline in violent crime, one of its lowest levels in 60 years, several public safety grants have been cancelled. leaders from across Chicago, including Teny Gross, CEO of Institute for Nonviolence Chicago, testified before the Illinois General Assembly, calling for sustained funding.

“Our biggest limitation today is the uncertainty of long-term, stable funding. The work of violence intervention is not short term. Yet too often, our funding is,” Vaughn Bryant of Metropolitan Peace Initiatives said.

“You will never reduce the violence in Chicago without CVI.” We've made such great progress, but there is so much more to do to save lives.

Ream more: https://metropolitanpeaceinitiatives.org/this-work-is-personal-cvi-leaders-testify-before-illinois-general-assembly-push-for-sustained-funding/

11/06/2025

"If you call something home, then you protect it." ☮️ https://www.buzzsprout.com/1600336/episodes/7396369
This "Change Agents" episode from Reparations Media was recorded almost 5 years ago, but it still rings true. We love Austin--It's rich history and people who love and care for one another.

We've been protecting Austin by reducing and preventing shootings for almost 10 years, and what we learned early on is still true today..."Everybody is going to have to step up. If we really want to make the change that we want to make. It's going to take everybody."

If you have a ❤️ and a half hour, this is worth a listen.

11/04/2025

Here’s a list of Chicago-area restaurants offering free and discounted meals to SNAP recipients. And if you don't need this SNAP assistance, please support the restaurants who are stepping up to help our neighbors in need.
https://www.wbez.org/health-medicine/2025/11/03/chicago-area-restaurants-offering-free-and-discounted-meals-to-snap-recipients?subscription=true&utm_source=Newsletter_Daily-Rundown-Non-Member&utm_medium=WBEZEmail&utm_campaign=Daily_Newsletter_Daily-Rundown_Sponsored_20251104&utm_content=11/4/2025&DE=

WBEZ

Funding for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is frozen. Reduced benefits are expected to restart later this month. In the meantime, area restaurants are stepping up to help. This list will be updated.

11/04/2025

🙏🏽THANK YOU 🌟Students Demand Action Loyola University Chicago Chapter for hosting a fall fundraiser to support our mission to end the cycle of gun violence in our city! You're doing your part to make Chicago safer for us all, and we appreciate it! ❤️✌🏾

Students Demand Action sold Insomnia Cookies and donated the proceeds to our programs and services. We love the delicious creativity🍪😋 and look forward to collaborating on future events.

If you would like to host a fundraiser or help spread awareness of our mission to reduce and prevent gun violence, let us know! We're happy to discuss community violence intervention and provide resources to share. We're building the throughout IL!

Email us at info@nonviolencechicago.org

11/03/2025

10 days until "Voices for Change: In the Fight to End Gun Violence" fundraiser, hosted by One Aim Illinois where we are grateful to be honored with the Coalition Builder Award.

Help us celebrate the progress we have made to create a safer city. Get your tickets here: https://secure.everyaction.com/WEuH2kwwyUCWMHKWwyUlwA2

Nov 13, 2025
6:30-9:00pm
Hubbard Inn, 3rd Floor
110 W. Hubbard