Imhotep Fatiu, Safe Streets program manager for Catholic Charities, addresses guests gathered for the ribbon cutting.
(June 18, 2019 – Southwest Baltimore) With the support of the community, team members from Catholic Charities’ Safe Streets hosted a grand opening celebration of its Brooklyn-Curtis Bay site — the second CC-MD Safe Streets location in Baltimore.
Catholic Charities opened its first site in 2015 in Sandtown-Winchester following a surge in violence related to the death of Freddie Gray. Since then, the Catholic Charities’ Safe Streets team has demonstrated a proven ability to earn the trust and respect of the community and while also curbing confrontations that would have otherwise lead to violence.
For instance, from July 2017 – 2018, Safe Streets prevented 515 incidents from becoming violent in Sandtown-Winchester. Prior to mid-October 2018, the community went 320 days without a shooting death. Community engagement is a hallmark of Safe Streets of Sandtown-Winchester.Hence, at the Brooklyn-Curtis Bay opening, Safe Streets team members provided arts and crafts, snacks and a bounce house as part of the opening festivities.
Since homicide is the leading cause of death for 15 – 25-year-old African-American males, positive community-based experiences decreases the likelihood they’ll become either a victim or a perpetrator of violent crime.
View the news coverage of the grand opening in Southwest Baltimore. Click the link to view the Baltimore Sun photo gallery
View WMAR2News’ Eddie Kadim reporting on the grand opening of the Safe Streets site.
https://www.wmar2news.com/news/region/baltimore-city/safe-streets-opens-brooklyn-location