Institute for Nonviolence Chicago

12/23/2025

Chicago remains on track to record its lowest number of shootings since 1965, but after a year of facing threats to sustainable funding, leaders in the field of Community Violence Intervention (CVI) continue to explore new, innovative ways to save even more lives.

If enacted, the RIFL Act could become a cornerstone in ensuring stable, long-term funding for CVI in a critical moment. Moreover, it would require firearm manufacturers hold a direct stake in ensuring fatal shootings are reduced, potentially setting a national precedent and an industry first.

The momentum to end gun violence in the state of Illinois continues to build, but the pace must be sustained by effective collaboration across public and private sectors.

12/23/2025

Every day, our outreach teams are walking the streets of Austin—talking to young people, mediating conflicts, and helping neighbors find new paths forward. Community Violence Intervention (CVI) is a proven way to make our city safer by replacing violence with opportunity and healing.

We’ve built something powerful—a family committed to peace. And with your support, we can keep growing it.

Please consider making a donation today to help us reach even more people and continue transforming lives across Chicago.

New or increased gifts made before January 1 will be matched dollar for dollar! https://www.nonviolencechicago.org/donate

12/22/2025

No matter what you choose to celebrate this season, CHOOSE PEACE.
Happy Holidays! ☮️❤️

Stay safe and stay warm, Chicago. ❄️

12/19/2025

RSVP today! 👑
Join us on January 17 as we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of nonviolence as an active, courageous way of life with special guest, Ernest Crim III, Emmy-nominated producer, award-winning educator, and author of “How Black History Can Save Your Life.”

RSVP & learn more: https://www.nonviolencechicago.org/events/courage-to-participate

On Saturday, January 17, we will honor King’s vision of nonviolence as an active, courageous way of life. We’ll explore the Kingian principle that “Nonviolence is for courageous people.” — highlighting the bravery required to choose peace, confront injustice, and rebuild community.

As Institute for Nonviolence Chicago marks ten years of service, we celebrate the courage of those who have participated in transforming their lives and neighborhoods through peace.

PLEASE RSVP.

Saturday, January 17, 2026
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Grace & Peace Church
1856 N. LeClaire Ave.

12/19/2025

When you support Chicago's public safety initiative, , you're supporting program participants like J.M. who went from incarceration to being a certified solar installer! That's a powerful transformation that will have a huge impact on J.M. and his family!

Donate today and support SC2 in Austin, where we lead the charge in programing, data and resource sharing, street outreach, victim support, and more! Participants are changing their lives and making Chicago safer for us all.
https://www.nonviolencechicago.org/donate

Communities Partnering 4 Peace - CP4P Metropolitan Peace Initiatives

12/17/2025

"When this city feels its darkest, Institute for Nonviolence Chicago brings the light. 🌟That light isn't fragile. It's a force more powerful than the forces of evil, violence and injustice... 💪🏽☮️❤️ They don't just build programs, they built the movement."

Thinking of who you want to donate to this year? Consider Institute for Nonviolence Chicago . Our mission is to end the cycle of gun violence in Chicago. We're uniting victims and those in the cycle of violence. Our work matters.
Donate today at https://www.nonviolencechicago.org/donate
Link in bio.

One Aim Construction LLC

12/16/2025

We're celebrating another partnership success!🎉🎓
Our Westside Health Authority class celebrated their graduation last week! 8 of our graduates completed the program with full-time employment!
CONGRATS!

Support our work: https://www.nonviolencechicago.org/donate

# Communities Partnering 4 Peace - CP4P Metropolitan Peace Initiatives

12/16/2025

allowed us to scale in Austin. We have been able to hire over a dozen new outreach workers with critical knowledge of the most violent blocks.☮️

Having street outreach workers with license to operate engaging all the street groups in Austin makes establishing nonaggression agreements a realistic goal. We can help mediate conflict before it turns violent. We can help save lives.
Support CVI. Donate today. https://www.nonviolencechicago.org/donate

We're building relationships with those at highest risk of gun violence, so we can offer them alternatives to the street life.

By collaborating with Austin nonprofits, we are able to reach more men and women at risk. 🙏🏽Thank you to our Austin partners:
Austin Coming Together
BUILD Chicago
Heartland Human Care Services
Hope CDC
Jehovah Jireh​
Together Chicago ​
What About Us?​
Westside Health Authority

12/16/2025

Congratulations to Samuel Castro, Director of Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships, for being selected to participate in the Polk Bros. Foundation Advisory Cohort specifically advising on Closing the Life Expectancy Gap in Chicago.

In this role, Sam take his decades-long career in community violence intervention and lived experience to advise on grantmaking refinement, inform strategies and grant implementation, and help Polk Bros. stay connected to community needs and realities.

Kudos to the Polk Bros. Foundation for doing the work to ensure their future grantmaking strategies reflect the realities, wisdom and priorities of Chicago’s communities. And thank you for the $75,000 flexible grant in recognition of our work, time, partnership and leadership.

Learn more about the Advisory Cohorts here: https://www.polkbrosfdn.org/polk-bros-foundation-advisory-cohorts/

12/15/2025

☮️Chicago has the second-largest drop in gun violence among the 10 largest cities and will likely end this year with the fewest number of homicides since 1965. Since 2021, we have cut in half the number of homicides from around 800 to 400. Over the same period, the total number of shootings has dropped from more than 4,400 to under 2,000.

Many high-risk individuals for whom gun violence was an everyday fact of life are putting down their guns and choosing to live more safely. These changes in behavior point to the positive impact of the men and women working in the field of community violence intervention (CVI).

We salute the thousands of CVI participants and employees who have put the street life behind them. They are the solution.



❤️Support CVI: https://www.nonviolencechicago.org/donate

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/10/opinion-chicago-community-violence-intervention-crime/

Communities Partnering 4 Peace - CP4P Metropolitan Peace Initiatives

Chicago neighborhoods where community violence intervention is most active have some of the largest declines in gun violence in the city.

12/12/2025

Plan now for next Saturday for this Expungement & Second Chance Workshop.
Dec 20
10am-12pm
4234 W Madison

12/11/2025

☮️ JOIN OUR TEAM! We're hiring multiple positions.
Learn more about each job opening at https://www.nonviolencechicago.org/join-the-team
Be part of the solution to gun violence.

LINK IN BIO

Communities Partnering 4 Peace - CP4P Metropolitan Peace Initiatives