Louisville’s Office of Violence Prevention is expanding its presence in community centers across the city, using trusted spaces to reach young people and connect them with resources aimed at stopping violence before it starts.
Program Details
The office will rotate outreach coordinators through eight community centers through the end of the year, meeting clients where they are and learning what each neighborhood needs. The program focuses on youth from age 13 through young adults at 24, a group city leaders say is critical to reach early.
Officials said homicides and nonfatal shootings involving children ages 11 to 17 are down about 38% in 2026, at 9.5%, compared with 15.43% in 2025. Mayor Craig Greenberg said partnerships between the Office of Violence Prevention and the city’s parks and community outreach teams are helping connect with young people where they already are.
For some participants, that outreach has already made a personal difference. A young man in the program said, ‘A lot of progress. I thought I wasn’t going to be nothing until I came with the program. They helped me a lot.’ He said the support led to practical help and a different direction.
Original reporting: WLKY Louisville — read the source article.
