ALSO outreach worker Fred Wallace summed up the July 13 Walk for Peace in Humboldt Park on WBBM-TV in Chicago. “We’re holding this event to bring the community closer to show them there is a better way than violence,” he said. 

“We’re taking to the streets to claim Safe Streets in neighborhoods where violence is a problem,” said ALSO Executive Director Lori Crowder. In her remarks, Crowder emphasized the continuing efforts to reach neighborhood residents who need jobs, a safe place to live, support, training and education.

On a hot Saturday afternoon and evening, more than 100 people attended the event, which was held at 3601 W. Chicago Ave., the home of Humboldt Park Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago. The Walk for Peace was held in West Humboldt Park, a neighborhood served by the city’s 11th Police district. The event, which was covered by local CBS and ABC television affiliates in Chicago, also featured food, activities for children, speakers and music provided by New Level Sound, ALSO’s job training program that teaches young people to provide professional sound systems and support to events around the city.

Crowder said the Walk and ALSO are about “working in partnership with people living in risk of violence to promote safer streets and homes.”

Humboldt Park is currently ranked 4th among Chicago’s 77 community areas for shootings and homicides, according to police data.

 ALSO’s work includes outreach and case management services as well as holding safe space events to promote peace.

“Come and walk with us,” said Terry Gage, an outreach supervisor for ALSO’s Safe Streets program to the crowd. “If we don’t do it, nobody will do it.”

ALSO and neighborhood residents were joined by numerous partners at the Walk, including local police, 1st Ward Alderman Daniel La Spata and members of Communities Partnering 4 Peace, which features ALSO and Chicago’s other leading outreach organizations that have combined their expertise to jointly impact nine Chicago communities most affected by gun violence. 

“I think this is absolutely great,” said Charlette Whitfield, a neighborhood resident and parent who participated in the Walk. “Instead of complaining, people are doing something to improve the community. It shows they care. We’ve got to reach out to young people - and everyone else - in this community - about stopping the violence.”

Jerry Sproles, a longtime resident of West Humboldt Park, also joined the Walk.  “People need to come together and communicate with each other, and we need more activities for youth, he said. This kind of event gives me hope.”

RECAP:

West Humboldt Park residents joined ALSO and partners on Saturday, July 13 for the 24th Annual Walk for Peace. More than 100 people attended the event.

ALSO Executive Director Lori Crowder said to the crowd at the event that the Walk and ALSO are about “working in partnership with people living in risk of violence to promote safer streets and homes.”

ALSO and neighborhood residents were joined by numerous partners at the Walk, including local police, 1st Ward Alderman Daniel La Spata and members of Communities Partnering 4 Peace, which features ALSO and Chicago’s other leading outreach organizations that have combined their expertise to jointly impact nine Chicago communities most affected by gun violence. 

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ALSO is an organization committed to end violence in homes and communities nationwide. Your contribution will help us live out our mission to develop, promote and implement model programs in order to build a movement for peace and safety in the coming year.

With your support, we will:

• Continue providing jobs for in-risk youth through our 10-10-10 job training program.
• Provide bystander intervention training for youth and community members, giving people the skills to know how to increase safety in high risk situations.
• Explore and reveal the relationship between intimate partner and community violence to create programming that will reduce both.

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