Mayor, Community Leaders Announce $1 Million Grant to Reduce Crime in North Flint

$1 Million Federal Grant to Hamilton Community Health Network to
Bring Community Partners and Law Enforcement Together
to Improve Neighborhood Safety

Flint, Mich– Mayor Weaver thanked Clarence Pierce, Chief Executive Officer for Hamilton Community Health Network, and his team for taking the lead to plan and implement the grant for the North Flint Revitalization Initiative to make the North side of Flint safer for residents.

“I know Chief Johnson and his team at the Flint Police Department are eager to work with you and incorporate this program into what they are already doing to reduce crime and bring positive change in our city,” Weaver stated.

Weaver also thanked Congressman Kildee and his staff for their support and efforts to secure this much-needed funding for Flint.

“I want the public to know Flint City and Community leaders are actively working to make Flint a better place to live, work and play, and this grant will very instrumental in helping us make more progress,” said Weaver. “As we transition from crisis to recovery, our goal is to make Flint better than ever. To do that, we know we have to get the lead out, which we’re working on. We also have to bring more companies in to provide good-paying jobs, which is also happening. But, one thing successful cities must have, are communities and neighborhoods where the residents feel safe. I want to commend Chief Johnson and the leaders he has put in place at the Flint Police Department. The work they are doing is making a significant difference. Crime is down in Flint, and making investments in our communities with programs like the North Flint Revitalization Initiative, thanks to resources from the Community Based Crime Reduction Program will make an even bigger impact.”

The program will not only provide funding needed to make improvements to target high-crime areas to improve safety, but the goal is to do this by strengthening the community and maximizing partnerships to build trust to reduce and even prevent crime.

~ Earlier this month, Congressman Dan Kildee’s office released the following information about the grant:

Congressman Dan Kildee’s (MI-05) revealed that Hamilton Community Health Network in Flint received a $1 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to help reduce crime, increase trust and improve community safety in Flint. The grant will support the Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program and the North Flint Revitalization Initiative to work with the Flint Police Department and local business community to help strengthen Flint’s neighborhoods, primarily on the north end.

“This federal grant will help Flint reduce violent crime and make our community a safer place to live,” Congressman Kildee said. “I am proud of Hamilton Community Health Network’s important work, in collaboration with local law enforcement, which will help create safer streets and neighborhoods.”

“This is a great opportunity to partner with the business community and the residents on the Northside of Flint,” Clarence Pierce, Chief Executive Officer for Hamilton Community Health Network, said. “This grant will focus on a cross-sector partnership of community residents, city leaders, law enforcement agencies and services providers working together to prevent crime in targeted areas.  I am delighted that Hamilton could take the lead in making this a safer community for the residents.”

“Being awarded the Byrne Grant is great news for the City of Flint,” Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said. “We look forward to working with Hamilton Community Health Network, leaders of the business community and all the partners involved, to make the most of these much needed funds and do what we can to ensure that the improvements made have a positive impact on Flint’s north side and the Flint community overall.”

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program works with local organizations to reduce crime and improve community safety. Grantees of the program target neighborhoods with high levels of crime and employ data-driven, cross-sector strategies to reduce crime and violence. The Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program provides resources to bring together local partners including police, researchers, municipal agencies, service providers and residents to accomplish the common goal.

Hamilton Community Health Network is a federally qualified, health center. They are members of a national network of primary care centers aimed at improving health services for inner city populations. These centers provide comprehensive care to patients regardless of their ability to pay. Health centers not only prevent illness and foster wellness in the most challenging populations; they produce innovative solutions to the most pressing health care issues in their communities.

Congressman Kildee has been a longtime champion in Congress for reducing violence and increasing safety in neighborhoods. In January, he wrote a letter to Denise E. O’Donnell, the Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance at the U.S. Department of Justice, in support of Hamilton Community Health Network’s application. In September, the U.S. House of Representatives passed Congressman Kildee’s amendment to reduce violence by increasing youth employment opportunities.