Dayton Launches New Violence Interruption Initiative Led by Local Black-Led Organization

DAYTON, OHIO —

In a groundbreaking step toward reducing gun violence and strengthening community safety, a Dayton-based, Black-led organization has been chosen to help spearhead a new violence-interruption model grounded in public-health principles. Felons with a Future (FWAF) will partner with Cure Violence Global (CVG), one of the country’s leading organizations in community-centered violence prevention, to implement a strategy that treats violence not simply as a criminal issue — but as a contagious disease that can be stopped before it spreads.

This selection marks a major milestone in the City of Dayton’s Peace Campaign, a multi-layered effort to address the root causes of violence and expand pathways to healing and opportunity for residents across the city. CVG will train FWAF and support their deployment of community outreach workers, credible messengers, and violence interrupters — individuals whose lived experience allows them to build trust where traditional systems often cannot.

A Public-Health Approach to a Community Crisis

The City of Dayton has invested approximately $473,000 to bring the Cure Violence Global model to local neighborhoods. Unlike enforcement-driven strategies, this model focuses on preventing conflict before it escalates into harm. Under the Peace Campaign structure:

• The City of Dayton provides funding and leadership to launch the program.

• The Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association (GDAHA) oversees coordination, grant administration, and operational integrity.

• Felons with a Future (FWAF) leads the on-the-ground work, connecting directly with the individuals most at risk of being impacted by violence.

• Cure Violence Global (CVG) delivers training, technical assistance, and data-driven support to tailor the model to Dayton’s unique community needs.

Mayor Jeffrey J. Mims, Jr. emphasized that this new approach represents a shift in how the city understands violence.

“Treating violence like a contagious disease, we are investing in solutions that heal communities rather than tear them apart,” the mayor said. “This collaboration brings together government, public health, and grassroots leadership — exactly what Dayton needs to build lasting peace.”

Centering Community, Opportunity, and Prevention

The violence-interruption initiative aims to do more than stop shootings — it aims to transform lives. The goals include:

• Interrupting conflicts before they escalate into gun violence or retaliation

• Providing mentorship and mediation, especially for individuals identified as high-risk

• Connecting residents to vital resources such as education, employment, housing, and healing supports

• Shifting community norms away from violence and toward shared accountability and peace

Sarah Hackenbracht, President and CEO of GDAHA, noted that violence is a health equity issue as much as a public safety one.

“Reducing violence is fundamental to improving health outcomes, particularly for neighborhoods where residents themselves have voiced that violence impacts their wellbeing,” she said.

A Black-Led Organization at the Front Lines

For Felons with a Future — a grassroots, Black-led organization dedicated to supporting returning citizens — this moment reflects both opportunity and responsibility. Their team works with individuals reentering society after incarceration, helping them overcome the barriers that often lead people back into cycles of instability or violence.

Greg West, Executive Director of FWAF, spoke to the alignment between the CVG model and the agency’s mission:

“This model directly aligns with our commitment to helping returning citizens rebuild their lives,” West said. “We look forward to the partnership with the City of Dayton, GDAHA, and Cure Violence Global to lead the change and make a real difference in our neighborhoods.”

A New Chapter in Dayton’s Journey Toward Peace

The launch of this partnership signals a significant shift: a coordinated effort that unites city government, public health leaders, national experts, and a trusted local Black-led organization. While law enforcement remains an important component of community safety, this initiative recognizes that stopping violence requires much more — trust, relationships, opportunity, and consistent investment in people.

Together, FWAF, CVG, GDAHA, and the City of Dayton are not simply starting a program. They are building a movement rooted in healing, transformation, and long-term community stability.