Fourteen local organizations working on the frontlines of youth intervention today received $200,000 in microgrants to aid community-driven violence prevention.

Funded through the 2023 U.S. Department of Justice Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI) grant, these investments are expected to expand critical services connected to Jefferson County Family Resource Center’s RESTORE program.

RESTORE (Reduce, Educate, Support, Train, Organize, Realize, Empower) addresses “systems level” issues that affect the lives and realities of the families involved with Family Court. Each microgrant is designed to enhance wraparound services for court-involved, at-risk, and high-risk youth aged 11 to 19. The funding will support mentorship, workforce readiness, education support, life coaching, and family stabilization—key components proven to reduce violence and create pathways to opportunity.

“We see so often that these kids are living lives surrounded by survival, and it’s really hard to be successful when you are just trying to survive,” Carrie Buntain, executive director of the Family Resource Center, said following a press conference today at Birmingham City Hall. “It’s not something that can happen overnight but we just have to keep pouring into them and making sure that we’re building that rapport so they trust us. That trust and that rapport shows them that people outside of their community really care.”

Janine Hunt-Hilliard, the presiding judge of Family Court, said the program is significant because it’s helping to fund the partners with RESTORE that work with children every day.

“(They) provide services for our children, including educational opportunities for those who don’t go to the traditional schools, providing job opportunities, providing housing,” Hunt-Hilliard said. “Those who experience food insecurity are getting supported. This is the type of thing that we need in order for our children to be successful. When they’re battling such basic things, it’s hard for them to focus on the things that we need them to do. These partners are essential in the success of the children and families we serve.”

Mayor Randall Woodfin said Birmingham has made great strides in recent months in violence reduction, particularly through prevention efforts. That success is due to a multifaceted approach to violence prevention.

“I think we can all agree, and we should all agree, that is more than policing,” he said. “That’s more than arrests.”

Woodfin said the agencies receiving funding “are in our streets. They are connected to our community and have a heart for service. They understand that the realities these young people face every day and they’re best fit to address them.”

“This investment is intentional,” Woodfin said in a prepared statement. “We are prioritizing organizations that are closest to the work and closest to the individuals most impacted by violence. These groups are trusted, credible, and already making a difference in our communities. By resourcing them, we are strengthening what works and building a more coordinated, effective violence prevention ecosystem.”

A press release from the mayor’s office said many of the selected organizations are led by credible messengers and practitioners who bring both lived experience and formal training to their work. Several participated in the Community Violence Intervention Practitioner Program at Miles College last summer in partnership with Rise Up Bham, further strengthening their capacity to serve Birmingham’s youth and families.
Microgrant recipients include:

• Anitra’s Light: Mentorship, enrichment, and healing-centered support for children and families impacted by violence.
• Community Care Development Network: Holistic family services including food access, education, and stabilization.
• BuildUP + Tactical Community Action (TCA): Construction training and career pathways for youth.
• Be Kind Birmingham: Mobile outreach providing essential resources for underserved families.
• What About Us: Crisis response, grief support, and advocacy for families affected by gun violence.
• Grace Klein Community: Resource connection, youth leadership, and workforce programming.
• Youth Towers: Housing support, wraparound services, and workforce development.
• Rebirth Community Corporation: Mentoring and reentry support for justice-involved youth.
• Our Community BRIDGE: Trauma-informed, arts-based healing programs.
• Harmony & Heritage: Conflict resolution, workforce development, and life skills programming.
• Crescent Cultural Community Center: A safe, community-based hub for RESTORE services.
• Genius (GenTu): After-school academic support and mentorship.
• I Love Me More + Partners Uplifting our Daughters and Sons (PUDS): Empowerment, leadership development, and family wellness services.
• Inspire Justice: Storytelling and media production to amplify youth voices and shift narratives around violence.

“We’re investing in what works; trusted organizations, credible messengers, and real relationships,” said Uche Bean, director of Community Safety Initiatives for the City of Birmingham. “This is how we reach young people earlier, interrupt cycles of violence, and build safer communities in a way that lasts for generations.”