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G 5 0R <br /> '---= c9 Old King's Orchard Community Center <br /> 0 <br /> . 815 N. Church Street <br /> ;y ?� Decatur, Illinois 62521 <br /> (217)428-2782 <br /> (Via E-mail(wrightonL7a decaturil.govl and First-class Mail) <br /> August 2, 2023 <br /> Scott W. Wrighton <br /> City Manager <br /> City of Decatur, Illinois <br /> One Gary K. Anderson Plaza <br /> Decatur, Illinois 62523-1196 <br /> Dear Mr. Wrighton: <br /> Old King's Orchard Community Center("OKO") is a 501(c)(3)nonprofit organization whose <br /> broadly stated mission is to provide a safe, healthy environment that offers opportunities for <br /> youth, adults, and families to improve their quality of life. We serve a part of our community that <br /> is often left behind. As much as possible, we believe in offering our participants a hand-up, as <br /> opposed to a hand-out. <br /> We appreciate the opportunity to submit the following proposal for a violence prevention <br /> program named OKO Peace. We are seeking funding of$215,000 from the City of Decatur to <br /> effectively implement this program and contribute to the betterment of our community by <br /> helping to prevent violence and promote peace. A breakdown of the anticipated expenditures for <br /> this initiative is attached. <br /> Program Description: OKO Peace is a proactive violence prevention program that aims to <br /> intervene and transform lives before individuals resort to violence and other destructive <br /> behaviors. This program is designed with a systematic approach that begins with collaboration <br /> with the city police department to identify individuals who are at risk of violent behavior but can <br /> still be reached and guided towards a better path. <br /> Once identified, our specially trained employees and subcontractors, known as "Interrupters", <br /> will make initial contact with these individuals. These Interrupters are tasked with breaking the <br /> immediate cycle of violence and identifying others within the individual's circle who might be <br /> considering a similar path. For example, we often hear from individuals caught up in illicit street <br /> activity that they do not want their younger siblings to follow in their footsteps. By offering to <br /> assist these family members we will gain instant credibility and help put a stop to the revolving <br /> door that so many of our youth find themselves entering. <br /> The next stage involves another set of specially trained personnel, referred to as "Influencers", <br /> who will work closely with the identified individuals to understand the underlying issues <br /> contributing to their destructive behavior. These Influencers will develop a custom curriculum <br />