PHILADELPHIA, April 21, 2023 – Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and Mayor Jim Kenney announced that the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) awarded the Center for Families and Relationships a $999,000 violence reduction grant to bring its Together Through Trauma program to six recreation centers and 12 Parks & Rec summer camps.
“When we talk about young people who have been impacted by gun violence – I was one of those young people, a 16-year-old who was living with my family in McKeesport when a man was shot, not 50 feet from our house,” said Lt. Gov. Davis, who also serves as PCCD chairman. “That event changed my life and motivated me to pursue public service.
“The Governor and I know that every Pennsylvanian deserves to be safe and feel safe in their community. Programs like ‘Together Through Trauma’ are critical ingredients to building safer neighborhoods and communities. That’s why Governor Shapiro and I are calling for continued investments in community-led initiatives, including $105 million in state funding for this grant program in our recent budget proposal.”
In partnership with Parks & Rec, the Center for Families and Relationships will expand its ‘Together Through Trauma’ programming to provide evidence-based trauma counseling and trauma education to residents impacted by violence at six recreation centers. All services are delivered by trauma therapists and will be available at the following sites:
Feltonville Recreation Center, 231-37 East Wyoming Avenue, 19120
Mallery Recreation Center, 100-70 East Johnson Street, 19144
Tustin Recreation Center, 5901-29 West Columbia Avenue, 19151
Cecil B. Moore Recreation Center, 2551 N 22nd St., Philadelphia, PA, 19132
Mander Playground, 2140 N. 33rd St., Philadelphia, PA, 19121
8th and Diamond Playground, 800 Diamond St., Philadelphia, PA, 19122
“Recreation centers, parks, and playgrounds are a vital part of life for young people in our City,” Mayor Kenney said. “Offering youth and families impacted by violence access to mental health services at the rec is a great way to meet young people where they are, with the services they need. As we expand access to rec centers through more weekend hours and make improvements to recreational facilities through Rebuild, the Together Through Trauma program complements these efforts.”
Together Through Trauma
Trauma therapists will be assigned to the six rec centers, offering Together Through Trauma programs to children, teens, adults, families, and Parks & Rec staff. The goal of the program is to decrease the incidence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms for those residents directly or indirectly impacted by gun violence.
As each rec center, the program will include:
Weekly open-access hours with an on-site therapist
1-1 therapy for individuals impacted by violence
Monthly group workshops for the community
Monthly training for rec center staff
Additionally, the Center for Families and Relationships will introduce weekly mental health education at 12 Parks & Rec summer camps, focused on helping young people recognize and understand trauma.
“Investing in the emotional development of our children is vital in building resiliency,” said Center for Families and Relationships CEO Jordan Brogan. “We are excited to partner with Philadelphia recreation centers to bring this programming to people who need it the most and meet them where they live. Creating a safe space to educate and discuss trauma’s impact is the first step in healing from intergenerational trauma.”
Workshop topics will be tailored to each site, based on an assessment of needs and collaboration with Parks & Rec staff and the community. The Together Through Trauma menu of workshops includes topics like Understanding trauma;
How trauma impacts families and relationships;
How to deal with the loss of a loved one due to gun violence;
Managing anxiety after a traumatic event; and
Conflict resolution
The program aims to provide trauma education as well as create a safe environment for community members to support one another.
“When young people come to the rec to play sports or hang out, we have an opportunity and responsibility to connect them with caring adult role models,” said Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell. “In the face of this senseless gun violence epidemic, it is imperative that we forge new partnerships with groups like the Center for Families and Relationships to offer essential trauma-informed care services to the community right at our neighborhood rec centers.”
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) advances the prosperity of the city and the progress of her people through stewardship of nearly 10,200 acres of public land and waterways, and management of 500 recreation buildings, 166 miles of trail, and 250 playgrounds. PPR offers safe, enjoyable recreation, environmental, and cultural programs, and events throughout Philadelphia’s parks and recreation system. PPR promotes the well-being and growth of the city’s residents by connecting them to the natural world, to each other, and to fun, physical, and social opportunities. In 2017, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell set about implementing the park system’s first strategic plan: Our Path to 2020 and Beyond. As a result, PPR is undertaking a period of historic change, setting the department on a course to become a modern, equitable, and exceptional parks and recreation system. Visit us at www.phila.gov/parksandrec, and follow @philaparkandrec on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
