Envision Community Services has been awarded a contract with the Chicago Department of Public Health to conduct street outreach and violence interruption services in Brighton Park, launching the Save Our Streets (SOS) program. Envision currently staffs one Street Outreach supervisor and three outreach workers assigned to work with gangs in the Brighton Park community, conducting street outreach on a day-to-day basis, as well as working “on-call” to respond to shootings and incidents of violence within the community, providing mediation and preventing escalation.

 

Program staff recruits participants through partnerships with the Chicago Police Department, probation and parole officers, social service agencies, Chicago Public Schools, faith-based organizations, and through street canvassing to identify and recruit individuals with active gang involvement, justice-system involvement, individuals with violent online behavior, previous victimization, symptoms of trauma, and those disconnected from school.

 

Outreach occurs through canvassing on the streets, at funeral homes and hospitals, as well as through social media (often used as a platform for virtual gangbanging Through Save Our Streets, ECS will promote peace within our communities, in addition to raising awareness on gang culture and gang life.