Third week of the September, as a local agency, HHFC attended week-long outdoor events which were hosted by The Brownsville Safety Alliance (BSA). The common purpose of these events was increasing access of the residents of Brownsville, Brooklyn to healthcare and social services which is a part of a broader anti-violence and anti-crime strategy introduced by Inspector Terrell Anderson in the 73rd Precinct.
During these week-long events, like HHFC many local agencies brought their services directly to the community by tabling on the sidewalk for several hours each day, for six days in a row to network with each other and to improve referrals to services for Brownsville residents.
The local Cure Violence agency, Brownsville In Violence Out (BIVO) at CAMBA, was present for the entire event and available to respond to 911 calls and other potentially disruptive situations.
BIVO, along with other Crisis Management Service (CMS) agencies, was tasked with reducing gun violence in Brownsville through Credible Messengers and de-escalation strategies from the violence interruption field.
Data collection activities and communications support were provided by the From Punishment to Public Health (P2PH) initiative at John Jay College and the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, in collaboration with WeBuildtheBlock.
The October BSA was he most successful of all the events held during 2021 because over 60 agencies participated in the event. Agencies reported over 2,400 touches with clients throughout the week, and they made over 630 referrals to services. Overall, agencies reported a positive outlook on the event and expressed a desire to continue attending in the future.