LOUISVILLE, KY. – Joining in the city’s efforts to reduce preventable gun violence, Goodwill Industries of Kentucky has been awarded a $3 million, two-year, federal contract to operate all the city’s community violence intervention (CVI) sites situated in four of the city’s most vulnerable neighborhoods.
Details of the “Pivot to Peace” contract were given at a press conference on Monday, February 17 at 10 a.m. at the Goodwill West Louisville Opportunity Center, located at 2820 West Broadway, Louisville, Kentucky 40211.
The Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods (OSHN) awarded Goodwill the contract in August 2024 after making a strategic decision to restructure CVI efforts under one community organization with all funding reinvested into the same services.
The Pivot to Peace initiative will bring Louisville’s most viable community resources and expert operations into one full initiative where they will work closely together to strengthen the city’s response and abilities in violence reduction. Goodwill will work in tandem with OSHN, the Volunteers of America Mid-States (VOA), the local Center for Neighborhoods, and the University of Louisville Hospital.
CVI sites are critical to the city’s strategy to reduce gun violence, especially among communities that are typically at high risk. The sites will operate in the Algonquin, Park Hill, Taylor Berry, Russell, and Newburg neighborhoods.
“The CVI sites give a proven, direct, and pivotal approach to violence reduction because it focuses on breaking the cycle of violence and preventing retaliation or escalation,” said Paul Callanan, director of OSHN. “This approach is grounded in the idea of interrupting the flow of violence before it spreads further.”
Pivot to Peace will engage and build trust with individuals at high risk for gun violence through consistent outreach, daily engagement in high-risk areas, and real-time street-level interventions focused on de-escalation and conflict resolution. The program will also connect individuals aged 14-35 to vital resources and other essential services.
“At Goodwill, we prioritize being flexible and responsive to the diverse needs of our communities, and we believe that offering new opportunities is essential for driving positive change,” said Rena Sharpe, Goodwill’s chief operating officer. “Our goal is to support the city in reducing violence and creating a safer Louisville.”
VOA, one of the region’s oldest, largest, and most diverse nonprofit organizations, will offer its wide range of human service programs to meet the urgent needs of program participants. Community health workers offer wraparound support for short-term needs and help to identify solutions to overcome barriers.
UofL Hospital’s community health workers intervene with individuals at high risk for gun violence at a critical moment, helping to discourage retaliation and connecting survivors to social services that can reduce future violence, support their safety, and help them move forward with their lives.
For more information about Goodwill, visit GoodwillKY.org. To learn more about OSHN, click here.
About Goodwill Industries of Kentucky
Goodwill Industries of Kentucky is a 101-year-old nonprofit organization that operates in 103 of Kentucky’s 120 counties. The organization is committed to using resources from its 66 retail stores to help build pathways out of poverty for individuals who need a hand-up in life. In 2024, Goodwill helped place 3,092 Kentuckians into jobs with its 1,400-plus employer partners and inside its retail stores. Goodwill uses approximately 90 cents from every dollar generated in its retail stores to operate programs and services that help Kentucky’s hardest-to-serve job seekers build the life they desire.