Louisville, Ky. – Gun violence in Louisville has seen a significant decline in recent years, with the city reporting a nearly 40% drop over the past two years. However, local officials and community leaders are emphasizing that the fight is far from over, and additional efforts are required to further reduce violence and make neighborhoods safer.
Paul Callanan, director of the city’s Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods (OSHN), acknowledged the positive trend but stressed that the battle against gun violence remains ongoing. “Gun violence in our city has gone down nearly 40 percent in the last couple of years,” said Callanan. “But even with this progress, we recognize there is still much work to be done.”
To address this challenge, Goodwill Industries of Kentucky has partnered with Volunteers of America, OSHN, and UofL Hospital to expand the Pivot to Peace program. The initiative aims to reduce gun violence by engaging directly with those affected by it, offering them support and resources to break the cycle of violence.
Darleen Horton, program director for Pivot to Peace at Goodwill, explained the approach: “We utilize people from the community who have personal or professional experience based on their backgrounds. These individuals go back into the community to help those we are serving.”
Goodwill, which recently secured a $3 million, two-year federal contract, is now operating violence intervention sites in high-risk neighborhoods, including Algonquin, Park Hill, Taylor Berry, Russell, and Newburg. The program focuses on individuals between the ages of 14 and 35, connecting them to resources and services designed to end cycles of violence.
“We’re just now starting this initiative,” Horton said. “We’ve had boots on the ground since November, and our main focus right now is training and developing our team.”
Pivot to Peace workers, who operate between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m., are out in the neighborhoods, talking to people impacted by violence and referring them to Goodwill and Volunteers of America for further assistance. Kimberly Moore, a consultant for Goodwill, emphasized the importance of building relationships with community members to help break the cycle of violence. “They’re out in neighborhoods, talking to people and making sure they get the support they need,” Moore explained.
In addition to the Pivot to Peace program, OSHN has also secured funding to address violence in the context of the criminal justice system. Recently, the office obtained a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to assist individuals exiting incarceration—both adults and juveniles—who are at risk of engaging in gang violence. Callanan noted that addressing these issues before individuals leave custody is critical to preventing further involvement in violence.
“We’re looking at how to get ahead of that and start working with them before they get out,” said Callanan.
With these combined efforts, Louisville is taking a comprehensive approach to reducing gun violence, focusing not only on immediate intervention but also on long-term solutions. As the city works toward its goal of safer neighborhoods, officials remain committed to addressing the root causes of violence while continuing to build on the progress made so far.
