PHILADELPHIA - 08/08/06 - The Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia (AVP) announced today the acceptance of a $15,000 grant awarded by The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. The grant will fund an initiative aimed at strengthening the services available for victims of crime in North Philadelphia.

The funding will be used to implement trainings and networking opportunities between faith-based organizations and secular victim service providers. These training events will enable faith leaders to better understand the needs of crime victims and the resources available. Likewise, the training will sensitize victim service providers to their client's spiritual needs. An increase of referrals and the access to educational materials are included as the project's objectives.

"By networking and training the faith-based organizations, community-based service providers and the specialized city-wide agencies, this initiative will ensure that victims of crime have greater accessibility to all the resources they need to rebuild their lives after violence" stated Julie Rausch, Executive Director of the Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia.

Regina Mainor, Executive Director of the community-based, North Central Victim Services explained, "Many victims will turn first to their clergy for support, there is a critical need for North-Central Victim Services to identify faith-based partners so we can work together and assist the victims within in our community in a more comprehensive way."

The initiative is an expansion of AVP's Alliance of Faith and Crime Victim Services Program which began three years ago with similar efforts in West and Southwest Philadelphia. The initiative encompasses all denominations and victims of all violent crimes.

The Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia (AVP) is a non-profit, charitable organization that addresses the cycle of violence providing intervention, prevention and support services. AVP is committed to advocacy and support for individual homicide co-victims, violence prevention training for children and adults, and effecting change in public and private institutions and society at large. Our staff includes: child and adult therapists, teacher/counselors, victim advocates, trainers, and interns/volunteers.