Life Camps Incorporated

QUEENS PEACE ACADEMY

LIFE CAMP MOBILE PEACE UNIT OPERATIONS PROJECT - LIFE CAMP WILL IMPLEMENT THE MOBILE PEACE UNIT SERVICES PROJECT (MPU PROJECT) AS A PILOT PROGRAM IN NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST QUEENS MOST IMPACTED BY VIOLENT CRIME. THE MPU PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY GUN VIOLENCE TO HEAL AND THRIVE, BY OFFERING THEM FREE AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THE THERAPEUTIC WELLNESS SERVICES (TWS), MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND GRIEF AND TRAUMA SUPPORT SERVICES. LIFE CAMP TWS AND PREVENTATIVE PROGRAMS HAVE A TRAUMA INFORMED FRAMEWORK AND HIGH CULTURAL COMPETENCY. THE MPU PROJECT WILL BRING TWS DIRECTLY INTO COMMUNITIES WHO NEED IT MOST AND WHO TYPICALLY DO NOT ACCESS THESE SERVICES. AN INVESTMENT IN TWS WILL INCREASE COMMUNITY SAFETY, LIFE EXPECTANCY, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND ALLOW FOR TRAUMA INFORMED CARE AND PRACTICES IN NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST QUEENS WHO NEED AND WANT THESE SERVICES. LIFE CAMP WILL PROVIDE SERVICES TO SCHOOL-AGED YOUTH AND ADULTS, WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL PUBLIC MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, THE POLICE, AND THE COMMUNITY AT POP-UP AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS. THE MPU WILL ALSO CANVASS LOCATIONS THAT HAVE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED INCREASED VIOLENCE AND WILL SHOW UP AT EMERGENCIES. DURING THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THE MPU PROJECT, LIFE CAMP WILL HIRE NEW STAFF AND PURCHASE TWO NEW ‘PEACEMOBILE’ VEHICLES. LIFE CAMP WILL CONVENE A PROJECT PLANNING TEAM COMPRISED OF LIFE CAMP PERSONNEL, LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS, POLICE AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROFESSIONALS. AT THE END OF THE PLANNING PERIOD, A DETAILED ACTION PLAN WILL BE COMPLETED WITH RECOMMENDED LOCATIONS FOR THE MPU AND ASSOCIATED SERVICES SUPPORTED THROUGH THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY. DURING THE PLANNING PERIOD, THE PROJECTED NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED ANNUALLY BY THE MPU PROJECT IN SOUTHEAST QUEENS WILL ALSO BE DETERMINED . THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THE MPU PROJECT IS TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF LIFE CAMP TO PROVIDE MORE AND NEW THERAPEUTIC WELLNESS, MENTAL HEALTH, GRIEF, TRAUMA AND OTHER SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY GUN VIOLENCE. THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED BY ADDING NEW STAFF AND NEW THERAPEUTIC SERVICES AND PURCHASING ADDITIONAL ‘PEACEMOBILE’ VEHICLES. OTHER GOALS OF THE MPU PROJECT ARE TO INCREASE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN PRO-SOCIAL ACTIVITIES IN SOUTHEAST QUEENS AND TO DECREASE YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN JUSTICE SYSTEM VIA COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTIONS. IT IS ALSO HOPED THAT THE MPU PROJECT WILL RESULT IN INCREASED YOUTH SCHOOL-BASED ACHIEVEMENTS IN SOUTHEAST QUEENS. LIFE CAMP WAS FOUNDED AND IS LED BY INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED AND WIDELY RESPECTED PEACEMAKER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ERICA FORD HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF REDUCTION AND PREVENTION OF YOUTH VIOLENCE IN NEW YORK CITY FOR 30+ YEARS. .

LOVE IGNITES FREEDOM THRU EDUCATION - LIFE CAMP, INC. WILL EXPAND ITS VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION (VIP) PROGRAM INTO THE HOLLIS NEIGHBORHOOD OF QUEENS, NY. THE VIP PROGRAM DEPLOYS CREDIBLE MESSENGERS TO INTERRUPT, DE-ESCALATE AND PREVENT VIOLENCE. LIFE CAMP'S COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH EXTENDS BEYOND ITS STREET AND HOSPITAL-BASED TEAMS. WORKING WITH ITS NETWORK OF PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND NON-PROFIT PARTNERS, LIFE CAMP PROVIDES YOUTH (AGED 14-24) AT HIGH RISK FOR GUN VIOLENCE, AND THEIR FAMILIES, A SUITE OF WRAP-AROUND SERVICES THAT HELP RE-DIRECT AT-RISK YOUTH TOWARD LONG-TERM, POSITIVE GOALS. LIFE CAMP ENGAGES AN ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM TO HELP CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY FOR HIGH-RISK YOUTH, AND IN TURN SERVES AND SUPPORTS THAT ECOSYSTEM WHICH BEARS THE INDIRECT BUT DEVASTATING BRUNT OF COMMUNITY VIOLENCE. LIFE CAMP DOES NOT JUST MEDIATE DISPUTES, IT TEACHES CONFLICT REDUCTION AND ANGER MANAGEMENT SKILLS. IT PROVIDES INDIVIDUAL, GROUP AND FAMILY COUNSELING THROUGH CREDIBLE CLINICIANS USING CONVENTIONAL AND UNCONVENTIONAL APPROACHES, AND FACILITATES ACCESS TO LEGAL ASSISTANCE, OFFERS A DIVERSION PROGRAM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WOULD OTHERWISE FACE INCARCERATION, AND A RE-ENTRY PROGRAM FOR THOSE RETURNING FROM INCARCERATION. IT WORKS WITH SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT AND ENRICHMENT AND TO ADDRESS POTENTIAL VIOLENCE BEFORE IT ERUPTS. WITH ITS COMMUNITY PARTNERS, LIFE CAMP OFFERS JOB TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND COUNSELING, AND SUPPORTS VICTIMS AND FAMILIES OF THOSE INJURED OR KILLED BY GUN VIOLENCE AND PROVIDES THERAPEUTIC WELLNESS SERVICES AND HOSTS EVENTS FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WILL BE IDENTIFIED THROUGH CANVASSING AND REFERRALS FROM SCHOOLS, SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND PUBLIC SAFETY SOURCES. POTENTIAL PARTICIPANTS ARE EVALUATED FOR RISK OF VIOLENCE BASED ON SIX FACTORS, INCLUDING WHETHER THEY ARE A MEMBER OF A VIOLENT STREET ORGANIZATION; HAVE A HISTORY OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AGAINST PERSONS: HAVE ACCESS TO LETHAL WEAPONS; ARE BELIEVED TO BE INSTIGATING OR THE TARGET OF VIOLENCE; ARE THE VICTIM OF A RECENT SERIOUS VIOLENCE; OR WERE RECENTLY RELEASE FROM INCARCERATION FOR A CRIME OF VIOLENCE.

MOBILE PEACE UNIT OPERATIONS PROJECT - LIFE CAMP WILL IMPLEMENT THE MOBILE PEACE UNIT SERVICES PROJECT (MPU PROJECT) AS A PILOT PROGRAM IN NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST QUEENS MOST IMPACTED BY VIOLENT CRIME. THE MPU PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY GUN VIOLENCE TO HEAL AND THRIVE, BY OFFERING THEM FREE AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO THE THERAPEUTIC WELLNESS SERVICES (TWS), MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND GRIEF AND TRAUMA SUPPORT SERVICES. LIFE CAMP TWS AND PREVENTATIVE PROGRAMS HAVE A TRAUMA INFORMED FRAMEWORK AND HIGH CULTURAL COMPETENCY. THE MPU PROJECT WILL BRING TWS DIRECTLY INTO COMMUNITIES WHO NEED IT MOST AND WHO TYPICALLY DO NOT ACCESS THESE SERVICES. AN INVESTMENT IN TWS WILL INCREASE COMMUNITY SAFETY, LIFE EXPECTANCY, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND ALLOW FOR TRAUMA INFORMED CARE AND PRACTICES IN NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT SOUTHEAST QUEENS WHO NEED AND WANT THESE SERVICES. LIFE CAMP WILL PROVIDE SERVICES TO SCHOOL-AGED YOUTH AND ADULTS, WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL PUBLIC MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, THE POLICE, AND THE COMMUNITY AT POP-UP AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS. THE MPU WILL ALSO CANVASS LOCATIONS THAT HAVE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED INCREASED VIOLENCE AND WILL SHOW UP AT EMERGENCIES. DURING THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THE MPU PROJECT, LIFE CAMP WILL HIRE NEW STAFF AND PURCHASE TWO NEW ‘PEACEMOBILE’ VEHICLES. LIFE CAMP WILL CONVENE A PROJECT PLANNING TEAM COMPRISED OF LIFE CAMP PERSONNEL, LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS, POLICE AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROFESSIONALS. AT THE END OF THE PLANNING PERIOD, A DETAILED ACTION PLAN WILL BE COMPLETED WITH RECOMMENDED LOCATIONS FOR THE MPU AND ASSOCIATED SERVICES SUPPORTED THROUGH THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY. DURING THE PLANNING PERIOD, THE PROJECTED NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED ANNUALLY BY THE MPU PROJECT IN SOUTHEAST QUEENS WILL ALSO BE DETERMINED . THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THE MPU PROJECT IS TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF LIFE CAMP TO PROVIDE MORE AND NEW THERAPEUTIC WELLNESS, MENTAL HEALTH, GRIEF, TRAUMA AND OTHER SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY GUN VIOLENCE. THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED BY ADDING NEW STAFF AND NEW THERAPEUTIC SERVICES AND PURCHASING ADDITIONAL ‘PEACEMOBILE’ VEHICLES. OTHER GOALS OF THE MPU PROJECT ARE TO INCREASE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN PRO-SOCIAL ACTIVITIES IN SOUTHEAST QUEENS AND TO DECREASE YOUTH INVOLVEMENT IN JUSTICE SYSTEM VIA COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTIONS. IT IS ALSO HOPED THAT THE MPU PROJECT WILL RESULT IN INCREASED YOUTH SCHOOL-BASED ACHIEVEMENTS IN SOUTHEAST QUEENS. LIFE CAMP WAS FOUNDED AND IS LED BY INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED AND WIDELY RESPECTED PEACEMAKER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ERICA FORD HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF REDUCTION AND PREVENTION OF YOUTH VIOLENCE IN NEW YORK CITY FOR 30+ YEARS. .