Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner is awarding $240,000 in microgrants to 26 anti-violence organizations working across the city. NBC10 joined Krasner exclusively as he visited several of the organizations receiving funding and learned more about their efforts to reduce violence. One of the recipients is Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Restorative Justice program, which works with people who have spent time behind bars and are looking for a second chance. A mural on Spring Garden Street was created by participants in the program. According to the District Attorney’s Office, efforts like it can contribute to reducing crime. Suave Gonzalez, who spent years behind bars and now helps others with similar experiences, said the program gave him skills he could use after returning home. “They showed me how to write proposals, they showed me how to write grants, and they showed me how to put my story together and speak to the people when I came home,” Gonzalez said. Gonzalez said the program’s work goes beyond creating public art. “It’s important for people to understand that everyone deserve a chance, and we giving it through art and healing. It’s not just about beautifying the community. It’s about changing lives and making sure they are contributing to the public safety of the community,” Gonzalez said. Krasner said investing in prevention can make a difference in communities. “The difference between throwing more money at traditional solutions and this, is that this works. This makes a real difference. We have never invested in prevention in the US like we should,” Krasner said. The funding is also going to Northwest Victim Services, which has worked with the family of Khyrie Isaac. Isaac was shot and killed in August 2021. Five years later, his family is still searching for his killer while receiving support from the organization. There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here. His father, Shane Isaac, described the difficulty of moving forward while keeping his son’s memory alive. “The part of moving on is the part where the guilt inside that you’re forgetting your child. And that’s the part we don’t want to forget, and confused at, and they’re the bridge to help get over that,” Isaac said. The grants are aimed at supporting organizations working neighborhood by neighborhood, with community groups leading efforts to prevent violence and help those affected by it. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less