2 South Florida gun violence prevention organizations impacted by DOJ's nonprofit funding cuts
The U.S. Department of Justice dropped the axe on nonprofits last week, cutting funding for inner-city programs that focus on preventing gun violence and saving lives.
At least two major organizations in South Florida were impacted by these cuts: the Urban League of Broward County and the Circle of Brotherhood in Miami.
Community cornerstone
Each day, as school kids leave Brownsville Middle School in Miami, they run into Circle of Brotherhood peacemakers in their orange vests. These are a neighborhood patrol with boots on the ground, stopping crime, gun violence and offering alternatives.
"When we go into the community, I see myself," said Lamont Nanton, the Circle of Brotherhood's manager. "I was once part of the problem."
The peacemakers are a cornerstone of the larger nonprofit, said executive director Lyle Muhammad.
"It's a community-based organization — relationships — it's need-based," he said.
But, the outreach is in jeopardy after the Circle of Brotherhood got an email from the Justice Department, saying their $2 million federal grant, which was awarded to them in 2023, was terminated.
"Because it no longer effectuates the program goals or agency priorities," the email read in part.
Instead, the email said it "would focus on law enforcement, protecting children and victims of trafficking and sexual assault."
Soon, Muhammad won't be able to pay his 50 employees.
"When we talk about saving lives, there are individuals who stop gunplay but there are others who prevent suicide," he said. "Thousands of lives have been saved."
Julius Robinson wants to keep saving lives. He grew up in the Miami neighborhood of Liberty City and is working with the Circle of Brotherhood to be the next generation of community problem solvers.
"It's Black men solving their own problems," he said.
Meanwhile, the Urban League of Broward County stands to lose $400,000 in a grant earmarked for curbing teenage hate crimes.
The Circle of Brotherhood told CBS News Miami they will hold a rally on May 7 to look for alternative funding.
