City of Dreams Coalition goes door-to door in West Philly offering resources against gun violence
PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia residents hit the streets Thursday to call on the community to stop the cycle of violence.
"We trying to help," said Lee McIntosh. Men and women joining forces.
"Us knocking on the doors block-by-block," said Taleah Taylor. The groups flooded a West Philly neighborhood at 60th and Lansdowne.
"What you're going to see today is real community work," said Taylor. She’s the president of the City of Dreams Coalition and leading the movement to try and slow gun violence and provide free resources to the community.
"Really talking to the families and finding out what barriers need to be broken in our homes," she said.
McIntosh is the executive director of community outreach for City of Dreams Coalition and was recently directly affected by violence when his son Jalen Jones was murdered.
"I lost my 15-year-old son to gun violence on 55th and Market. He was shot 13 times. This only happened a couple weeks ago and since my son's death only a couple of weeks ago there has been 55 more homicides. All the kids that have been getting killed within those 55 homicides are between the ages of 15 and 21," said McIntosh.
He says it's still important for him to be out here.
"I could be a father that choose to add on to the recycle of crime but instead I'd rather save some more Black men lives," he said.
Other community groups like Stop Killing Us founded by long-time activist Jamal Johnson showed up to offer support.
"To the young men out there we want to let you know we love you. We want you to be around to get as old as I am and you won't be able to do that if you don't so something in reference to the direction you're going that's causing all this havoc in our communities," said Johnson. They say change is going to happen when communities take the lead.
"It's time to make a difference inside the community. We can't keep waiting for help," said McIntosh.
City of Dreams Coalition says there are about 150 organizations to help provide free resources like education, jobs and help with family issues.
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