The Everytown Community Safety Fund, a program of the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, has awarded a $100,000 grant over two years to support the Turning the Tide Violence Intervention Program at the Medical University of South Carolina. The funding will help sustain the program’s hospital-based approach to violence intervention in Charleston.
Turning the Tide works with patients injured by violence at MUSC Health, providing bedside support, referrals, wraparound services and long-term follow-up for individuals and families at heightened risk.
“We’re proud to reinvest in MUSC’s Turning the Tide program, whose hospital-based approach has proven effective at preventing re-injury and breaking cycles of violence,” said Michael-Sean Spence, managing director of Community Safety Initiatives at Everytown and creator of the Community Safety Fund. “It’s critical that hospital-based programs like Turning the Tide can continue their essential, life-saving work.”
Christa Green, program director for Turning the Tide, said the grant will help ensure consistent support for victims and their loved ones. “Our team meets survivors at their most vulnerable moments and walks alongside them through recovery,” she said. “This grant ensures that Charleston families will continue to receive the care and support they need.”
The award comes as the U.S. Department of Justice has cut funding for public safety grants, putting pressure on community organizations that rely on those dollars. At the same time, cities investing in community violence intervention programs have seen gun homicides decline, including Charleston. Research has shown that community-level violence prevention efforts can contribute to reductions in crime.
Since its launch in 2019, the Everytown Community Safety Fund has provided more than $15.7 million in grants to 142 violence intervention organizations across 72 U.S. cities, along with technical assistance and capacity-building support. This year, Everytown is awarding $2.67 million nationwide, including renewed funding for long-standing partners such as Turning the Tide.