GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The city of Grand Rapids is looking for “bold ideas” to help curb gun violence.
The Safe Alliances for Everyone Task Force, which is run by the city, will be soliciting pitches from individuals and organizations through Oct. 23. Proposals must seek to reduce gun violence, focus on young people ages 12 to 24 and take place between March and September 2026.
Police: Teen shot, killed in southeast Grand Rapids
Those selected by SAFE will get five minutes to make their pitch at SAFE’s next Pitch and Highlight Night on Oct. 28 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Pilgrim Rest Church on M.L.K. Jr. Street SE.
“The upcoming Pitch and Highlight Night is a catalyst,” Asante Cain, a staff liaison, said in a statement. “We know that the most effective solutions to address violence in Grand Rapids often come directly from our neighborhoods. The SAFE Task Force is committed to funding and elevating these homegrown strategies, turning community vision into real-world impact that helps build safer, stronger, and more vibrant neighborhoods.”
Police: 1 listed in critical condition after Wyoming shooting
The pitch contest comes on the heels of several instances of gun violence, including the killing of 17-year-old Niles Murray who was shot while attending a memorial for Amillier Penn, a 15-year-old shot dead in 2024…