ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Five years after Daniel Prude’s death, the Rochester community is coming together to launch a new crisis response initiative.
HOPE (Healing Outreach and Peer Engagement) First Roc is a peer-led, non-police crisis response program. Organizers say the program brings trained peer responders to offer voluntary, trauma-informed support during moments of crisis. Starting this fall, community responders will be providing responses to the 19th Ward and Genesee-Jefferson neighborhoods.
About HOPE First Roc
HOPE First Roc was created in response to calls for alternatives to police, made more urgent following the death of Prude in 2020. The project aims to honor Prude while building new possibilities for safety and healing.
The initiative is supported by the Daniel’s Law Coalition and Free The People Rochester, and is inspired by other peer-led crisis models like Support Team Assisted Responder (STAR) in Denver, Colorado.
How to get involved
HOPE First Roc is building a team of community responders and support staff…