Here's how Diversion Hub and LiveFree OKC are putting $2M in DOJ grant funding to work.
Two organizations devoted to interrupting the cycle of violence and diverting Oklahoma City residents away from the local county jail are receiving a $2 million federal grant to expand community violence intervention work in the city.
The grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice and set to run through 2027, will support a larger staff for violence reduction services at LiveFree OKC and more holistic social services at the local Diversion Hub.
LiveFree OKC, a community violence intervention organization co-founded by local rapper Jabee Williams and headquartered at 1740 NE 23, began as a pilot program in the city's Ward 7, home to the city's historically and predominantly Black neighborhoods. It has worked to reduce gun violence by "intervening" in high-risk situations and providing a "PeaceTeam" to facilitate access to mental health support and resources.
Now, with funding from the grant, LiveFree OKC plans to hire additional "PeaceMakers" to help provide de-escalation, mediation and connection with services for individuals and families to address their needs. A grant-funded Community Navigator working for Diversion Hub, currently at 220 NW 10, also will gather community feedback on violence reduction and increase access to the hub's comprehensive services.
"We are so pleased to see this level of funding coming to directly support vulnerable communities in our city," Diversion Hub Executive Director Meagan Taylor said in a statement this week. "In dozens of cities throughout the nation, (community violence intervention) programs like LiveFree OKC have proven that gun violence can be dramatically reduced."
"We look forward to the close partnership this grant supports between Diversion Hub and LiveFree OKC," Taylor continued. "Together, we will make our city a safer place for everyone."
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The grant comes with federal training and technical assistance support, as well as a research partnership meant to inform best practices on effective violence reduction strategies. Staff with LiveFree and Diversion Hub hope the outcomes of the project can drive future investments into ongoing solutions to gang violence and gun deaths in Oklahoma City.
Jess Eddy, deputy director at LiveFree OKC, said the grant funding comes at "an absolutely critical time" as the U.S. grapples with what the country's top health officials have deemed a "public health crisis" in firearm-related deaths nationwide .
"While violent crime continues to trend down here and nationally, gun violence has become, tragically, the leading cause of death among children in the United States, " Eddy said. "We as an organization are committed, personally and professionally, to addressing this public health crisis, and so we are eager to put these resources directly into the work of saving lives."
The grant award also coincides with a whirlwind of emotions in recent weeks for the LiveFree OKC staff, who celebrated the first "Peace Needs" Conference in downtown OKC in late September. The conference drew nationwide experts on violence intervention to the city — including peace activist Diana Oestreich and conscious rapper Chuck D — and Eddy said the first time the "PeaceTeam" found out the organization would be receiving the grant was during the conference.
But tragedy struck when Javier Morales Jr., the oldest son of one of the PeaceMakers, died after a mid-October shooting. Staff at LiveFree said they were heartbroken for the Morales family, recognizing that their colleague had lost his son "to the same gun violence they sought to prevent."
"Words cannot express the extent of our love for the Morales family as it mourns the passing of the bright light and kind young man Lil Javi was in their family and in our community," the organization said in a social media post accompanying an online fundraiser to support his funeral expenses . "Lil Javi was a frequent presence at our office and at community events. We will cherish his memory, celebrate his life, support his family, and carry on in his name."
Diversion Hub, meanwhile, saw the groundbreaking last month for its new 35,575-square-foot, $19 million MAPS 4-budgeted facility . The upcoming building — expected to complete construction in 2026 at 1216 Linwood Blvd. — will serve as the larger and permanent headquarters for the organization as it continues providing comprehensive support services to local residents impacted by the criminal legal system.
The expansive list of Diversion Hub services is expected to include case management, recovery support, behavior health and substance abuse services, civil legal assistance, workforce assistance, emergency basic needs, housing navigation and education support.
"Every person's needs are different," Taylor said after the groundbreaking. "This building expansion will let us provide more clients with assistance reaching positive outcomes and finding a better way forward. The safest community is one where every person has the support they need to build a healthy life."
