Leer en español.

The Trace’s Philly-centric community engagement project for people affected by gun violence, Up the Block, officially launches today, June 21. We invite you to visit and share the new Up the Block website, offered in both English and Spanish. Philadelphians who have experienced gun violence in any way can search for resources in their own neighborhoods and filter by the type of help they need, from victims compensation to post-incarceration resources to mental health support and more.

Up the Block now includes organizations focused on supporting people affected by gun violence and incarceration. Soon, the guide will expand to include resources geared toward helping kids, teens, and young adults find after-school activities and safe community spaces. Later this year, there will be additional information on how to hold local leaders accountable for taking action on gun violence prevention. 

As a proud Philadelphian, this project is close to my heart, and I am beyond excited to finally share the site with you. My hope is that it will be widely shared, so that we can reach as many people as possible in communities that need these resources. We also hope to start a collaborative relationship with people who visit the site: Philadelphians will be able to suggest organizations that should be included and sign up for email updates. This project was born out of community listening and collaboration with local publications and organizations, and its future will be shaped the same way, by asking the people in the community what they need and working to fill those gaps. To read more about how Up the Block came to be, see our introduction post here.

Philly, this project is for you, built with your questions and concerns in mind. I want to hear from you about what you need and where you think we have the best chance of reaching the people who most need these resources — whether that’s community fridges, church bulletin boards, the public library, or TikTok. To share feedback on Up the Block, email me at [email protected]. If you aren’t a Philadelphian, but you still want to help us spread the word, please email me, follow and DM the project’s Instagram account at @uptheblockphl, or sign up for email updates using this form.