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$500,000 grant to help Gainesville curb regional gun violence, focus on tech hubs

Alachua County Library at East Community Center, displaying a "Safe Place" sign at the entrance. (WUFT News/Oriana Torre)
Alachua County Library at East Community Center, displaying a "Safe Place" sign at the entrance. (WUFT News/Oriana Torre)

Gainesville’s mayor addressed gun violence prevention in his State of the City address on Wednesday, as part of a collaborative initiative with Alachua County to allocate a $500,000 grant toward preventative programs, including the creation of technology hubs.

These hubs, designed as mobile technology carts equipped with up to 18 laptops each, will provide youth and families with essential digital resources, such as homework assistance, tutoring and access to community programs, according to the funding proposal.

In 2023, the Gainesville City Commission declared gun violence a public health crisis. Since then, a coalition of local institutions, including Impact GNV, the city’s newest gun violence prevention program, has been working to reduce incidents.

“Since last May, more than eight months ago, there has not been a single gun related homicide reported to the City of Gainesville,” Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward said at the State of the City address.

The tech initiative will focus on placing the hubs in community centers located in areas with high rates of gun violence.

“Safety also was one of our strategic goals. It just seemed like it was a no-brainer for the trust to invest,” said Marsha Kiner, executive director of the Children’s Trust of Alachua County.

According to the 2024 Alachua County Community Health Assessment, roughly 20% of respondents do not have internet service. The top reasons cited include poor reception or service where they live (8.8%), affordability (5.81%) and lack of access to a personal computer (5.54%).

The Children’s Trust of Alachua County joined the alliance, formed by the City of Gainesville, Alachua County and Santa Fe College, last year to support children and youth in building safer communities.

But beyond funding technology hubs, the grant will also support two additional youth steering committees in Alachua County municipalities. These committees engage young people in discussions on gun violence prevention, serving as platforms for dialogue and problem-solving around the topic.

Jayla Harper, 21, a University of Florida psychology student and member of the Youth Steering Committee, was among the first participants brought together to address youth gun violence.

“ I've lost friends to gun violence, not only guns, but just violence period. And so I've been in situations where I've almost been a victim of gun violence,” Harper said.

She said the additional funding would create more opportunities for children, helping them shift their focus away from guns and violence while exposing them to new experiences beyond what’s around them.

In August 2024, the committee presented a report to the city with recommendations on addressing youth gun violence, emphasizing the importance of arts and well-being activities as key solutions.

“ But knowing that it's not only in my backyard it’s in my house and it could be me, and it's someone right now. It makes me want to do something” Harper said.

The mayor highlighted the significance of youth involvement during his State of the City address, also recognizing the role of departments such as Gainesville Fire Rescue, which has led many of these programs.

Brandy Stone, director of community health initiatives with GFR, is one of the key leaders overseeing the utilization of this funding.

“We're looking forward to funding laptop hubs that can be implemented into community centers so that youth and their families can have access to computer programs, their schoolwork, job applications. A variety of things to support their well-being,” Stone said.

The hubs are expected to be established in the second quarter of the year.

One pilot hub was previously tried in one community with forfeiture funds from the Gainesville Police Department. However, the new funding will allow the program to expand significantly, establishing seven technology hubs across Alachua County, Stone said.

The locations for the technology hubs are still being determined. Data will help identify the areas most affected by gun violence, ensuring the carts are placed in centers with existing or potential relevant programs, Stone said.

Oriana is a reporter for WUFT News who can be reached by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.