In 2017, eight community-based organizations came together to help heal Chicago’s neighborhoods experiencing the highest levels of gun violence. A decade later, those efforts have expanded to include 15 organizations serving 29 communities, all in on the mission of building a safer, stronger Chicago.
This partnership is Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P), convened by Metropolitan Peace Initiatives (MPI) of Metropolitan Family Services.
Working collaboratively, we are approaching 10 years of reimagining what public safety can look like when there is collective buy-in on community-led solutions.
Together we’ve found that direct services such as street outreach, behavioral health, case management, legal aid, youth interventions and more can make all the difference in transforming an individual’s life.
“CP4P is an invaluable component in the public safety ecosystem, and Metropolitan is proud to support its continued growth as we drive down violence in Chicago,” says Vaughn Bryant, Executive Director of MPI.
“Our partners have dedicated themselves to saving lives and building promising futures. These last 10 years have laid the foundation for a long-term strategy that we hope will benefit generations to come.”
Over the last decade, our impact through CP4P and its work have proven to be effective in reaching the right people. A 2023 report from Northwestern University’s Center for Neighborhood Engaged Research and Science (CORNERS) found that from July 2017 to December 2021, CP4P potentially prevented 383 fatal and non-fatal shootings and 605 arrests for violent crime.
More recently, in 2025, Chicago closed out the year with the lowest number of homicides since 1965. While one life lost is one too many, the efforts across our collaborative have had profound effects in keeping Chicago communities safe.
One vital piece within the network is the Metropolitan Peace Academy (MPA). The Academy is the premier training facility for Community Violence Intervention (CVI) professionals in Chicago. Operating since 2018 at sites across the city, and later within its own facility in 2023, the Academy gives instruction on street outreach, case management, victim advocacy, management and more. The knowledge gained is taken back to the CP4P partner organizations around Chicago, and communities continue to heal.
“At the Metropolitan Peace Academy, we’re changing lives every single day,” says Dr. Vanessa Perry DeReef, Chief Training Officer. “By providing alternative pathways and opportunities to the men and women who do this work, we’re seeing a more peaceful Chicago take shape.”
Jaron Washington, a Field Manager at MPI, is among the count of more than 800 graduates who have passed through the Academy. He says the work of CP4P is essential because it helps eliminate organizations from working in silos, encourages cross-collaboration in sharing resources, and allows CVI professionals to get a better pulse on what’s happening in their communities.
Washington credits Metropolitan’s work for changing his outlook on life.
“CP4P and CVI have helped transform my life by changing my mind frame. It’s helped me become professional and to be the change that I want to see,” Washington says. “It’s also allowed me to be a motivating factor in our communities by inspiring change. CP4P shows that it takes all hands-on deck to truly be a difference in our communities.”
