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CBS News
6 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Detroit crime reduction groups losing federal grant money
As community organizations across the country are seeing significant cuts to their federal funding, one Detroit group is bracing for impact and the potential loss of resources. In April, the U.S. Department of Justice's Office for Justice Programs cut about $500 million in funds nationwide, with Michigan agencies statewide losing nearly $6.8 million. "That's a significant cut for us. We use those fundings for our staff, the individuals who go out into the community and put their lives on the line on a daily basis," said Ciera Renee, Director of Programs for FORCE Detroit. One nonprofit affected, FORCE Detroit, is a local organization that supports at-risk youth and offers workforce development and other forms of support to people and communities impacted by violence. "A big hit that we've taken is just in the uncertainty that our staff have now, as far as, like, what does that mean for them tomorrow? Is their job going to be available for them tomorrow?" said Renee. It's work that relies on resources, like securing food, shelter and mental health support, which leads to significant strides in crime reduction. In response to the move, FORCE Detroit will head to Lansing on June 12 as part of Community Violence Intervention Day to lobby state lawmakers for support. "We've got some data that shows that we have actually reduced crime; we've saved the city $33.1 million just by reducing those crimes," said Renee. Maurice Hardwick knows the power of that work firsthand. Known as "Pastor Mo," he says FORCE Detroit and other groups like it play a key role in not only stopping what he calls the "birth" of violence in a neighborhood but also leaving the tools to keep it from growing. "You have to have people to go in the community that come from it, that understand it, that's not scared, number one, and have the respect to get in there to deal with that. If you remove that, you're saying, 'Go ahead and have a free-for-all,'" said Hardwick, creator of the Live in Peace Movement. Organizers say these funding cuts could lead to lasting and potentially irreparable damage to the community. "Lives are at risk. When funding goes away for community violence intervention, people could die," said Renee.
CBS News
22-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Metro Detroit nonprofit awaits impact of spending bill cuts
After an 11th-hour vote ahead of Speaker Mike Johnson's Memorial Day deadline, House Republicans narrowly passed the Trump administration's sweeping tax and spending cuts package, paving the way for the elimination of nearly $880 billion from energy and health care programs over the next 10 years. "We were devastated. Like, the bare minimum of this is that what we do saves lives," said Ciera Renee, Director of Programs for FORCE Detroit. Renee is the director of programs for FORCE Detroit, a nonprofit organization that supports at-risk youth and offers workforce development and other forms of support to people and communities impacted by violence. Last fall, FORCE Detroit was awarded $2 million to fund and support its work through 2027, but in April, it found out almost all of it is now gone. "This evidence-based work that we do has literally saved our taxpayers $31.3 million, so if you just think about it in terms of the math, doesn't math," said Renee. Renee says much of the funding goes to paying employees — the ones she says are responsible for running some of their most successful outreach initiatives. "The individuals that we are out here doing the ground, boots-on-the-ground doing the work, we no longer have opportunities to allow them to do this work," said Renee. In response to the move, FORCE Detroit has partnered with four other nonprofit organizations in Boston, New York, San Francisco and Seattle to file a class-action lawsuit to stop the Trump administration's actions. "It's tough work, right? It's also not even fair to ask someone to do the work for free, because it is lifesaving work," said Renee. Now, Renee says her team is focused on ensuring their community doesn't feel the strain and will try to provide as much support as long as possible. "This is a nonpartisan issue. This is not a racial issue. This is about literally saving lives, so the impact of that will not just be felt localized — it'll be felt throughout," said Renee.
