Governor Shapiro to visit Philadelphia youth program supported by state violence prevention grants

Governor Josh Shapiro is scheduled to visit the Community Education Center in Philadelphia on August 1, 2025. He will be joined by Representative Amen Brown and local community leaders to meet with young people and teachers involved in Beyond the Bars, a program that uses music education as a way to address cycles of violence among youth.

The event highlights the impact of increased funding for the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD)'s Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) program. The additional support has allowed Beyond the Bars to expand its services and reach more young people in Pennsylvania.

Grants from the VIP program have played a role in reducing gun violence in Philadelphia. The city experienced one of the largest decreases in gun violence among major U.S. cities last year, according to early 2024 data https://www.americanprogress.org/article/early-2024-data-show-promising-signs-of-another-historic-decline-in-gun-violence/.

The visit will include Governor Shapiro, Representative Amen Brown of the 10th Legislative District, Matt Kerr who serves as Executive Director of Beyond the Bars, and Isaiah Robinson, Student Teacher Lead & Lead Facilitator for Beyond the Bars.

The event will take place at 11:00 AM at 3500 Lancaster Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19104. A live stream will be available at pacast.com/live/gov and governor.pa.gov/live/. Members of the press interested in attending are required to RSVP with their team details.