Led by the DCJS Office of Youth Justice (OYJ), Exodus Transitional Community has been selected as the Lead Agency for Project RISE: a new community-based effort to address the root causes of community violence and provide support in the aftermath of gun violence. The two main goals of Project RISE are: (1) Re/build and sustain a Newburgh that is healthy, equitable, has access to resources, services, and supports for community members to thrive; and (2) Create sustainable reductions in violence by centering community-generated ideas, prioritizing trauma-responsive solutions, and resourcing grassroots organizers. One of the main ways in which we meet this goal is to conduct extensive outreach in the community and to create positive programming as alternatives to violence for the community at large.

Thus, in collaboration with community partners, Exodus will be hosting a Youth Empowerment Basketball Tournament on July 15th for the youth of Newburgh, their families, and the community. The event will be from 12pm-5pm in the park and will be a full day of basketball, food and programming for the community at no cost to them at all. We hope to have food, entertainment and fun. While this is the first Basketball Tournament we have hosted, we are hoping to make it an annual event for Newburgh so that such experiences become routine for the community. It will set the precedent for years to come and will engage the youth in positive outlets that help them put their guns down, invest in their futures, and build a safer Newburgh for all.