Baltimore Nonprofit to Run $1 Million Violence Interruption Program in Brooklyn Park

The Anne Arundel County Department of Health has selected City of Refuge Baltimore to run a new violence interruption program in Brooklyn Park (the County's third site to use the Cure Violence model).

The County budgeted $1,028,800 for the program over the two years, as per its request for applications: $528,800 for FY2027 and $500,000 for FY2028. The grant period is from 1st October 2026 to 1st October 2028.

Brooklyn Park had 3 gun homicides and 175 other gun-related incidents (assaults, robberies, threats) from 2021 to 2025, according to the Health Department. 60% of the gun homicide victims were Black males, and 10% of the victims were under 18.

How the program works

The program is based on the Cure Violence Global model, which treats violence as a public health issue that spreads through communities. The workers are out there in the community, intervening in conflicts before they escalate to violence, working with the people most at risk of shooting or being shot, and linking them to services as per the County.

The County's application called for at least 5 staff at the rate of $45k to $68k. Staff will be trained before starting work in Brooklyn Park, and the County and the City of Refuge will provide performance measures once the program is up and running, according to Eye On Annapolis.

The County has not yet announced a start date for that work."Violence is not just a crime issue, it's a public health issue and we need to be proactive about it," said Dr. Tonii Gedin, County Health Officer, as reported by Eye On Annapolis. Billy Humphrey, founder and CEO of the City of Refuge, said the organization was "honored to be leading the Violence Interruption Program in Brooklyn Park".

How it was funded and chosen

The County Executive's Office applied for and received earmark funding for one violence interruption site in the northern part of the County (per the application).

That site is described on the Health Department's website as being funded by federal earmarks. A panel of county officials, Health Department staff, Cure Violence Global reps, and Brooklyn Park residents reviewed the proposals. Cure Violence Global had assessed Glen Burnie and Brooklyn Park in 2024 and recommended both for the program, per the department.

Earlier sites

The County launched its first Cure Violence site in Eastport in 2024 (run by Kingdom Kare Inc.). A second site in Severn moved from the previous program into the Cure Violence model (also run by Kingdom Kare Inc.) according to the Health Department.

Cure Violence has reduced shootings in some cities (by as much as 44% in certain areas of Baltimore according to the department's website). The figures are only for areas where the model has been implemented, and the County has not released the data for Brooklyn Park as the program hasn't yet commenced there. The Arundel Post has not yet approached the Health Department or the City of Refuge for comment.