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communities safer through more investments in violence intervention and prevention programs
like the ones offered by
Bench Mark for local youth.
supporting law enforcement, addressing the root causes and funding community-based
solutions like the Bench Mark Program,” said Lt. Gov. Davis, who chairs the Pennsylvania
Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). “We also must support victims and survivors,
to help them heal from their trauma and repair our communities. The bipartisan state budget
does all of that and more.”
Last week Gov. Josh Shapiro signed the 2024-25 state budget, which:
• Invests $45 million in proven community-based programs to reduce violence through
PCCD, including doubling state funding for the successful Violence Intervention and
Prevention (VIP) program with a $5 million increase, which supports a wide range of
models focused on reducing community violence and relies on community groups that are most in tune with specific local needs;
• Invests $11.5 million to create a statewide Building Opportunity through Out of SchoolTime (BOOST) program through PCCD, which will aim to reduce community violence by
providing more afterschool learning opportunities for young people;
• Includes a $5 million increase for the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund at PCCD, which
provides resources for places of worship, community centers, and other entities to equip
themselves with security measures;
• Increases funding for domestic violence services by an additional $2.5 million through
the PA Department of Human Services (DHS).
The bipartisan budget also includes an infusion of $5 million in state dollars into the Crime
Victims Compensation Fund, which PCCD administers. Over the past five years, PCCD has
paid more than 76,000 claims totaling more than $65 million in eligible expenses.
“Our kids deserve to grow up and grow old, but far too often, their lives are taken from us by
guns and gun violence,” said state Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El. “Our Commonwealth takesthese critical actions to stop the flow of guns into our community and increase programming for
young people not only for prevention, but for the potential our young people have to thrive in a
world without violence, without firearms.
“The PCCD, under the Lieutenant Governor’s leadership, engages with local nonprofits like
Bench Mark as a partner, delivering over $600,000 in much-needed resources and support toour young people to see who they become when the Commonwealth invests in them.”
While homicides declined by 17 percent in Pennsylvania between 2022 and 2023, they
increased by 50 percent in Lancaster County during that same timeframe. Youth gun
involvement and gun violence is a particular and growing concern in Lancaster County.
“As a nurse and former health care executive, I’ve seen the increased impact that guns and gun
violence has had on youth injuries and death rates — let alone the mental health toll it takes on
families and communities,” said Lancaster County Commissioner Alice Yoder. “We need to
avoid future costs in the criminal justice system, reduce demand on services and improve public
safety.”
Lancaster, our officers are getting illegal guns off the street, and community organizations like
Bench Mark are leaning into youth engagement in new ways. I am pleased the Shapiro-Davs
Administration and PCCD are equipping Lancaster with more tools to keep our community safe.
Curbing gun violence must be an all-hands-on-deck effort.”
Founded in 2014, Bench Mark Program began by offering free personal training to “at-risk”
youth identified by local high schools and community partners, using weightlifting to build trust
and teach the value of goal setting and hard work. As participation grew over the years, Bench
Mark expanded its services to focus on youth/student leadership development, with participating
youth eventually becoming peer mentors themselves
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