Get Connected to Our Work!

Get Connected work includes Gun Violence Prevention and Re-entry! According to the IDHS Office of Firearm Violence Prevention. Firearm violence is a multifaceted challenge that requires a public health approach to stop the cycles of violence in disproportionately impacted communities. The Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP) was created as a result of the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA) (430 ILCS 69), which was passed by the Illinois General Assembly in 2021. The RPSA is a comprehensive approach to violence prevention in response to the State of Illinois' heightened experience of loss, harm, and trauma by the hands of firearm violence. IDHS Site

Get Connected received a $400,000 grant in the first 6 months of programming to the city aimed at stopping the cycle of violence that leads to numerous shootings. The inmate re-entry organization Get Connected 815 received the award January 2023 for FY24 and was awarded an additional $600+ for 12 months. While Get Connected sustained the funding for 12 months they were also awarded a continuation that will help continue the hard work for FY25 thru December 2024.

The Get Connected Gun Violence Prevention work is funded through the Illinois Department of Human Services “Greater Illinois Re-Imagine Violence Prevention Services” grant. Get Connected 815 is a non-profit organization that says its mission is to “merge formerly incarcerated adults as well as their families back into the community.”

The inmate re-entry organization was founded November 12th, 2019 and has since late 2022 expanded it's office to address Gun Violence Prevention on a bigger scale. 


Get Connected Apparel is being created with men, women, and youth in mind. Please be patient with us as we build out our clothing line for the public to view. Victims and families impacted by Gun Violence & Reentry individuals can take advantage of Get Connected Apparel within the First Response care packages provided to those who have been recently impacted.

In the meantime check out the Walmart Registry link at the Top of our Home Page and purchase something for a victim for delivery. The items ship straight to our office for distribution to those in need of everyday necessities while working through the recent traumas of Gun Violence!