WASHINGTON — Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice announced the “Safe Passage, Safe Blocks” Program would be receiving a total of $8.5 million for the fiscal year of 2024.
The goal of the program is to support students living in high-priority areas, to get them to and from school safely.
“Our young people deserve to feel safe and supported, and that includes before, during, and after school. Our Safe Passage, Safe Blocks program is part of our commitment to youth safety,” said Mayor Bowser.
The Safe Passage, Safe Blocks Program will service 48 designated schools and one Metro station within eight priority areas including:
- Anacostia/Good Hope Road
- Columbia Heights
- Congress Heights
- L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station
- Eastern High School
- Minnesota Avenue
- NoMa-Gallaudet U
- Petworth/Brightwood
- Tenleytown
The $8.5 million will go towards four-community based organizations that offer:
- Monitoring student commute routes within the assigned to priority areas.
- Working collaboratively with schools, relevant District agency staff, other Safe Passage teams, and the surrounding community to identify, intervene, diffuse, and report community violence.
- Supporting attendance by encouraging students to attend class daily and on time.
- Positively engaging students, families, businesses, civic associations, institutional facilities, and community members within the priority area to build support for the Safe Passage program.
- Ensuring staff suitability and participation in all training and technical assistance.
- Collecting and analyzing program data to identify trends and ensure proper program implementation.
“This program is critical to fortifying the safety network for our students, ensuring a secure path to education and development." said the Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Lindsey Appiah.
Safe Passage Ambassadors will be stationed throughout the high-priority areas wearing recognizable green vests.
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