LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- With at least 120 homicides reported this year in Louisville, a local nonprofit, No More Red Dots, is working to prevent more lives from being lost. The organization was recently awarded a $100,000 grant from the Everytown Community Safety Fund to support its violence prevention and mentorship programs.
No More Red Dots, which has been active in the city for years, focuses on preventing violence and offering guidance to at-risk youth. While those with the organization said its impact is hard to measure in numbers, mentors believe the program is saving lives.
"There's no quantification for the lives that we do save. How do we quantify who didn't get shot? How do we quantify the many times that we've had conversations with people who are dangerous and they didn't go do that dangerous thing? There's no paper I can put that on. There's no system I can put that in, and that's what I hope happens with this $100,000," said Deshondre Watters, a mentor with No More Red Dot's Operation Hope mentorship program.
Watters has been involved with the organization since he was 10. No More Red Dots has had different names over the years, but the mission to prevent violence has remained. Now an adult, Watters is giving back by helping mentor young people.
"The better we are on the front end, the less work we have on the back end, and the more lives we save," he said.
As Louisville faces another year of triple digit homicides, Watters believes without organizations like No More Red Dots, the number of deaths would be even higher.
"I know for a fact that some of those lives saved are attributed to No More Red Dots," he said.
The grant from the Everytown Community Safety Fund will also provide the organization with access to training and conferences with other groups working toward similar goals.
Dr. Eddie Woods, the CEO of No More Red Dots, said this funding is crucial for continuing their mission. He said it will be used to help with a variety of programming, but particularly, the mentorship aspect.
"Any organization that is doing this work, they're saving somebody," Woods said.
No More Red Dots primarily works with young people aged 13 to 25, offering mentorship, guidance, and tools for preventing violence. The organization's approach involves daily interaction with youth and helping them make better decisions before resorting to violence.
"If they're calling you before they make a decision, then you're winning," Woods added.
The organization remains committed to reducing violence and preventing more lives lost on the city's homicide map.
To find out more about No More Red Dots, click here.
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