Contact:

Barry Johnson

Email: [email protected]

Cell: 609-414-8890

 

End Community Violence Now Hosts Breakfast for Violence Intervention Partners in Wilmington

The breakfast convened partners across government, philanthropy, business, and the community to mobilize around community-driven solutions to violence impacting Delawareans

 

Wilmington, Del. — Monday, September 22 — End Community Violence Now (ECVN) hosted a public–private partnership breakfast with a cross-sector group of stakeholders to strengthen partnerships and mobilize around community-driven solutions to violence impacting Delawareans.

Held at Riverfront Events at the Hyatt Place Wilmington Riverfront, 760 Justison Street, Wilmington, DE 19801, the breakfast convened federal, state, and local elected and appointed officials, alongside leaders in business, philanthropy, and community-based organizations. The gathering created space to align around shared goals, deepen understanding of the ecosystem, and encourage collective investment in public safety and thriving communities.

Notable attendees included Attorney General Kathleen Jennings; Secretary Joshua Bushweller and Deputy Secretary Vaughn Bond of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security; Yvonne Deadwyler, President and CEO of the New Castle County Chamber of Commerce; Elmer Setting, Public Safety Director for New Castle County; and Robert Boik, Senior Vice President of Public Safety for the Civic Committee of Chicago.

“This breakfast was an important opportunity to bring together leaders from every sector to strengthen partnerships and align around community-driven solutions. Advancing public safety requires the integration of public health and community voices, and it depends on cross-sector learning and collaboration. By living up to the promise of a true public–private partnership, we can mobilize our collective resources and relationships to build safer, healthier communities where all Delawareans can thrive.” – Lauren Footman, Executive Director, End Community Violence Now (ECVN)

The morning featured a keynote address from Robert Boik, Senior Vice President of Public Safety for the Civic Committee of Chicago, who shared lessons from Chicago’s collaborative violence reduction efforts, where community, business, philanthropy, and government leaders have come together to drive investment and measurable change.

Key Takeaways

• Cross-sector collaboration is essential. Sustainable solutions require business, philanthropy, government, and community leadership working side by side.
• Community voices must lead. Strategies to reduce violence must be informed and driven by those most directly impacted.
• Investment is critical. Long-term, coordinated funding is necessary to expand and sustain Delaware’s Community Violence Intervention (CVI) ecosystem.
• Public safety is holistic. Addressing violence also means tackling root causes such as housing stability, workforce opportunities, and financial literacy.

“Reducing community violence is a shared responsibility that requires the active partnership of business, philanthropy, government, and community leaders. Events like this breakfast are critical opportunities to learn from one another, align strategies, and collectively invest in solutions that prioritize public safety while addressing the root causes of violence. By working together, we can create lasting change and ensure that all Delawareans have the opportunity to thrive.” – Renata B. Kowalczyk, Chief Executive Officer, Wilmington Alliance

What’s Next
ECVN will host similar public–private partnership events in Kent and Sussex Counties to ensure statewide engagement and alignment.

In addition, ECVN, in collaboration with Delaware State University will co-host Delaware’s first-ever Community Violence Intervention (CVI) Summit on October 14, 2025. The CVI Summit will convene researchers, service providers, policymakers, business and philanthropic leaders, and community advocates for a one-day event focused on sharing strategies, strengthening partnerships, and advancing a collective vision for safer, healthier communities.

How to Get Involved
Community members, partners, and stakeholders can engage in this work by visiting ecvndelaware.org in addition to:

• Investing financially to sustain and grow ECVN’s CVI ecosystem.
• Volunteering or offering pro bono services to strengthen community-based efforts.
• Partnering to address root causes of violence through housing, workforce development, financial literacy, and other supports that build thriving communities.

 

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End Community Violence Now (ECVN) is the state of Delaware’s community-based Office of Violence Prevention. This public-private partnership seeks to break the cycle of violence through coordinated and sustained investments in evidence-based programs. This includes community engagement and education campaigns, policy advocacy, stakeholder strategy, as well as offering technical assistance and grant-making support to local organizations on the ground doing the difficult, but necessary work. ECVN envisions a future where all Delawareans are safe from the rising threat of gun violence.