RushCard and Russell Simmons Launch National Keep the Peace Initiative

CINCINNATI, Aug. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- UniRush, LLC announced today the national launch of RushCard's Keep the Peace initiative, a neighborhood grant program designed to support nonprofit, community based organizations across the country that have developed unique and successful models for reducing youth violence in their neighborhoods. Five grant recipients have been chosen in Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. RushCard's Keep the Peace is a program under #RisetoThrive, RushCard's community outreach initiative.

"Reducing violence among our young people in urban neighborhoods has always been one of my most important focuses," said Russell Simmons, founder of RushCard. "I consider leaders like Erica Ford, the head of LIFE Camp in Queens, NY, and Thomas C. VandenBerk, the CEO of UCAN in Chicago, to be unsung heroes in the cause to bring peace to our neighborhoods. I have witnessed firsthand their tireless work to heal our communities. I am so pleased that RushCard is supporting these initiatives in cities across the country."

The five organizations to receive the grant are A Better LA, Hadiya's Foundation, LIFE Camp, Safe Streets and UCAN. The RushCard grants will help multiply and expand these homegrown, community based models. RushCard's Keep the Peace Task Force identified these organizations as having developed a series of best practices that successfully reduce violence in their neighborhoods. This task force was convened by RushCard and includes prominent leaders and anti-youth-violence activists such as Erica Ford, Founder, LIFE Camp, Mike de La Rocha, Los Angeles Strategic Partnerships Director, Californians for Safety and Justice, Michael Skolnik, Political Director to Russell Simmons, Barrie Markowitz, Chief Marketing Officer, RushCard, and Larry Kopp, President, The TASC Group.

Last week, members of the media joined Russell Simmons and anti-violence activists on the ground in Queens, NY for a program at the juvenile detention facility at Rikers Island and a rally and anti-violence training seminar in Jamaica, Queens. Media will be invited to ongoing events throughout August in Los Angeles, Chicago and Baltimore (events/dates forthcoming). Activities will include peace marches, conflict resolution seminars, youth mentorship programs, CPR and emergency first aid training, visits to local prisons to help reduce gang violence, local youth leadership training sessions and neighborhood emergency intervention initiatives.

"On behalf of our cardholders, employees and Directors, I'd like to thank these organizations for the brave work they are doing to bring peace to our streets," said Rick Savard, CEO and Chairman of RushCard. "We believe that all neighborhoods should enjoy peace, security and safety at all times. It is a privilege to give back to these communities through RushCard's Keep the Peace initiative. We hope these grants will bolster the work of these organizations and make a difference in young people's lives."

"Russell Simmons has always been a blessing to LIFE Camp, Inc.," said Erica Ford, Founder, LIFE Camp, Inc. "It is only with his and RushCard's continual support that we can bring real peace to the lives of our children and families throughout Southeast Queens & New York City. I want to thank both Russell and RushCard for being such dedicated partners not only to LIFE Camp but to the worthwhile organizations that RushCard's Keep the Peace initiative has chosen to assist around the country."

"We are grateful to Russell Simmons and RushCard for supporting UCAN's vision that youth who have suffered trauma can become our future leaders. The grant we received from RushCard will be focused on our multi-pronged programs to bring peace to our neighborhoods," said Thomas C. VandenBerk, CEO of UCAN. "UCAN firmly believes that youth, their families and their communities possess strengths upon which they can build. From that premise evolves the Peace Hub, a comprehensive approach to community support that fosters collaboration among social service providers. The frequency and scope of violence and conflict in our great city makes clear that bringing peace to our neighborhoods is a community effort that requires the participation of nonprofits, clergy, schools, parents, law enforcement and corporate America, which is why it is gratifying that RushCard is supporting us in helping our communities heal." 

For media inquiries, contact Larry Kopp at The TASC Group at 646-723-4344 or [email protected].

About UniRush, LLC
UniRush, LLC, which helped pioneer the prepaid debit card industry with the RushCard, one of the first general purpose reloadable prepaid debit cards in the marketplace, provides members with access to services that enable them to achieve their personal and financial goals. UniRush offers Americans an array of basic financial services via the RushCard. To learn more about the RushCard, visit www.rushcard.com or find us at Facebook.com/Rushcard or on Twitter @RushCard.

About A Better LA
A Better LA promotes community safety and provides support services to marginalized populations across Greater Los Angeles. A Better LA delivers resources to those who engage in crisis & violence intervention and prevention, offers restorative program delivery to individuals, families and neighborhoods and fosters multidisciplinary partnerships for community empowerment. Learn more at http://www.abetterla.org/.

About Hadiya's Promise
Hadiya's Promise is a national, nonprofit organization led by Cleo and Nate Pendleton, parents of 15 year-old Hadiya Pendleton, who on January 29, 2013, was gunned down while in the park with classmates after completing her final exams. Hadiya's Promise is focused on addressing two of the nation's most pressing problems: gun violence and those who are often the perpetrators of gun violence, disaffected youth. Hadiya's Promise is founded on the belief that other like-minded individuals can be inspired to action and are seeking not only smart on crime responses from their elected officials, but the investments necessary for collective action to ensure we lessen the number of disaffected youth at risk of perpetrating or becoming the victims of gun violence. Learn more at http://www.hadiyaspromise.org/.

About LIFE Camp, Inc.
Founded in 2002, LIFE Camp's mission is to promote the value of LIFE, develop teens and adults into peer leaders to avoid becoming perpetrators or victims of violence, provide young people with the tools and resources that promote critical thinking, self-empowerment and personal accountability, build partnerships between public and private sectors to respond collectively, collaboratively and holistically to the issue of youth violence and create a model for reducing violence that will provide stakeholders with the necessary skills and resources to effectively implement positive change within their own communities. Learn more at http://peaceisalifestyle.com/.

About Safe Streets
The Baltimore Health Department funds community-based organizations to implement the Safe Streets model in identified target neighborhoods. Safe Streets emphasizes the delivery of a unified message that violence is no longer acceptable through community organization and public education. Safe Streets also incorporates and emphasizes a strong street outreach component, with outreach workers canvassing neighborhoods and connecting with high-risk youth and young adults during evenings and weekends to diffuse situations and link them to services. Safe Streets is a tool that communities can use to restore the safety of their streets and strengthen community bonds through community mobilization, outreach, public education, faith and criminal justice community involvement. Learn more at http://health.baltimorecity.gov/node/184.

About UCAN
UCAN is a social service organization which works with 12,000 children, youth and families in Illinois each year.  Its mission is to build strong youth and families through compassionate healing, education and empowerment. To this end, UCAN offers a full continuum of services including but not limited to a therapeutic youth home, a therapeutic day school, extensive community and violence prevention programs, support for pregnant or parenting teens, counseling, foster care placement, vocational training and internships for promising former wards of the state. Learn more at http://www.ucanchicago.org/.

Media Contact: Larry Kopp 
The TASC Group
Phone: 646-723-4344 
[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140731/132429

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