La Salle University Alumna Leads Fight Against Gun Violence in Northwest Philly

NW Philly TAP brings together local organizations and funders to create community-driven solutions to reduce violence and strengthen neighborhoods.

In October 2023, Siani Butler, ‘22, MBA ‘23, community program developer for The Nonprofit Center at La Salle University, launched the Northwest Philly Technical Assistance Program (NW Philly TAP) with one clear goal: to help local organizations fight gun violence in Northwest Philadelphia. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the program, in collaboration with The Nonprofit Center at La Salle University and the Penn Injury Science Center, offers essential resources, consulting, and support to community-based organizations. By empowering these groups with tools to improve their anti-violence work, NW Philly TAP helps them collaborate and find better ways to serve their communities. This program is directly making an impact on how organizations address gun violence in the area and build stronger, sustainable partnerships for the future.

Eleven organizations were selected to take part, including Men Who Care of Germantown, EMIR Healing Center, Tioga United, and others. These organizations received free consulting services, technical support, and a $2,000 stipend for participating. What set this program apart was its emphasis on co-design—where the organizations themselves helped decide the topics of the workshops they needed.

Workshops were led by La Salle faculty like Ro Washington, director of partnerships at The Nonprofit Center at La Salle, Director of Student Support and Equity and Instructor, Master of Public Health Program Serita Reels, Ed.D, MPH, MCHES, Ph.D. Caitlyn Taylor, associate professor in the Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice and Ph.D. Kara Wentworth the executive director of the Nonprofit Center at La Salle University. The sessions were customized to meet the challenges these organizations face. This collaborative approach not only made the workshops more relevant but also built a network of mutual support among the participants.

NW Philly TAP helps community groups collaborate and find better ways to serve their communities.

In June 2024, the first major milestone was a mixer at La Salle’s Founders’ Hall, where the participating organizations met with local funders and government representatives. The goal was simple: to build connections that could lead to real collaboration in addressing gun violence. The success of that event led to a call for a second mixer with more participants and funders.

“I joined the project in August, and my first task was to organize that second mixer, which took place on September 19 at Belfield Recreation Center,” Ivy-yon Jackson, ’24, said. “It brought together community organizations, funders, and stakeholders like the Office of Safe Neighborhoods, the Pennsylvania Senate, and The Young Artist Program.”

The September mixer was designed to get nonprofit leaders and funders talking, exchanging ideas, and planning how to work together to tackle gun violence. Activities included an icebreaker to kickstart conversations about nonprofit work, followed by an organization mapping exercise that explored the causes of gun violence and what is being done to address them. The final activity focused on collaboration, with participants brainstorming in small groups on how to combine their resources and skills. By the end of the event, the groups had produced actionable steps and clear ways The Nonprofit Center could continue to support them in their mission. Over the next two months, the program will be evaluated in two parts, and starting October 16, the organizations will receive an extra 15 hours of consulting from a La Salle master of public health student to strengthen their efforts even more.

“We’re creating real pathways for these organizations to not only strengthen their individual missions but to collaborate on sustainable, community-driven solutions to gun violence,” said Washington, “This work is crucial for the future of our neighborhoods.”

– Rafiga Imanova, MBA ‘ 25

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