United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

U.S. CONGRESSMAN PETE SESSIONS JOINS U.S. ATTORNEY RICHARD ROPER
TO PRESENT MORE THAN $65,000 TO PROMISE HOUSE IN DALLAS
AS PART OF ANTI-GANG GRANT

DALLAS — At a ceremony this morning at Promise House in Dallas, U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions, of the 32nd District of Texas, joined by U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas, presented a check representing a $65,462.48 grant award to Promise House as part of the Department of Justice’s Anti-Gang Initiative. Founded in 1984, Promise House is a non-profit agency serving primarily homeless and at-risk teens and their families. Its mission is to stabilize and offer hope to youth and families in crisis through emergency shelter, crisis intervention, counseling, transitional living, street outreach and education.

Congressman Sessions said, “Like many communities across our nation, Dallas has seen gang violence threaten the safety of our neighborhoods and prey on the future of teens and families. This grant funding will enable Promise House of Dallas to further advance their mission of empowering teens and families to overcome crisis and lead dynamic, accomplished lives.”

U.S. Attorney Roper said, “I was proud to support Promise House in their grant application and am thrilled that the Department of Justice awarded these funds to them to assist in their at-risk youth programs.” Roper continued, “An important part of the Department’s Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative devotes extensive resources to support communities’ efforts to reduce youth-gang crime and violence by addressing the full range of personal, family and community factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency and gang activity.” Roper continued, “Promise House has an outstanding record in working with at-risk youths to provide them brighter tomorrows — I’m confident that this additional funding will provide even more brighter tomorrows — tomorrows free of a life of gang activity — for more youths in our community.”

Dr. Harriet Boorhem, Executive Director of Promise House, said, “Promise House is thrilled and excited to be the recipient of this grant, so we may continue to enhance the lives of the teens we serve by teaching them needed skills aimed at avoiding involvement in gang activities.”

The Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative complements existing Department of Justice programs to combat gangs and reduce gun-related crime throughout the country. Those programsinclude the Violent Crime Impact Teams, Safe Streets Task Forces, and the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, under which the number of federal firearms prosecutions has more than doubled in the past six years, compared to the six years prior to PSN’s implementation. Since 2001, the Department of Justice has allocated over $1.6 billion to PSN to combat violent crime at the federal, state and local levels.

For more information on the Department of Justice’s Anti-Gang Initiatives, visit http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/programs/antigang/

Visit www.promisehouse.org for more information on Promise House.

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