It takes a village
The Village Lansing
Combating gun violence through prevention efforts, intervention with those at risk, and supporting those affected.
Our Story
In the Fall of 2019, a shooting at Ferris Park left a 17 year old dead and 2 others wounded. He was the 5th victim of gun violence that year, and many in our community seemed ready to do something. Our co-founder Michael Lynn Jr., put a call out to influential and involved individuals in our community to sit down and figure out how we could collectively make an impact. This is how The Village Lansing was born.
We began by holding Fellowship BBQ’s in the park, we’d pull up to each side of town with a grill, food, music, and invite the whole neighborhood to fellowship with us. More importantly we talked to the community, we asked what they were concerned about, what issues they were facing, and the barriers involved. Most importantly, we began building the foundation of our organization centered on our communities’ needs.
In 2020 we opened our physical space to provide our programs and services in, to hold workshops, community meetings, to fellowship, and to be a safe, supportive, uplifting, empowering, resource filled space for our youth and our community. We began to create programs and services that filled gaps in our community and that were committed to taking a harm reduction and holistic approach to addressing violence.
Who We Are
How We Do It
Who We Are
We are all of you! We are simply people that care about the youth in our city. We want to see the communities within Lansing thrive. We want to stop feeling helpless knowing so many kids and families are falling through the cracks, so we decided to take control and start doing what we can, where we can, however we can.
What We Do
How We Do It
Who We Are
Our programs and services focus on youth in middle and high school, young adults ages 18-25, and their families. We prioritize those that have already made mistakes, have largely fallen through the cracks and most have given up on, the ones that have been left behind. We stand in the gap with them, building trust and establishing a found
Our programs and services focus on youth in middle and high school, young adults ages 18-25, and their families. We prioritize those that have already made mistakes, have largely fallen through the cracks and most have given up on, the ones that have been left behind. We stand in the gap with them, building trust and establishing a foundation that allows mentorship and resources directed at changing the trajectory of their current path. We also serve as a resource hub for information on programs and resources. We will figure out how to help!
How We Do It
How We Do It
How We Do It
We hold organized outreach events to strengthen our relationships within our communities which also serve as a way to distribute donated items. We also partner with existing organizations and resources to get local resources to those that need them. We make ourselves available to directly meet a need or facilitate a way to. Our resource c
We hold organized outreach events to strengthen our relationships within our communities which also serve as a way to distribute donated items. We also partner with existing organizations and resources to get local resources to those that need them. We make ourselves available to directly meet a need or facilitate a way to. Our resource center is located on the south side of Lansing and is a beautiful, safe, supportive, and empowering space for the people that we serve to call their own.