Archived News 2026

  • May 18, 2026

    Recognizing sustained commitment to systemic change

    Boston’s Goulston & Storrs was recently honored by the organization Roca at its annual fundraiser breakfast.

  • May 7, 2026

    A Contagious Peace: Behind Baltimore’s Historic Homicide Reduction

    Baltimore cut its homicide rate by 60% from 2021 to 2025—largely through a public health approach to gun violence.

     

  • May 1, 2026

    Baltimore leaders tout crime reduction with April seeing lowest homicide total since at least 1970

    Baltimore City hit a major milestone throughout the month of April, with four homicides marking the lowest monthly total since at least 1970. City leaders attributed the progress to targeted violence reduction strategies and community-driven initiatives.

  • April 30, 2026

    5 for Good: Roca helps young mother reunite with her sons

    On a windy day in Chelsea, Aliana Colon attempted to play paddleball with her two young sons, Xzavier and Kaiden. The ball was blown off course after every hit, but the bit of chaos was met with joy. The trio was happy to be together after years of living apart.

  • April 28, 2026

    The city invested in community violence interrupters to reduce crime. Now it’s training them, too.

    Philadelphia’s Office of Public Safety launched the Peacekeepers Institute this month to train outreach workers and unify the city’s patchwork of grassroots antiviolence groups.

  • April 23, 2026

    Philadelphia unites violence interrupters through new peacekeepers institute

    When 20-year-old Imani Ringgold was gunned down while walking along the 5900 block of Market Street, pizza in hand and talking on the phone with her grandmother, community violence intervention workers were there. When 13-year-old Amir Akers and a friend were caught in crossfire on a basketball court in West Oak Lane, they were there, too, offering support, resources and a listening ear in moments of crisis. Those same frontline organizations are now being brought together through a new city-backed initiative aimed at strengthening Philadelphia’s response to gun violence.

  • April 22, 2026

    Philly ‘Peacekeepers’ to get unique professional development in new program

    The 8-week program will help invest in programs that help prevent community violence throughout the city.

  • April 13, 2026

    Roca Baltimore receives a $1 million federal grant to help young men at risk of violence change paths

    A $1 million federal grant from Congressman Kweisi Mfume is coming to Roca Baltimore, a program working with young men most at risk of violence.

  • April 13, 2026

    Roca to add 400 Baltimore-area clients after $1M federal grant

    Before presenting Roca with $1,031,000 in appropriated federal funding to bolster its already proven violence reduction methods, U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume told the young men in the Roca program his story of struggling as a young man who fell into a lifestyle of crime in West Baltimore.

  • April 8, 2026

    Roca Chelsea Hosts Job Fair, Connecting Employer Partners with Young People

    On Wednesday, March 25, Roca Chelsea hosted a Transitional Employment Program (TEP) Job Fair at its Chelsea site, bringing together motivated young people and a broad network of employer partners, staffing agencies, and workforce organizations. The event offered Roca participants a direct pathway to employment opportunities across industries including construction, transportation, environmental services, and more—sectors that have seen some of the fastest job growth in Massachusetts.

  • April 6, 2026

    Anti-Gun Violence Groups Host CT Senator For Prevention Roundtable

    HARTFORD, CT — The efforts to combat gun violence in Connecticut is hampered primarily by a shortage of reliable, multi-year funding, a panel of advocates and community violence intervention leaders told U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal recently. Blumenthal and representatives from CVI groups held a roundtable discussion on the issue at Roca Hartford, a nonprofit agency that works to engage young people, police and the community to disrupt the cycle of violence.

  • March 12, 2026

    Chelsea City Manager and Revere Mayor Join Roca to Celebrate TEP Partners

    On Wednesday, March 4, Roca Chelsea hosted a special event at its Chelsea site recognizing its Transitional Employment Program (TEP) partners and honoring eight graduates of a Green Jobs Training Program, developed in partnership with WIN Waste Innovations. The graduates hailed from across Boston, Chelsea, Lynn, and Everett. The celebration drew municipal leaders, employer partners, and community members to recognize the transformative power of workforce development paired with trauma-informed support.

  • January 23, 2026

    How well is CT meeting the needs of incarcerated young women?

    More than two years ago, on the heels of allegations of abuse and neglect at a girls’ group home, the Connecticut legislature instructed a group of experts to study services available for girls involved with the juvenile justice system. Now, recent data from the state Judicial Branch has renewed questions about the availability and effectiveness of programs designed to meet the unique challenges young women face in incarceration.