The Community Place- Media Room

Families and Friends of Murdered Children and Victims of Violence to Partner with The Community Place

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (February 9, 2007)- Families and Friends of Murdered Children and Victims of Violence (FFMCVV), a grass-roots organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families who have lost a loved one to homicide or other act of violence, has partnered with The Community Place of Greater Rochester, Inc. (CPGR). CPGR will provide administrative support and management of daily programming to reduce duplicative costs and increase capacity. The relationship will also allow FFMCVV to remain operational in the face of recent funding challenges. Under the new relationship FFMCVV will retain its incorporation and board of directors.

FFMCVV was formed in 1991 by Audrey Smith. Smith, who lost a son to violence, saw a need for services and support for families and friends of victims of violence. FFMCVV offers grief support, basic needs support (food, clothing, transportation, etc.), information and referral services, survivor and victim advocacy, and criminal justice advocacy. FFMCVV has built a strong relationship with the City of Rochester, and is often notified by the Rochester Police Department when a violent act occurs so a FFMCVV employee can come to the scene to offer support to the victim’s family and friends.

With the new relationship, FFMCVV and The Community Place hope to add or improve a number of services, including: policy advocacy; creation of a standardized support network (counseling/grief, basic needs, relocation/housing, faith response, etc.); education of professionals on approaches to death and violence (i.e. hospital workers, members of the media); early identification and prevention of violent acts; and the identification of natural partners and funders to ensure the continued success of FFMCVV.

The Community Place of Greater Rochester, Inc. is a nonprofit provider of neighborhood-based human services that offers a variety of programs and services to individuals, families, children, the aging, and the developmentally disabled living in the greater Rochester area. CPGR was formed in 2001 after the merger of the former Lewis Street Center, Genesee Settlement House, and Eastside Community Center. Visit us on the web at www.communityplace.org.