WOW Outreach reaches out to neighborhoods of high need who have been impacted by crime, violence, have limited resources, and significant barriers to the most basic services and needs. It is comprised of people from the faith-based community, local businesses, non-profits, community-based organizations, city officials, leaders, and residents from neighboring communities.
In Washington, it may seem like Congress has moved beyond gun control. After Democrats’ highly touted background check bill was defeated in a Senate procedural vote last month, lawmakers immediately turned their attention to other matters, like immigration legislation, the budget and — in light of the Boston terror attack — security.
But President Obama and his allies do not plan to let up, with Vice President Biden reportedly preparing to launch a new push for gun legislation and Obama’s campaign arm trying to enlist the public to support the cause.
As opponents of stricter gun laws rallied Friday in Texas for the National Rifle Association’s annual convention, Obama himself used a speech during his visit to Mexico to once again sound the call for new regulations.
Chicago has become the center of the national gun debate, and the city’s youth has taken the hardest hit from gun violence.
In the first eight weeks of 2013, there were 52 homicides, with 15 victims between the ages of 13 and 19, according to a RedEye analysis of preliminary crime data.
President Obama returned to Chicago on Feb. 15 and specifically addressed gun violence, which was part of his State of the Union address three days earlier.
With students from Hyde Park Academy sitting behind him in the school gymnasium, the president used statistics to paint a grim picture of the city’s problem with gun violence.
“Last year there were 443 murders with a firearm on the streets of this city, and 65 of those victims were 18 and under,” he said. “So that’s the equivalent of a Newtown every four months.”
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Testimonials
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This program helps me by making me happy;
This program just encourages me to be a better person;
This program keeps me out of trouble;
This program has helped me in every way possible;
I have learned to control my anger; This program helps me to think;
This program teaches me to not do bad things;
This program helps because I was struggling and now I’m not;
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