Biden administration offering $85M in grants to help boost jobs in violence-plagued communities

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is preparing to offer $85 million in federal grants meant to improve job opportunities for youth in communities affected by gun violence and crime.

It’s part of an administration effort to address not just the immediate needs of communities following acts of violence, but also to promote longer-term recovery and resilience.

Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, was expected to speak about the grants on Wednesday.

“It’s clear that with gun violence now being the number one cause of premature death for all youth in America, that we must take an all-of-government public health approach to address this crisis,” said Greg Jackson, deputy director of the White House office of gun violence prevention.

President Joe Biden has called gun violence “the ultimate superstorm,” affecting not just victims but the everyday lives of community members. His administration says the response should better resemble how the government acts after natural disasters.

Jackson said the grants will help provide key resources for community organizations and government leaders and will invest in those most at risk for violence. He said it was a way to address both “the lack of economic opportunity and the crisis of gun violence.”

The grants will be open to nonprofits, governments and civic leaders to fund education, skills training and paid work experience. The money is being made available through the Labor Department’s employment and training administration.