HISTORY OF VPPPS

The Family-School-Community Violence Prevention Peace Promotion Strategy (VPPPS) was started in 2000 by Barry Weisberg as a pilot project to break the generational transmission of inequality, violence and poverty in four Chicago communities: North Lawndale, South Lawndale, Brighton and Archer.  It began programs in schools and communities, including a highly successful Build the Peace Summer Program.  Funding was received from a variety of State of Illinois agencies and it was housed in the Mt. Sinai Hospital .  The Chairman of the Board of Director was the Deputy Majority Leader of the Illinois General Assembly, Arthur L. Turner.  Despite a successful beginning, funding was eliminated after the attacks of September 11, 2002, on the grounds that fighting terrorism was more important than violence prevention.

 Many of the programs of the VPPPS are documented on this web page and additional documentation is available upon requests.  The programs for families, schools and communities are still available to interested parties.

Currently the VPPPS works to provide presentations and technical assistance to families, school and communities in various locations, both inside the United States and around the world.