Multiple Faiths Joining Forces To Combat Philadelphia's Rising Gun Violence
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Numerous organizations are seeing firsthand the gun violence in Philadelphia become more severe. Now, multiple faiths are joining forces to combat it.
"There's a circle that consists of home, church, school, business, which makes up the community. That circle has been broken," said Elder Calvin Rooks, with Christ Restoration Evangelist.
Inter-Faith Social Change Movement is working to reconnect that circle. The group is a nonprofit organization made up of several faiths, business owners, educators and community leaders throughout the city.
Its goal is to empower the disadvantaged to transform the community.
"Trust has been lost within that circle. Trust has been lost with individuals. Trust has been lost when this person doesn't want to get involved with this, this person over here doesn't want to get involved with that," Rooks said.
As of April 15, there have been 146 homicides this year. In fact, on Wednesday a 6-year-old boy was one of three shooting victims in a car. His father, who was driving the car, was shot in the chest and died later that night.
Saturday morning, Inter-Faith Social Change Movement is holding a town hall meeting at Second Baptist Church at 4917 Frankford Avenue at 11 o'clock.
"If everybody tells the truth, if everybody's telling the truth, then there would be no room for lies. There'd be no room for evil. So this no snitching, this mentality needs to stop. People need to get involved," Rooks said.
Faith leaders are hopeful by joining forces, they can effect change.
"You serve Jesus, you serve Allah, you serve Yahweh, you serve Jehovah, and he has all the power, but yet and still you see somebody creating or doing wrong, you won't say anything. Wrong answer!" Rooks said.