Our Macon Violence Prevention (MVP) is getting state-wide recognition for the progress it has made throughout our community. On Sunday, January 28, 2024, on behalf of the County, Mayor Lester Miller and several partners accepted a 2024 Visionary City Award from the Georgia Municipal Association and Georgia Trend Magazine.
The award was presented at the Cities United Summit to celebrate Macon-Bibb County’s successful efforts in community engagement, collaboration, and innovation through MVP. It earned the distinction in the Large Cities Category.
“This recognition belongs to all of us,” said Mayor Miller. “And we should be proud of it.”
The MVP initiative, a comprehensive approach to reducing long-term crime rates, has demonstrated significant community impact. It represents a collaborative effort involving various local stakeholders, focusing on enhancing safety and wellbeing for all residents.
Larry Hanson, CEO and Executive Director of GMA, stated, “The Visionary City Awards shine a light on impactful initiatives like Macon-Bibb County’s MVP. This program exemplifies a proactive approach to community safety and wellbeing, showcasing the positive outcomes of collaborative efforts.”
MVP has allowed for about 50 agencies and non-profits to expand their services and reach more of our youth community, like Next Level Community Development Center, who has received funding from the initiative.
“The funding from MVP has allowed Next Level to serve students desperately needing remediation with one-on-one tutoring due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other special needs issues,” said Next Level Executive Director Lakesia Toomer. “As a result, 94% of participating students increased and/or maintained their grades in math. 91% increased and/or maintained their grade in reading/ELA. 84% of participating students passed the Ga Milestone Assessment for the 2022-2023 academic year.”
Toomer says funding also provided individual and family counseling to participating students and their families and allowed the purchase of evidenced-based prevention curriculums and certification training for staff. As a result, 92% of the students improved their behavior, and 100% of the parents of participating students engaged in quarterly parent sessions focused on mental health and ACEs.
This is just one of the success stories from partnering agencies.
“Because we’re purposeful, strategic, and willing to fund what works or what could work, we are paving the way for better, safer, more compassionate cities,” said Mayor Miller. “Let me be clear, we’re not done.”
About Macon Violence Prevention
Macon Violence Prevention is an evidence-based, multifaceted program created to address public safety in Macon-Bibb County. Supported and funded by the consolidated government, MVP is a community-wide effort that brings together elected officials, community leaders and representatives from more than 20 agencies, organizations and departments.
The MVP program operates under the guidance of the MVP Strategic Plan, which was created in June of 2021 by community stakeholders and violent crime experts. The plan combines data and research with community feedback to identify and implement proven solutions that reduce violent crime and strengthen the community over time.