ONE Lexington gives grants to 15 nonprofit organizations

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Efforts continue to prevent gun violence in Lexington.

On Tuesday, ONE Lexington announced grants for 15 nonprofits that work with youth and young adults. The organizations are splitting $100,000.

It is funding, they say, will provide more opportunities for the younger generations.

Terry Dumphord works with Voices of Youth Administering Global Education, also known as VOYAGE. It’s one of the nonprofit organizations to receive funding from ONE Lexington Tuesday.

“What this grant does is gives us the ability to create opportunities for youth and young adults to take advantage of,” Dumphord said.

Thirty-four organizations applied for the grants through Community Action Council. They then vetted and recommended them to the city. only fifteen were selected. Each representing a variety of approaches to helping young people.

The Lexington Ravens organization uses football to connect with youth, but it’s more than just the sport to them.

We like to think of it as more than just football. We like to encourage our kids on discipline, honor, respect,” said Coach Terry Hicks. “and just holding them accountable on and off the field.”

Coach Hicks says last year was the organization’s first year of graduates. Four students graduated from high school, each receiving a full-ride scholarship to college.

Hicks says the grant will allow them to continue their mission.

“It’s just going to provide more opportunities and allow us to encourage them even more from what they’re seeing in their neighborhoods and what’s going on around them,” said Hicks. “So many kids are impacted by gun violence that comes through our program, and we don’t want that to become the norm for them.”

Several organizations that work with ONE Lexington have personal connections. Dumphord says the City’s first murder of the year, Marquis Tompkins, was the father of his four-year-old niece.

Landon Hayes who was killed in a murder-suicide in 2022, was a member of the Ravens organization.

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