Mamas Against Violence holds gala, raises support for gun violence awareness in South Bend

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. --- A local activist group named Mamas Against Violence held their Fourth Biennial Gala on Saturday night. It was the group’s first gala back in three years, and it couldn’t have come back at a better time as the community continues to suffer from acts of senseless violence.

Mamas Against Violence works to prevent more mothers from going through the pain of losing a child through community outreach and education.

“We work with at-risk youth in the community. We give scholarships for high schoolers that are on their way to college, and we do grief counseling once a month,” says Rose Redding, Vice-President of Mamas Against Violence.

“We also do the youth conference where we talk to young people about the consequences of killing someone; it’s not only affecting your family, it affects everyone in the community,” adds Cathy Diggins, Treasurer of the group.

The Biennial Gala helps to support the work they do for the youth in South Bend by raising funds to be able to continue their outreach.

“We do this because we give back to the community. Without your help, we don’t have anything to give,” says Bobbie Woods, President of Mamas Against Violence.

The gala also serves as a ‘thank you’ to those in the community who have supported the group over the last 19 years.

“The Mayor’s office, a lot of the different school officials, just everyone in the community is supporting this fundraiser,” says Diggins.

Sherriff Redman from the Saint Joseph County Police Department showed his support at the gala and shared some words about the senseless violence in the community. He spoke about the act of violence that killed Saint Joseph County Corrections Officer Rhema Harris.

“Back in June of this year, we lost one of our corrections officers to a senseless act of violence,” shares Sherriff Redman. “Rhema meant a lot to us, personally and professionally, and it’s just senseless.”

However the goal of the gala is to put an end to the violence and provide the community with tools to serve grieving families, and increase gun violence awareness.

“We use the money to help out in the community with the things that we do; helping the youth, helping with families that may have lost loved ones,” Redding says.

Mamas Against Violence Facebook Page: Mamas Against Violence | Facebook