The GTA Faith Alliance is a multi-faith charitable organization which works to create educational and employment opportunities to divert at-risk youth from gangs and crime. The alliance was founded in February 2003 as a joint effort of approximately 40 religious leaders focussing on the issue of youth violence, particularly involving gangs and guns.[1][2] It received charitable status from the Canada Revenue Agency in 2009.[3]

The Alliance has formed its activities on the work of Reverend Eugene Rivers of Boston who has utilized a corps of pastors. These pastors have worked to create alternatives to street gangs for disadvantaged Black youths.[2] The Alliance brought Rivers to Toronto in early 2006 to meet with police and community leaders in an attempt to replicate the "Boston Miracle" in Toronto.[4] As a result, the Alliance launched a program to recruit 400 mentors who would lead 70 youth oriented after-school programs in churches across the city in an attempt to divert at-risk youth from gangs and crime.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Welsh, Moria, "Faith in ending violence; 'We are not going to sit back and let 2006 become like 2005'; City's church leaders pray, then announce extensive plan Response to gangs includes 400 mentors for at-risk youth", Toronto Star, January 3, 2006
  2. 1 2 Fowlie, Jonathan, "No more bodies on our streets", Globe and Mail, April 3, 2004
  3. ↑ "GTA Faith Alliance". Canadian registered charities. Canada Revenue Agency. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Minister says city's black community must unite", CTV News, January 11, 2006
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