LOUISVILLE, Ky. — One Louisville organization with the goal of reducing gun violence is celebrating after receiving a $100,000 grant.

No More Red Dots will receive the funds from the Everytown Community Safety Fund over the next two years.

Eddie Woods, founder of No More Red Dots, said the money will go toward operational expenses for its various violence-reduction programs. Woods has worked in the community for the past 30 years. 

“They’re making it possible for us to do the programs without having to worry about where the snack monies are going to come from or the field trip dollars are going to come from,” Woods said.

Named after the indicators for homicides on a map, the organization works to prevent shootings from happening and supports families in the aftermath of tragedy.

“You’d be surprised how many disputes are resolved by somebody saying, 'I’m sorry,' somebody just saying, 'Man, I did it. I did too much. I’m sorry.'" 

Everytown Community Safety Fund is a national organization working to end gun violence and awarded funds to No More Red Dots and 19 other groups nationally. Woods said Everytown has been supportive of his work for the past several years and has previously awarded them grants. 

All the organizations chosen this year work in their own communities on gun violence intervention.

“We’re developing a community where folks can learn from each other, replicate strategies, so that we don’t always have to start from square one,” said Michael-Sean Spence, Everytown for Gun Safety managing director of community safety initiatives.

Now part of a national network, other cities can easily get in contact with Woods, offering others advice on what has worked best in Louisville. 

“He has the trust and credibility of government, which allows them to access real-time data, allowing him to show up at the crime scene, engaging with survivors, helping them navigate the criminal justice system, but also to access resources to help them on their healing journey,” Spence said of Woods.

Woods said he thinks others must approach gun violence as a public health issue and it must be addressed in a community-first approach.

“If we weren’t doing what we’re doing and some other organizations doing the same work or similar, the numbers (of homicides) would be way higher, way higher,” Woods said.

According to the Louisville Gun Violence Dashboard, so far this year, at least 111 people have died in shootings in Louisville. The victims are predominantly young Black men in the city’s west end.