Rickenmann’s proposal asked for $802,800 for three years of funding for the office. If voted into existence as pitched, the office would include a director overseeing a team of “violence interrupters” and partnership coordinators. “We’ve got to do something different, and we’ve got to have somebody who’s a lead coordinator. Right now there’s not a lead coordinator anywhere,” he said.

The Revs. Jackie Utley and Eric Fink with faith-based group MORE Justice said they were cautiously optimistic based on the mayor’s proposal. “We’re excited that at least something positive may be happening,” Fink said.

The said the office will work to be a “central place” for a partnership between the Columbia Police Department and gun violence non-profits. “Really to be the quarterback,” he said. MORE Justice leaders Rev. Carey Grady and Reverend Deacon Dianna Deaderick expressed cautious optimism. “I think we’re always optimistic and excited about any time our elected officials take gun violence seriously, and really we’re just waiting to see what the Mayor will state and unfold [Tuesday],” Grady said.

Conversations about the affordable housing crisis here in Columbia. A podcast with two organizers from MORE Justice Columbia, Co-President Reverend Jackie Utley and Lead Organizer Lizzy Van Harn.

Listen in on the Nehemiah Action Assembly, hosted by More Justice. Learn how powerful an an ally the interfaith community can be in the fight for justice and equity as we discover how More Justice is working to transform the Midlands of South Carolina.

On Monday, April 4, the Midlands Organized Response for Equity and Justice (MORE Justice), a diverse interfaith organization of 26 congregations throughout the Midlands, held their 5th annual Nehemiah Action Assembly at 6:30 PM at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention. The event brought together hundreds of community members to advocate for best practices concerning affordable housing and gun violence.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Gun violence, mental health and affordable housing were all topics of discussion at MORE Justice’s Nehemiah action meeting. The faith-based non-profit taking their ideas on the issues directly to Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann and other local leaders.

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO)– Local congregations came together to call for lawmakers to fix two problems plaguing the faith-based community, gun violence and affordable housing. Hundreds took part in the “MORE Justice Nehemiah Action Assembly” at the Columbia Convention Center on Monday.

Here in Richland County, 22% of our brothers and sisters live below the poverty level and over 16,000 families are in need of affordable housing, and we can’t seem to get our proposal for an affordable housing trust fund out of committee. With a picture that looks this bleak, why do I continue to work for Justice? Because fear feeds anxiety; hope breeds optimism. Fear divides; hope unifies. I believe in hope.

With the cost of living on the rise, some viewers have asked what, if any, options they have if their landlord raises the rent. With feature by MORE Justice spokesperson.

South Carolina Public Radio - In 2018, eight police officers with the City of Columbia were trained in crisis intervention. The interfaith organization MORE Justice credits their work in getting that number close to 200. This April, the group will ask local leaders to act on solving the area's affordable housing and gun violence issues.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Gun violence and affordable housing, two issues that a Midlands faith-based organization says are plaguing the Columbia community. They held a rally Monday evening to prepare for an upcoming conversation with community leaders.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — More than 200 people from different religious backgrounds came together to rally for justice and change, proposing solutions for the affordable housing crisis and reducing incidents of gun violence.

In addition, both CPD and RCSD have started implementing partnerships between law enforcement officers and a social worker to address mental health related calls. Since COVID paused CIT training for a time, we will be working to follow-up with both the Chief and Sheriff to ensure they are filling all of the available CIT classes available to them. Between the City and County that is five trainings a year with a capacity of 25 officers each to train.

The first step for GVI and for many gun violence reduction strategies is to conduct a comprehensive problem analysis by outside experts to have a clear assessment of where the violence is happening, why, and what are the dynamics in place. This will then indicate where law enforcement, social services, and community voices can most effectively focus their resources to drive the number of shootings to 0.

We want $10 million in ARPA funds to be allocated as seed money for a Housing Trust Fund in Richland County. A key for a HTF to be effective is to have a dedicated source of revenue down the line, but we need seed money to get started. An Affordable Housing Trust Fund has the potential to create hundreds and even thousands of units of housing each year and that is what we need to make sure everyone in Richland County has a safe and affordable place to live.

One Monday, May 24, 2021, the MORE Justice organization held a press conference to call for a new approach to combat gun violence in Columbia, SC.

On April 26, 2021, on Zoom, a network of 35 congregations and over 1,100 persons in the Midlands area assembled to discuss best practices and solutions for Mental Health, Affordable Housing, and Gun Violence. While the appropriate community stakeholders were present for Affordable Housing, Sheriff Leon Lott and Police Chief Holbrook were invited on several occasions but refused to attend. The Nehemiah Action is the largest and most diverse community gathering that happens in the Columbia area every year where over 1,100 people gathered who are deeply concerned about community issues.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Data from Richland County law enforcement agencies shows gun violence is on the rise, and a group of faith-based leaders is calling on those agencies to do more about it.

MORE Justice hosted a news conference at Reid Chapel AME Church in Columbia on Monday and called for a formal study of gun violence in the area.