Alton Aldermen Narrowly Approve $10,000 For 40 Days Of Nonviolence Initiative

City of Alton - Committee of the Whole Meeting

ALTON – Alton Committee of the Whole members on Monday voted 4-3 to send a resolution allocating $10,000 for a six-week program aimed at curbing youth violence to the City Council for final approval this Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025.

The resolution calls for $10,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the 40 Days of Nonviolence Initiative. The $10,000 total represents $2,000 for two weeks of planning at $100 per hour, $2,000 for two weeks of outreach in the form of stakeholder meetings and data analysis, and $6,000 for six weeks worth of programming, including $1,100 for food and $1,900 for promotional costs.

This comes two weeks after committee members laid the item over so representatives of the 40 Days of Nonviolence Initiative could present more detailed information about the program’s purpose and funding. Joe Lewis and Sherri Miller, executive committee members of 40 Days of Nonviolence and Beyond, shared more details with – and answered several questions from – committee members at this week’s meeting.

Lewis and Miller spoke to the positive effects the program has had in East St. Louis, including increased classroom participation among the city’s youth and a decrease in crime rates since it began in 2014. After the program’s repeated success in East St. Louis, 40 Days of Nonviolence planners and organizers aim to help the City of Alton host 40 days of “violence-free activities” with an emphasis on tutoring, counseling, sports/exercise, conflict resolution, career pathways, and more.

The six-week proposal being considered includes an “Opening Week” of orientation and sample activities; a “Health Week” emphasizing mental and physical health; a “First Responders Week” with military, police, fire, and EMT personnel; a “Civic/Religious Org Week” with local churches, the Urban League, and the NAACP; an “Education Week” with the Alton School District, Lewis and Clark Community College, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE); and finally, a “Unification Week” to cap off the initiative and celebrate its successes. More details about the proposed program are available in this previous story on Riverbender.com.

Alderman John Meehan asked about the typical age range of program participants and how participants are chosen. Miller replied students are typically ages 8 to 18; in addition to tailoring the programming for different age groups, she said they would work closely with the Alton School District to select student participants. Lewis emphasized that the initiative is free for community members to participate in, adding they aim to engage everyone from students to parents to local business owners and beyond.

Alderman Michael Velloff questioned why City Council members recently approved nearly $15,000 to pay an SIUE graduate student to analyze data related to youth needs in the city, only to approve another $10,000 for more data analysis of largely the same topics, along with six weeks of programming and more.

While Alderwomen Martha Pfister saw a distinct difference between the 40 Days initiative and the resolution strictly related to data analysis, she did emphasize a need to make sure both programs are collaborating, rather than working in isolation. Alderwoman Rosetta Brown reiterated a need for “boots on the ground” and all programs possible to curb youth violence in the city, adding that the SIUE data analysis and 40 Days initiative focus on different areas but will work closely together going forward.

Velloff also noted an alleged increase in Illinois State Police presence in East St. Louis over the years since the program’s inception, calling into question its true effectiveness in lowering East St. Louis’s crime rate. He asked whether the program and its $10,000 budget would allow for an increased police presence in Alton.

Miller replied there would be an increased police presence in the sense of community engagement, as officers participate in the six weeks of programming and form relationships with youth members of the Alton community. She said that in East St. Louis, this has had a dramatically positive effect as youth are not only steered away from crime, but also made more comfortable with calling on law enforcement when they need help.

The resolution ultimately passed 4-3. Velloff, Alderman Chris Bohn, and Alderwoman Patricia Ford voted against the item; voting in favor were Brown, Pfister, Meehan, and Alderwoman Stephanie Elliott.

The item now goes to the Alton City Council for final consideration this Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. A full recording of the Sept. 22, 2025 Alton Committee of the Whole meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.

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