Operation Peace Fellowship was founded by a core group of ex-cons to bring an end to gun violence. Together, they are working in Richmond, CA and other cities around the US to help gun-prone, troubled youth graduate from high school, find jobs, and settle conflicts without guns. Unconventional approaches have been used, like paying criminals to put down their guns, but more importantly, says James McCoy, “We do something real simple that folks just don’t realize how powerful it is. We love on our youngsters! We come from a sincere place that we love each and every last one of the people we touch and we try to touch as many people as possible.” By creating relationships of trust and getting involved in the lives of young people who have no hope, violence is decreasing and lives are being changed for the better.
