The original St. Mark Baptist Church on Detroit Avenue burned down in 2014. The church was rebuilt and its legacy continues through Rev. I.J. Johnson's son, Curly.
Triggered by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, cities across the United States collectively saw a 30% increase in homicides between 2019 and 2020. That percentage was twice as high in Toledo, where poverty rates – closely linked to violent crime – are more than double the national average. Toledo saw 61 homicides in 2020,
The $180,000 goes toward its consulting services to help develop a public safety and violence reduction plan, though the specifics of what exactly that plan looks like have not been laid out at this point.
The coalition strayed from its usual meeting format to hold a service with other Toledo leaders Thursday to raise awareness and pray for those lost to violence.