Memphis Allies community relations team making vital connections.
In 2022, when Memphis Allies began sending outreach specialists into neighborhoods, they also formed a community relations team.
Blog & Community Events
Memphis Allies sees progress in reforming violent offenders. Here’s how
Louis walked into Memphis Allies for the first time in early 2025. He wasn’t there by choice, but rather a court order.
Holiday Toy Drive
Community generosity thrives at Memphis Allies toy drive. Memphis Allies hosted a Holiday Heroes toy drive in December.
Meet TaMara Reed
SWITCH Youth’s TaMara Reed: Helping participants see futures they did not imagine
Power shift
At age 13, with his parents not getting along and his father mostly absent, Deangelo Luckett joined a gang. It didn’t take long for him to find a gun in his hand. With his mother struggling to feed the family, Luckett felt like he now had the means to help.
Journey of Change
A professional overview of Memphis Allies and its goal of reducing gun violence comes with slides, statistics, graphs and a few words from the leadership team.
This is ‘Heart Work’
This is ‘heart work,’ says Memphis Allies SWITCH supervisor
His name is Earve Mathis, but around Memphis Allies’ South Memphis office, he is better known as “Mr. E.”
A life coach supervisor in the adult SWITCH program, Mr. E knows well the cost of making bad decisions.
Nothing to Lose
‘These guys have nothing to lose’ is why Memphis Allies’ Tito Porter does what he does A gun, Tito Porter says, is just a means to an end. In fact, at age 19, it enabled Porter to have his own place. “My first apartment on my own was a jail cell,” he said. Porter stayed more than four years. By the time he got out, he had learned money was worthless compared to freedom.
Think First
For Terranze Sharp, the first critical moment arrived at age 15. He grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was a member of the Gangster Disciples. One day, he found himself facing a choice: What should he do about this grown man who appeared ready to hurt, or even kill, his friend and fellow gang member?
Impact, Truth, Grind and Unity
At the Youth Villages Employee Conference in October, Youth Villages employees from across the country had the opportunity to learn about Memphis Allies’ community violence intervention work. Managing Director of Operations Carl Davis and others shared how Memphis Allies is reaching those most at risk for gun violence. Included in presentations was the recently adopted Memphis Allies Code: Impact, Truth, Grind and Unity.