CARES Philadelphia

What the org has to say: “Philadelphia CARES (which stands for Crisis Assistance, Response, and Engagement for Survivors) is a collaboration between the District Attorney’s Office, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Officer and the nonprofit Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia. The CARES unit is a division of The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office that seeks to help families of homicide victims.”

What we found: CARES primarily provides crisis response, including grief counseling, funeral assistance, and utility support. Before the pandemic, its representatives would meet victims at the scene of a crime or in the hospital for follow-up care. With in-person access limited by the pandemic, CARES now reaches out via phone to provide resources. The organization is connected to all major hospitals in Philadelphia, as well as to several faith-based organizations.