In the wake of recent violence, the families of Prince William County are coming together to foster a healing community spirit and “Stop the Violence.”
PowerMax Company, a local non-profit organization, will be hosting the Stop The Violence Family Community Cookout. Family activities will include free food, vendors, raffles, a give-away and more. The cookout will take place on June 3, from noon to 4 p.m. at Merchant Park, 3944 Cameron Street in Dumfries, Virginia.
PowerMax Company helps families in Prince William County that are underprivileged with blended access resources and services in Prince William County. They also provide gifts for families in need during Christmas and on birthdays, according to founder and President Sharon Kelly.
Kelly, a Prince William County resident, is a mother of six children, four of whom are now adults. “We’re all asking, what is the cause of this violence? Is it the economy? Is it family?” Kelly says.
Among recent incidents of gun violence in Prince William County is a shooting that occurred last Friday, May 26, in the Woodbridge neighborhood that resulted in three fatalities, according to a report by Fox 5 DC.
In the report, Prince William County Assistant Chief of Police Kevin Hughart notes how unusual the crime is for the area.
“This part of the county is generally very quiet. It’s a nice residential neighborhood, so this type of action that happened here is traumatic to everybody, including the police department, our community and everyone associated with the folks who live here,” he told Fox 5.
Another shooting death occurred in Woodbridge apartments the prior week, on May 21, following a several incidents involving gunfire in Woodbridge that month, and on March 26, according to daily incident reports from Prince William Police Department.
There was also a shooting in Manassas, Virginia on May 15, police report.
As of June 2, 17,861 people in the U.S. have died because of gun violence in 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Kelly founded PowerMax Company in 2017, and the company received its nonprofit status in 2019. The decision to start the organization came from witnessing the need in her community.
“Parents don’t have the funds for therapy, kids don’t have mentors,” Kelly says, “[We] let parents know there’s support out there and that it is available to them. Sometimes that’s providing a safe place for children to go to talk about the things they’re struggling with.”
The goal, Kelly says, is to prevent violence at the start, by providing the community with the support they need, but she knows she can’t do it alone.
“Preventing violence starts at home, but it’s community involvement. From communities to teachers, principals, boys and girls clubs and churches,” Kelly says.
For more information on Saturday’s cookout, visit powermaxcompany.org.
