What fuels my unwavering belief in LEAP’s mission 
### Why This Work Matters Today and Every Day
Dear John,
**On this Giving Tuesday, we invite you to pause and reflect on the moments, experiences, or individuals who helped open your eyes to the issues that drew you to LEAP.** Many of us carry a story that connects us to this work, and there’s one moment I often return to.
In the hot summer of 2014, four teenage boys spent a lazy Saturday on the banks of the James River in Richmond, Virginia. One of them, barely 14, stepped away from the group for a moment, only to be met by sirens, blue lights, and two police officers with guns drawn. They ordered the boys to put their hands up, including one who hadn’t even had time to pull his pants back up after relieving himself.
One of those boys was my brother, Landon. All four walked away physically unharmed, but the emotional and psychological scars remain. To this day, it’s still difficult for them to talk about what happened. They understood how quickly the encounter could have taken a different turn, and how an otherwise normal day could have ended with lives lost or forever altered by an unnecessary escalation of police force. That moment changed me. I needed to understand why four young Black and brown kids were treated as threats instead of adolescents making an ordinary, harmless mistake. Searching for those answers led me to study criminal justice and dedicate my career to public safety reform—work that ultimately brought me to LEAP.
In my short time here, I’ve seen how powerful our mission is. Over the past three years, LEAP has expanded programs, taken on new challenges, and helped reshape how communities nationwide think about safety. One of our most impactful efforts is the Community Responder Program, which supports alternatives to traditional policing for nonviolent 911 calls.
It’s exactly the kind of approach that was missing the day my brother and his friends were confronted. Police didn’t need to be involved at all. There was no emergency or reason to believe a threat was present. And yet, because our system offers so few options for a non-enforcement response, armed officers were dispatched.
Thanks to supporters like you, LEAP is helping cities across the country implement new community responder programs grounded in de-escalation and compassion, rather than fear and force. These public safety models dispatch civilian responders trained in de-escalation and mental health crisis response, and they are making 9-1-1 systems more effective and ultimately safer for everyone.
**Your belief in this mission fuels every step forward. As we enter this season of giving, we're grateful for your partnership and for the progress we’re making together.** With your continued support, whether by sharing our work, elevating our message, or making a gift, you are helping to build a movement grounded in compassion, dignity, and real safety for everyone.
Thank you for standing with us.
With gratitude,
*Adriane Vaughan*
Major Gifts & Outreach Specialist
Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP)
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