THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>>> SOMETIMES, MAKING THE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFER IS AS SIMPLE AS A WATER BALLOON FIGHT OR PLAYING IN A BOUNCE HOUSE.

WE ARE LIVE IN GARFIELD WITH MORE ON HOW DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS ARE MAKING PUBLIC SPACES SAFE, WELCOMING, AND FUN.

NICK?

>> Reporter: PUBLIC SAFETY IS NOT JUST ABOUT ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF CRIME OR STOPPING PEOPLE FROM PICKING UP A GUN.

IT CAN ALSO BE ABOUT CREATING A SENSE WHERE PEOPLE CAN SPEND TIME OUTSIDE AND EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF A CHICAGO SUMMER THAT I KNOW WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO.

ON FRIDAY, WE VISITED THIS PARK TO SEE HOW A SERIES OF EVENTS CALLED LIGHT IN THE NIGHT IS DOING THAT.

ON A HOT SUMMER DAY, THE FUN IN ST. LOUIS PARK IS SPILLING INTO THE STREET.

TODAY'S EVENT HAS A BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT, FOOD ON THE GRILL, AND PLENTY OF WATER BALLOONS.

THAT REFLECTS THE RANGE OF DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT MAKE UP THE LIGHT IN THE NIGHT SERIES.

>> THEY ARE PLAYING CARD GAMES AND CHILDREN CAN ENGAGE IN BOUNCE HOUSES AND SNOW CONES AND I WORKED THE COTTON CANDY MACHINE >> Reporter: IDEA IS TO RECLAIM SAFE PUBLIC SPACES FOR COMMUNITIES ACROSS CHICAGO.

IT IS PART OF METROPOLITAN PEACE INITIATIVE AND THOSE FOR HOLISTIC APPROACHES TO MAKE THE CITY SAFER FOR EVERYONE.

THEY PARTNER WITH 14 DIFFERENT GROUPS ACROSS 27 COMMUNITIES.

>> EACH COMMUNITY IS UNIQUE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS FOR LICENSES TO OPERATE.

THEY CAN SERVE THE RESIDENTS IN THEIR AREA OF THE BEST.

>> THEY SAY PEOPLE WANT TO FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A PLACE TO GATHER WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND NEIGHBORS, EVEN WHEN THE STREET IS NOT FILLED WITH THE SOUNDS OF A BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT OR THE DUNK TANK.

>> WE HOPE THAT WHILE WE HAVE THESE THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, BUT ON TUESDAY NIGHT, THEY FEEL JUST AS COMFORTABLE AS THEY DID WHEN WE WERE THERE, RECLAIMING THE SAFE SPACES IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> Reporter: IT ACTUALLY HAS BEEN PROVEN THAT ONCE WE SATURATE THE AREA WITH OUR PRESENT'S, WITH FOOD, MUSIC, AS WELL AS JUST GETTING THE COMMUNITY TO COME BACK OUT, AFTER WE ARE GONE, THE COMMUNITY IS COMING OUT ON THEIR OWN.

:DAMIEN MORRIS WORKS JUST DOWN THE BLOCK FROM THIS EVENT AND HE SAYS AFTER A VIOLENT INCIDENT ABOUT 14 YEARS AGO, MANY PEOPLE SIMPLY STAYED INSIDE.

THE WORK OF CREATING A SAFE AND JOYFUL ENVIRONMENT MOTIVATES HIM.

IF AND ALSO CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE VENDORS WHO GET HIRED WITH A FOCUS ON BLACK AND BROWN CHICAGOANS, AS WELL AS THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH BREAKTHROUGH.

>> WE USED THIS MOMENT WITH ASSISTANCE.

WE GIVE THEM WORK EXPERIENCE BUT WE ALSO ALLOW THEM TO SEE THE RESULTS OF THEIR HARD WORK AS WELL.

>> I HAVE BEEN WITH THEM FOR A SHORT TIME, BUT A LONG TIME.

I MEAN, I GOT COMFORTABLE VERY FAST.

>> Reporter: THEY HAVE WORKED WITH BREAKTHROUGH FOR THREE YEARS.

SHE SAYS HELPING RUN THESE EVENTS AND SEEING THE RESULTS OF HER HARD WORK IS GRATIFYING, EVEN IF IT CAN BE A LITTLE OUT OF HER COMFORT ZONE.

>> I AM NOT AN OUTGOING PERSON, BUT WHEN I SEE THE PERSON, I WANT THEM TO SMILE.

I WANT THEM TO BE COMFORTABLE.

I LIKE DOING STUFF LIKE THAT.

I WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE IT IS NATURAL, LIKE YOU ARE AT HOME.

>> Reporter: LIGHT IN THE NIGHT EVENTS GENERALLY RUN FROM WEDNESDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND ALL SUMMER LONG.

THEY GET OFF IN THE AFTERNOON AND WENT THROUGH 8:00 OR 9:00 WE HAVE A