INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — City leaders are giving more than $5 million in grants through the Elevation Grant Program.

The elevation grant is a partnership with the city and the Indianapolis Foundation. Organizers say the goal is to address the root cause of violent crime.

A total of 27 grants were awarded on Wednesday. This is the fifth round of grants and the third year of the program.

This is the first grant awarded to A Better Way Outreach, a medical clinic in Indianapolis.

“It’s like food to a baby. It nurtures it. It helps us grow. It helps us to sustain. Without this funding, we would not be here. We would suffer. We would maybe last a little while, but we would not be able to sustain without the funding we are getting from the elevation grant,” said Rita Mack-White, clinical director at A Better Way Outreach.

This story was created from a script that aired on WISH-TV.