Jamie Penn honored on his birthday 20 years after his murder

 Published: Jan. 15, 2025 at 10:17 PM EST

ROANOKE, VA (WDBJ) - Wednesday night in Roanoke, family and friends of Jamie Penn honored him on what would’ve been his 43rd birthday, nearly 20 years after he was murdered. Almost two decades after he was killed, Penn’s family is still seeking justice. Full story here: Family and friends honor Jamie Penn on his birthday nearly 20 years after he was murdered. (WDBJ7)

 Published: December 8, 2024 at 11:22 AM EST

ROANOKE, VA – Families Expecting Deliverance Using Prayer (FEDUP) is hosting the annual ‘A Christmas of Hope’ event on December 14. Full story here: FEDUP to host ‘A Christmas of Hope’ (WSLS10) Donate here. Contact FEDUP here for more information.

 Published: May. 31, 2024 at 3:30 PM EDT

Families Expecting Deliverance Using Prayer (FEDUP) hosted its prayer breakfast Saturday morning, June 8.  Full story here: FEDUP hosted prayer breakfast in Roanoke (WDBJ7)

 Published: May. 31, 2024 at 3:30 PM EDT

The victims of gun violence go beyond the ones hit by bullets. It includes the loved ones left behind, and in Roanoke, those families and friends are FEDUP. 

Families Expecting Deliverance Using Prayer, known as FEDUP, is hosting a series of events to encourage people to put down their weapons and instead find solutions to this ongoing crisis. Full story here: FEDUP to host 2024 annual prayer breakfast (WDBJ7)

 Published: May. 11, 2024 at 6:24 PM EDT

In 2023, Roanoke had a record-high amount of violence “We’ve been affected; everybody has been affected in the community,” said Pastor Preston Tyler of Hill Street Baptist Church. 

Now, Hill Street Baptist Church is trying to get ahead of the violence. They hosted the first ever Praise in the Park event at Washington Park to advocate for an ending to gun violence. Full story here: Roanoke church advocates for end to gun violence joined by community and law enforcement (WDBJ7)

 Published: Dec. 10, 2023 at 4:41 PM EST

Christmas is just weeks away, and one local non-profit organization is providing Christmas of Hope to families affected by gun violence. 

As the calendar turned to early December, the grim tally of 31 lives lost to gun violence cast a somber shadow over the community.Full story here: FEDUP organization hosts Christmas of Hope event for families affected by gun violence (WDBJ7)

 Published: Nov. 29, 2023 at 6:19 PM EST

The festive air of the holiday season carries a heavy undertone for families touched by the agony of losing loved ones to gun violence. The non-profit FEDUP is trying to give them hope. Full story here: EXCLUSIVE: FedUp seeks donations to bring holiday joy to families affected by gun violence (WDBJ7)

 Posted: Sept 11, 2023 at 7:37 PM

FEDUP held a prayer vigil Sunday to pray for an end to the violence. Full story here: ‘We pick up the pieces’: Victory in the Valley share hopes after latest Roanoke shooting (WSLS10)

 Posted: Sept 11, 2023 at 7:37 PM

(Roanoke Times) Goodwill Industries of the Valleys plans to operate the Market on Melrose grocery store at its former repackaging facility and office building in Roanoke. 

The Market on Melrose grocery store will help address a food desert — an area that lacks access to grocery stories — in northwest Roanoke and is part of a larger project to turn the Goodwill building into a community hub, dubbed Melrose Plaza. Read full article here: Goodwill plans to operate Melrose Plaza grocery store (Roanoke Times via Facebook Post)

 Posted: Aug. 12, 2023 at 6:24 PM

(Excerpt) As a part of a back-to-school event, Grades over Guns provided kids with free backpacks and school supplies. Leaders of the event say giving resources to kids will show them there’s more to life than violence.

Families Expecting Deliverance Using Prayers, also known as FED-UP, helps families deal with the aftermath of gun violence.

“We want the youth to understand how important it is to finish school, to get into your grades instead of out here involved in things that will take your life,” says FED-UP president Rita Joyce. Read full article here: “I’m almost losing count.” Roanoke community hosts Grades over Guns event (WDBJ7)

 Posted: Aug. 3, 2023 at 11:15 PM

21 people have been killed this year in Roanoke and 17 of those deaths were from gun violence. Days after city officials promised to crack down on violence - people are saying enough is enough. View here: “Every week somebody is dying.” Community is FED UP with gun violence in Roanoke (WDBJ7)

 Posted: Aug. 3, 2023 at 10:50 PM

Dozens of people came out for a candlelight vigil Thursday to honor lives lost. View here: Roanoke community continues to heal after week of violence (WSLS)

 Posted: Aug. 2, 2023 at 6:43 PM EDT

The Star City has experienced a week full of gun violence and grief - with five people shot and four people killed in the last 8 days. After promises of a crackdown from city leadership - the community is taking action. View here: “I’ve lost count.” Fatal shootings have doubled in Roanoke since 2018; vigil planned for 2023 victims (WDBJ7) 

 Posted: July 31, 2023 at 7:03 AM

Roanoke saw five shootings in the span of seven days - three of which were deadly. View here: Local activist reacts to weekend of violence in Roanoke (WSLS) 

 Posted: Jun 4, 2023 / 10:07 AM EDT  

As the fight to reduce gun violence continues in the Star City, local gun violence prevention group, “FEDUP,” held their annual prayer breakfast for those who have lost loved ones to gun violence. View here: Families of gun violence victims come together for prayer breakfast (WFXRTV) 

 Published: May. 31, 2023 at 10:37 PM EDT   

The community is encouraged to wear orange starting Friday and through the weekend to honor victims of gun violence. FEDUP will be wearing orange the whole month.

“We’re asking, probably more than anything, love, empathy, we want to bring awareness to let the community know, this hurts, this hits home, every time someone loses a loved one to gun violence, it takes the whole community back,” said Renea Taylor, with FEDUP. View here: Roanoke organization shares importance of Gun Violence Awareness Day (wdbj7.com) 

 Published: May. 1, 2023 at 5:56 PM EDT   

Roanoke City Council issued a proclamation honoring Camden Brown, an 8-year-old boy who died from a gunshot wound in 2021. His mother told WDBJ7 she’s made it her mission to make sure guns are properly stored and stop other families from experiencing the same pain. View here: Locked Guns Save Kids Day in Roanoke will honor late 8-year-old (wdbj7.com) 

 Published: May. 1, 2023 at 6:00 PM EDT   

After city leaders met Monday to discuss gun violence prevention funding priorities and policies, Roanoke's council declared May 6 Locked Guns Save Kids Day to honor an 8-year-old gunshot victim. Read more here: Roanoke leaders set gun lock up date on shooting victim's birthday 

 Published: December 10, 2022 at 4:52 PM  

"Spending Christmas without a loved one can be hard. That is why a non-profit set out to give those families hope." View here: Non-profit gives presents to children impacted by gun violence (wdbj7.com) 

 Published: Roanoke Times, November 16, 2022 

“We do not need sympathy. We have heard enough ‘I’m sorry.’ We do not need apathy. We have heard enough silence. We need empathy. We need change,” Brandy Campbell said Wednesday. Her youngest brother Nichalas Lee, 17, was killed in June 2017. “We need the gang violence to stop. We need our city back.”  Read Roanoke Times article here: Empathy Project memorializes Roanoke gun violence victims 

Published: November 16, 2022 at 11:14 PM 

A new approach to address gun violence in Roanoke is called The Empathy Project. Organizers said the goal of the project is to shine a light on families in Roanoke whose loved ones were murdered. View here: The Empathy Project in Roanoke aims to help heal community, prevent more acts of violence (wsls.com) 

 Published: July 23, 2022 at 6:26 PM  

Families Expecting Deliverance Using Prayer, known as FEDUP, hosted its 2nd annual prayer breakfast Saturday to honor those lost to gun violence. FEDUP co-founder Rita Joyce started the organization after losing her son Joey Joyce to gun violence in 2004. “And when we started this, gun violence was nowhere near what it is now, nowhere, and that bothers me,” said Joyce. “That it’s still an epidemic around the world.” View here: Group in Roanoke FEDUP with gun violence (wdbj7.com) 

 Published: August 11, 2021 at 7:06 PM

Roanoke leaders are offering reward money in exchange for information leading to arrests for those causing gun violence in the city. View here: ‘My life is not in trade for money’: Community shares mixed reactions to Roanoke’s $50K reward fund (wsls.com) 

 Published: Jun. 26, 2021 at 7:09 PM EDT 

The prayer breakfast was organized by FEDUP, Families Expecting Deliverance Using Prayer, a group founded by Roanokers who have lost family members to gun violence, and now embrace others facing the same trauma. View here: Group turns to prayer in fight against gun violence (wdbj7.com) 

 Published: June 24, 2021 at 6:56 PM  

"A community overrun with grief from Roanoke's recent gun violence is coming together to bring positive change." View here: Grassroots group to host prayer breakfast to support families of Roanoke gun violence victims (wsls.com)