The T is a nonprofit organization that promotes holistic healing from trauma related to bullet injuries and overdose in St. Louis. They transform healthcare delivery through education and anti-racist, relationship-based care. The T was founded in 2019, by Dr. LJ Punch, a trauma surgeon and community advocate who is committed to bringing the power and resources of healthcare beyond the walls of the hospital.

Deaconess Foundation provides funding to The T through our Responsive Grant portfolio. Funding supports The Bullet Related Injury Clinic (The BRIC) which provides pain management, wound care, and trauma recovery support to patients discharged from the emergency department after being shot. In particular, The BRIC’s Adolescent Pathway Project provides additional support for patients age 18 and younger, Black masculine-bodied people, and Black youth who typically receive less age-appropriate services and social supports. Programming helps prevent injury complications and future violence by redefining best practices in emergency care.

Learn more about The T, their upcoming events, and how to support here.