Community members representing law enforcement, city government, community groups, and private citizens within Johnstown began meeting in 2016 with the intention of finding a means to stem violent crime and achieve “Zero Deaths”. This group coalesced into the formal organization Hope 4 Johnstown in February 2018. The group identified a Cure Violence program as the best means to treat violence. H4J, in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and the City of Johnstown, acquired multiple grants to launch its Cure Violence program in 2018 and 2019. The first Three Cure Violence employees were hired in 2019 through a partnership with Penn-Highlands. Meanwhile, community programs were being run for youth in the city. Hope 4 Johnstown became a registered nonprofit in 2019.