Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the eight community-based organizations selected to receive $20,000 each from the Manhattan D.A.’s Office for initiatives to prevent youth gun violence. The Office’s funding allows community-based organizations to pay young New Yorkers stipends over the summer to participate in meaningful programming – such as mentorships and workshops to enhance conflict resolution and leadership skills – or to improve and beautify public spaces that are known areas for gun violence.
Funding was awarded to community-based organizations with strong track records that employ people who have experienced gun violence and that provide hyperlocal programming in neighborhoods and NYCHA developments most affected by gun violence:
Children’s Aid NYC (Frederick Douglass Center, Upper West Side); Grand St. Settlement (Lower East Side); Muslim Community Network (Central Harlem); Not Another Child (Jefferson Houses, East Harlem); Police Athletic League (Central Harlem); Street Corner Resources (West Harlem); University Settlement (Lower East Side); and Uplift NYC (Washington Heights/Inwood).
“Since the launch of this initiative, we have driven down shootings by nearly 40% in Manhattan through targeted prosecutions and strategic community investments. For the last three summers, our youth gun violence prevention initiative has served the future generation of young New Yorkers across the borough, all with the goal of reducing gun violence and keeping Manhattan safe,” said District Attorney Bragg. “I am honored to award these eight dedicated community-based organizations with funding to engage and employ young people, and I look forward to seeing the outcome of this summer’s projects!”
“I applaud DA Bragg’s recognition that a key strategy to address the problem of gun violence in our community is early intervention. We need collaboration between everyone in our community to address the problems that underlie gun violence, and to help young people learn alternatives to conflict resolution as well as maintaining public spaces that become hot spots for illegal activity. I look forward to our ongoing work together to make our borough and our City even safer through novel solutions that empower young people in our neighborhoods,” said Assemblymember Harvey Epstein.
With this year’s awards, approximately 420 young New Yorkers will have received stipends and services through the D.A.’s Office’s summer gun violence prevention initiative. Since it was launched by D.A. Bragg in Summer 2022, shooting incidents are down 39% and there are 37% fewer shooting victims in Manhattan.
The Manhattan D.A.’s Office is providing these awards through its Criminal Justice Investment Initiative (“CJII”), which was created using millions seized in the Office’s investigations against major banks.
The Award Recipients
Children’s Aid NYC (Frederick Douglass Center, Upper West Side)
Children’s Aid NYC will engage 20 young New Yorkers in weekly, two-hour gun violence prevention workshops as well as the creation of four large vinyl memorial portraits of community members and peers who have been victims of gun violence. Each image will be a collaborative project containing 20 individual squares with poetry and personal stories.
“At Children’s Aid, we understand the profound impact of gun violence on young people and the need for engaging, supportive programming to build safer communities for everyone,” said Phoebe C. Boyer, President and CEO, Children’s Aid. “We are honored to be a recipient of the Gun Violence Prevention Initiative award and look forward to partnering with the Manhattan District Attorney’s office. This grant will empower youth to facilitate meaningful conversations with their communities around gun violence prevention and provide a creative outlet to process their experiences. It is crucial that we incorporate the voices of young people as we strive to solve this public health crisis.”
Grand St. Settlement (Lower East Side)
Grand St. Settlement will implement a youth-led anti-violence campaign, using the Best Buy Teen Tech Center as a safe, nurturing environment to build their leadership and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) skills. Eight participants will spend the summer creating projects that reinforce a message of anti-violence and mental wellness to tackle the gang violence in the neighborhood. These projects will be presented at a culminating community event planned and led by participating young New Yorkers.
“Gun violence remains a significant concern in our community at Grand Street, especially among young people and their families. This vital funding from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office allows community-based organizations to proactively prevent youth gun violence through impactful programs,” said Robert Cordero, Chief Executive Officer, Grand Street Settlement. “We appreciate District Attorney Bragg for leading this initiative, which equips our young people with valuable skills for their everyday lives and future careers.”
Muslim Community Network (Central Harlem)
Muslim Community Network will engage 10 young New Yorkers through workshops and seminars to educate them about their rights, responsibilities, and the impact of gun violence on communities. Participants will be paired with mentors and will organize events that promote positive community engagement, such as neighborhood clean-ups, sports events, and cultural celebrations. Participants will have access to mental health resources and counseling to address trauma and promote emotional well-being. All core sessions will be supplemented with workshops on workforce readiness and financial literacy.
“We are deeply honored to receive this funding and assist from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office,” said Husein Yatabarry, Executive Director, Muslim Community Network. “The support will enable us to implement culturally responsive programming aimed at preventing gun violence among young adults in Central Harlem. At the Muslim Community Network, we believe in the power of community-driven solutions and are committed to fostering a safer, more inclusive environment for all. We look forward to collaborating with the DA’s office and other community stakeholders to make a meaningful impact.”
Not Another Child (Jefferson Houses, East Harlem)
Not Another Child will engage 10 youth through two weekly workshops, mentorship, field experiences, survivor experience workshops, and completion of a community development mural. Youth will be connected to information and strategies that will assist them in developing cognitive behavioral skills and learning restorative justice principles.
“Our gun violence intervention program empowers youth and young adults to transform their lives, offering hope, opportunity, and a path to a brighter future,” Justin Napper, Director of Youth Programs and Services for Not Another Child.
Police Athletic League (Central Harlem)
PAL will hold weekly 90-minute empowerment sessions with 10 teens at its Harlem Center. Led by a PAL licensed social worker, participants will explore the impact of gun violence on their lives, families, and communities. Participants will become agents of change and develop skills for mediating conflict and disrupting negative community norms.
“We are proud and honored for the Police Athletic League to be a recipient of a gun violence prevention grant from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office,” said Carlos Velazquez, PAL Executive Director. “We are working with PAL teens to focus on new and meaningful ways to disrupt gun violence and explore the impact of gun violence on their lives, families and communities. We stand firmly beside our youth as they face obstacles in their day-to-day lives growing up in neighborhoods that can present many challenges. With the support of the Manhattan D.A.’s Office, our partnership with the NYPD and the dedication of our community leaders, we are continuing to create a safe and nurturing environment for our children.”
Street Corner Resources (West Harlem)
Young New Yorkers will be given work assignments at Street Corner Resources or another partner organization. The 10 participants will engage in enrichment activities and weekly peer group sessions, as well as connected to services and offered support with conflict resolution. Guest speakers and professionals will be invited to share their experiences with program participants in an effort to match participants with a potential mentor.
“Street Corner Resources thanks District Attorney Alvin Bragg for this critical funding,” said Iesha Sekou, Founder and CEO of Street Corner Resources. “For the third consecutive year, we will be able to use this investment in our work to engage with young people during the summer months. D.A. Bragg’s emphasis on prevention, including supporting young people’s mental wellness, is a crucial part of decreasing violence in our community.”
University Settlement (Lower East Side)
University Settlement will facilitate a 10-week internship during which 15 youth will gain hands-on experience and mentorship, fostering skill-building and personal growth. Participants will be expected to support activities at the center as interns and to help with community events, including supporting community leaders and elected officials.
“We are grateful to the DA’s office for providing this vital funding, which we are using to engage young people in Lower Manhattan as interns at our Cornerstone @ Campos Plaza this summer,” said Steven Portericker, Chief Program and Equity Officer, University Settlement. “Our paid interns will engage positively in the community by supporting the Center’s programming, receive access to mental health supports, and have the opportunity to participate in professional and personal development workshops. We’re excited for another safe, fun summer full of learning and community at Campos!”
Uplift NYC (Washington Heights/Inwood)
Uplift NYC will provide six young New Yorkers with mentorship and guidance on running basketball programming, leadership skills, and effective communication so that participants can organize and host their own basketball tournament this September. In addition, participants will work with New York City Parks Department staff to clean up, plant, and beautify a community-identified garden space and design and install pieces commemorating lives lost through violence.
“We are profoundly grateful to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for this generous grant. With their support, we can focus on proactive crime prevention by investing directly in the youth of Washington Heights and Inwood. Our beautification project, mentorship program, and engagement through sports are designed to create a safer, more vibrant neighborhood, while offering our young people positive activities and fostering a strong sense of community,” said Domingo Estevez, Uplift NYC.
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