UWS Receives Funding For Youth Gun Violence Prevention Program

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — In the continued fight against youth gun violence, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. has awarded $20,000 each to eight community-based organizations for their preventive initiatives.

Of this year's recipients, one is based on the Upper West Side.

“Since the launch of this initiative, we have driven down shootings by nearly 40 percent in Manhattan through targeted prosecutions and strategic community investments," Bragg said.

The funding enables community-based organizations to offer summer stipends to young New Yorkers, allowing them to engage in valuable programming such as mentorships and workshops focused on conflict resolution and leadership skills.

Additionally, the money supports efforts to improve and beautify public spaces that are known hotspots for gun violence.

"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," Bragg added. "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."

The funding was given to organizations with strong records of employing individuals who have experienced gun violence. These organizations provide localized programming in neighborhoods and NYCHA developments that are most affected by gun violence.

The Upper West Side organization receiving funding this year is Children’s Aid NYC, which provides comprehensive support to children, youth, and their families in high-needs neighborhoods throughout New York City.

“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.

Using their portion of the funding, Children’s Aid NYC will engage 20 young New Yorkers in weekly, two-hour gun violence prevention workshops.

Additionally, they will create four large vinyl memorial portraits of community members and peers who have been victims of gun violence. Each portrait will be a collaborative project featuring 20 individual squares, each incorporating poetry and personal stories.

"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," Boyer added. "It is crucial that we incorporate the voices of young people as we strive to solve this public health crisis."

This year’s awards will bring the total number of young New Yorkers benefiting from the D.A.’s Office summer gun violence prevention initiative to approximately 420.

Since D.A. Bragg launched the program in Summer 2022, shooting incidents have decreased by 39 percent, and there are 37 percent fewer shooting victims in Manhattan, according to Bragg’s office.