KINGS AGAINST VIOLENCE INITIATIVE IN BROOKLYN AWARDED $100,000 SUPPORT GRANT FROM EVERYTOWN COMMUNITY SAFETY FUND TO EXPAND HOSPITAL-BASED AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Everytown Reinvests In Brooklyn’s Community-Led Intervention Program Amid DOJ Cuts And As Homicides Decline In Cities Sustaining CVI, Including New York

BROOKLYN, NY — Today, the Everytown Community Safety Fund,  a program of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, announced that the Kings Against Violence Initiative (KAVI) will receive a $100,000 support grant over two years to strengthen its hospital, school, and community-based violence intervention work.

KAVI uses a multi-strategy CVI model, including hospital-based violence intervention, street outreach, and youth mentorship. Based at Kings County Hospital Center, KAVI addresses the root causes of violence through trauma-informed advocacy, peer leadership, and community mobilization.

“We’re proud to invest in KAVI as a new grantee because its comprehensive approach — integrating trauma-informed, hospital-based, and community outreach programs —has proven effective in empowering youth and reducing violence,” said Michael-Sean Spence, managing director of Community Safety Initiatives at Everytown and creator of the Community Safety Fund. “It’s critical that trusted organizations like KAVI can continue meeting the needs of their communities, and grant writers step up to sustain the funding gaps created by federal rollbacks.”

“In Brooklyn, young people are exposed to violence early and often, but they also possess the strength to heal and lead,” said Ramik Jamar Williams, Co-Executive Director, Kings Against Violence Initiative. “This grant helps us keep nurturing that potential, turning it into meaningful change that will leave a lasting positive impact on the young people we serve, their communities, and everyone they interact with.”

The announcement comes as the Department of Justice has slashed funding for public safety grants, challenging community organizations to sustain their lifesaving efforts with declining support. At the same time, many cities that have invested in community violence intervention (CVI) are seeing gun homicides decline, including Brooklyn, a powerful testament to the effectiveness of programs like KAVI. Research shows that community-level violence prevention programs can contribute to drops in crime.

Since its launch in 2019, the Everytown Community Safety Fund has invested more than $15.7 million in grants to 142 CVI organizations across 72 U.S. cities, in addition to technical support and capacity building resources. This year, Everytown is awarding $2.67 million in grants nationwide, including renewed support for long-standing partners like KAVI. More about the Everytown Community Safety fund and their grantees can be found here.

About Kings Against Violence Initiative

Kings Against Violence Initiative (KAVI) is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit dedicated to ending interpersonal violence through school, community, and hospital-based programs. Founded at Kings County Hospital, KAVI equips young people with mentorship, advocacy, and trauma-informed care to prevent retaliation and support long-term healing. Learn more at https://www.kavibrooklyn.org/.