Senator Myrie Announces State Funds to Prevent Gun Violence, Calls on Governor's Office to Provide Emergency Funding

BROOKLYN -- Senator Zellnor Y. Myrie (D-20) today announced state grants to support anti-violence programs in Central Brooklyn that suffer from high rates of gun violence and called on the Governor’s office to increase funding to community support and groups that work to prevent street violence. 

“We know that gun violence only emerges when hope has been lost,” said Senator Myrie. “We know that for our communities to thrive, they need strong schools, churches, and community centers. Today, we are proud to invest in communities that bring peace and hope to our community and to prevent further tragedy, we demand that the governor's office does the same.”

The announcement came amidst a national discussion of gun violence following mass shootings around the country, including in Brownsville, Brooklyn, a community of color located in Senator Myrie’s district. 

Senator Myrie fought for the community investments in the State Budget earlier this year. Today, he announced the recipients of SNUG (Cure Violence) funding: 

• $200,000 increase in SNUG funding for violence prevention community organizations across Senator Myrie’s district, including several organizations that serve Brownsville and Crown Heights, the locations of recent shootings in Senator Myrie’s district:  
• $50,000 to 67th Clergy Council (the God Squad) (Serving East Flatbush and throughout Central Brooklyn) 
• $50,000 to Save Our Streets (SOS) (Serving Crown Heights and throughout Central Brooklyn) 
• $25,000 to Brownsville Community Justice Center (BCJC)
• $25,000 to Brownsville In Violence Out (BIVO) 
• $25,000 to Elite Learners (Brownsville)  
• $25,000 to Brownsville Think Tank Matters 
• In addition to the anti-violence funding distributed today, the Enacted State Budget previously allocated funds that build community support, including: 
• $500,000 for YouthBuild, a program, an alternative school and vocational training program that helps opportunity youth, ages 17-24, obtain high school equivalency diplomas and job skills, secure employment and go on to college or vocational school.
• $100,000 for Cornell Criminal Justice Employment Initiative for a pilot program on re-entry services for constituents.

"It is as though we are crying out for the state of New York to pay attention to the crisis that is happening here in Central Brooklyn,” said Assembly Member Diana C. Richardson. “We are asking for crisis money to be released today. We are asking for the kind of response we saw to the opioid crisis, to which the state responded with over $5 million in employment training, education, and medical assistance, but the demographic is different here in Central Brooklyn."   

“With increased funding for our BIVO program (Brownsville In Violence Out) to support our anti-gun violence work, CAMBA will be able to hire additional credible messengers and outreach workers to support the work of reducing gun violence in critical areas of Brownsville," said Wesner Pierre, Vice President of CAMBA’s Education & Youth Programs.

“Shootings and gun violence has continued to plague our beloved city, and especially Brooklyn. The GodSquad, along with our many  partners will join together with Senator Myrie as we discuss his funding our collective, comprehensive, community plan to decrease the involvement of young people: gangs, crime, and gun violence. We plan to create safer, more peaceful neighborhoods for all residents of our community,” said Pastor Gil Monrose, president of The GodSquad.

“Elite Learners, Inc. would like to thank State Senator Zellnor Y. Myrie for adding his voice, the power of his office, significant funding and his commitment to the people of Brownsville to  combat gun violence in our community. The mass shooting that occurred on July 27th, 2019 at the OldTimers Event was a horrific incident. The CDC has deemed gun violence in our society to be a public health crisis. Unfortunately, Brownsville is one of the epicenters of this epidemic. We fully trust in the leadership of State Senator Zellnor Y. Myrie to help us to identify the needs of the community, and more importantly, to find the solutions. Elite Learners joins State Senator Myrie in calling on the Governor’s office to provide emergency funding to support Brownsville’s efforts to prevent gun violence,” said Camara Jackson of Elite Learners.

“Brownsville knows resilience. The fabric of this community is held together by people who face difficulties, but persevere by coming together. Brownsville has the vision and expertise to push beyond barriers that prevent sustainable solutions; solutions that address poverty and heal historical systemic neglect. This emergency funding is a much-needed call to action, and an investment in a community in need of healing and opportunity,” said Deron Johnston, Director of the Brownsville Community Justice Center. 

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Please direct inquiries to Senator Myrie’s Director of Communications, Jonathan Timm, at (313) 618-7005. jt.nysenate@gmail.com