STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 A Staten Island violence prevention organization was among 29 honored with keys to the city Monday.<\/p>\n
True2Life, based out of Stapleton\u2019s Central Family Life Center, received the key to the city from outgoing Mayor Eric Adams who praised their work as vital to helping achieve record lows for shootings through the first 11 months of the year.<\/p>\n
Adams linked the record lows in violence to the 25,000 illegal guns city law enforcement has seized since the start of his administration in 2021. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn a world where just one gun can tear an entire community apart, removing 25,000 of them has saved untold number of lives and kept families whole,\u201d Adams said. \u201cWe know we cannot do this work alone, which is why we are proud to give the Key to the City to the 29 nonprofit providers in the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development\u2019s Crises Management System program, who interrupt violence and keep communities safe every day. I hope their work will continue to grow and thrive so New Yorkers can continue to experience the safety and peace of mind they deserve.\u201d <\/p>\n
New York City launched its Crises Management System in 2012 under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg\u2019s administration, and has subsequently increased its investment in the non-profit organizations around the city.<\/p>\n
The organizations include networks of community leaders who mediate local conflicts, while working to connect young people most at risk of gun violence to mentorship and risk reduction plans. They also mobilize the community to promote peace and shift norms around the use of violence.<\/p>\n
True2Life, led by New Brighton resident Mike Perry, works to resolve potentially violent disputes, while educating youth about their economic surroundings, the history of their community and the potential to break the cycle of crime and poverty.<\/p>\n