safer, stronger neighborhoods by empowering youth

Our Mission


Kings Against Violence Initiative, Inc. (KAVI) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) youth-serving organization with a mission to prevent and eliminate interpersonal violence from the lives of young people through advocacy, peer leadership, community mobilization, and social justice.

KAVI operates youth violence interventions programs in Central Brooklyn. Our programs take place in schools and hospital-based settings. We also work with a broad range of partners to do community strengthening and healing programs.


A PUBLIC HEALTH APPROACH TO ENDING VIOLENCE


Violence is an endemic public health issue, particularly in low-income and communities of color. Communities of color in Central Brooklyn are plagued by violence, poverty and crime at an alarming rate. Gun violence, as just one example of violence, is the leading cause of death amongst 15-24 year-olds. However, Central Brooklyn is not unique; there are communities around the country experiencing loss and neglect of young people due to violence.

Violence not only takes on many different forms, but our public health perspective recognizes many different factors contribute to violence, including lack of access to a quality and supportive education, poor mental health and growing up in neighborhoods with limited resources and services. Our young people are both the victims and perpetrators of violence. Resorting to violence is often both the symptom and cause of longstanding and systemic inequities, poverty, and marginalization. Hurt people hurt people.

"We cannot do this work alone - it will take all of us working together to build a safer and stronger future for our young people."

Featured


  • Brooklyn Community Foundation’s Spark Prize gives $100K to five Brooklyn nonprofits
    Brooklyn Paper, Wednesday, March 15, 2023 - 08:00

    The Brooklyn Community Foundation announced the winners of their annual Spark Prize, and has donated $100,000 each to five Brooklyn-based nonprofits to aid in their extraordinary work advancing important causes affecting millions of borough residents.

  • Rob Gore: Healing inner-city trauma
    TED, Monday, November 21, 2016 - 14:55

    Payback is a killer. The No. 1 cause of death among African-American men 15 to 34 is homicide. Dr. Rob Gore, an emergency medicine physician who grew up in the Brooklyn, NY, community where he works, saw that if he could treat his patients’ trauma, he could perhaps quell their impulse to seek retribution.

  • Doctor works to save youth from violence before they reach his ER
    CNN, Monday, November 26, 2018 - 11:30

    As an emergency physician at Kings County Hospital Center, Dr. Rob Gore has faced many traumatic situations that he'd rather forget. But some moments stick with him.

Brooklyn Community Foundation’s Spark Prize gives $100K to five Brooklyn nonprofits
Brooklyn Paper, Wednesday, March 15, 2023 - 08:00

The Brooklyn Community Foundation announced the winners of their annual Spark Prize, and has donated $100,000 each to five Brooklyn-based nonprofits to aid in their extraordinary work advancing important causes affecting millions of borough residents.

Rob Gore: Healing inner-city trauma
TED, Monday, November 21, 2016 - 14:55

Payback is a killer. The No. 1 cause of death among African-American men 15 to 34 is homicide. Dr. Rob Gore, an emergency medicine physician who grew up in the Brooklyn, NY, community where he works, saw that if he could treat his patients’ trauma, he could perhaps quell their impulse to seek retribution.

Doctor works to save youth from violence before they reach his ER
CNN, Monday, November 26, 2018 - 11:30

As an emergency physician at Kings County Hospital Center, Dr. Rob Gore has faced many traumatic situations that he'd rather forget. But some moments stick with him.

KAVI | Kings Against Violence Initiative

Copyright © 2023 Kings Against Violence Initiative. All Rights Reserved.

KAVI | Kings Against Violence Initiative


147 Prince Street, Ste. 416, Brooklyn, NY 11201

info@kavibrooklyn.org

(917) 728-1147


Copyright © 2023 Kings Against Violence Initiative. All Rights Reserved.