Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., has awarded $12.8 million in grants to 11 organizations to enable victims of crime from underserved communities to access the services they need. The  organizations receiving funding serve victim communities who face significant barriers to accessing services, including: people of color, immigrants and non-native English speakers; LGBTQ individuals; individuals with disabilities; and/or individuals who are D/deaf or hard of hearing.

The programs being funded by the DA’s Office serve victim communities that face significant barriers in accessing services tailored to their specific needs. These culturally-specific programs will raise public awareness through targeted outreach; connect survivors to available services; seek to increase crime reporting; enhance education and training for service providers; and improve translation and sign language interpretation services for survivors who are D/deaf, hard of hearing, or non-English speaking.

Through these grants, the District Attorney’s Office seeks to increase the utilization of these services within historically underserved communities, as well as mitigate the increased risk of criminal offending that can result from earlier victimization.

District Attorney Vance awarded grants totaling $12.8 million to the following 11 organizations, which are expected to serve more than 1,400 New Yorkers each year:

• Barrier Free Living
  • Award: $1,523,304
  • Primary Demographic: Survivors of domestic/intimate partner violence who are Deaf or hard of hearing
  • Services and Programming: Counseling, case management, and support groups; improved communication access for D/deaf survivors at BFL; outreach and education for service providers, law enforcement, and criminal justice personnel

• Center for Court Innovation
  • Award: $1,053,431
  • Primary Demographic: Men of color who have been victims of crime or who have been exposed to violence and who may be at risk of justice-system involvement
  • Services and Programming: Trauma-informed, culturally competent victim services

• Children’s Aid Society
  • Award: $1,120,391
  • Primary Demographic: Survivors of domestic/intimate partner violence, many of whom are low-income or immigrants
  • Services and Programming: Assessments; individual and group counseling and education; case management; advocacy

• Crime Victims Treatment Center
  • Award: $805,796
  • Primary Demographic: Transgender survivors of crime, particularly people of color and those engaged in the sex trade
  • Services and Programming: Trauma-focused therapy and advocacy

• Edwin Gould Services for Children and Families
  • Award: $1,079,848
  • Primary Demographic: LGBTQ and people of color who are survivors of gender-based violence
  • Services and Programming: Clinical support, legal advocacy, and court accompaniment for survivors of gender-based violence who have been arrested

• Exodus Transitional Community
  • Award: $989,112
  • Primary Demographic: Young people of color who have been exposed to repeated violence
  • Services and Programming: Enhanced CommonUnity program to provide psychoeducation around trauma, leadership and community advocacy training, and case management to youth
• New York City Anti-Violence Project
  • Award: $1,012,041
  • Primary Demographic: LGBTQ and HIV-affected survivors of crime, particularly transgender/gender non-conforming individuals, people of color, immigrants, youth, and those who speak limited English
  • Services and Programming: Legal, counseling, and advocacy services; outreach and education for communities, service providers, and government agencies

• New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health
  • Award: $1,589,783
  • Primary Demographic: People of color who are low-wage workers in construction and other industries
  • Services and Programming: Outreach and training regarding wage theft, health, safety, and crime reporting; case management; community leadership and development training; referrals to victim services

• Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation
  • Award: $1,139,999
  • Primary Demographic: Immigrant survivors of intimate partner violence
  • Services and Programming: Comprehensive social and legal services for low-income Latina survivors of intimate partner violence

• New York Center for Children
  • Award: $771,504
  • Primary Demographic: Child survivors of abuse and children who have been exposed to domestic violence
  • Services and Programming: Therapy services; family counseling; educational, psychiatric, and medical services

• Sanctuary for Families
  • Award: $1,703,061
  • Primary Demographic: Survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking
  • Services and Programming: Career readiness training at the Manhattan Family Justice Center conducted in English and Spanish