The Capital Region will receive more than $2.5 million for the Youth Employment Program, which will help New York continue reducing gun violence by providing job opportunities and training to at-risk youth in communities across the state, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday.

The is part of New York state’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) Initiative, which operates in 21 counties outside New York City.

As part of the funding, Albany will receive $1,254,870, Rensselaer will receive $580,664 and Schenectady will receive $677,623 for a total of $2,513,157. The funding includes investments in year-round jobs and training opportunities for young people in regions that receive support from the GIVE initiative. This funding is expected to provide paid work and training opportunities for approximately 2,500 low-income, at-risk youth across these areas of the state from September 2024 to June 2025.

“Public safety is my top priority, and I’ll never stop fighting to keep the people of this state safe and working to protect our most vulnerable youth,” Gov. Hochul said. “The Youth Employment Program strengthens my administration’s comprehensive approach to ending the scourge of gun violence in communities across New York State, while providing at-risk youth with valuable work experience and skills that will help ensure that they have strong futures.”

New York state’s Youth Employment Program and GIVE Initiative have already proven to be effective at creating opportunities for young people and bringing down gun violence across the state.