NYC Together is focused on challenging ingrained mindsets that suggest punishment is the only tool for modifying behavior. We believe that cultivating the strengths of our police officers and student members leads to increased public safety and improved academic outcomes: • Improved grades (+10% a semester) • A 38% drop in absenteeism and a • 98% matriculation rate among participating seniors. Equally important, with police vs. community confrontations dominating headlines, we’re challenging and shifting this adversarial norm by supporting the efforts of the officers NYPD to reduce tension and distrust among police, youth and the community overall, while improving safety. Multiple studies show that police encounters with young people not only lead to conflict, but also to future crimes, particularly among youth of color. NYC TOGETHER’S programming addresses this issue head-on by facilitating mutually beneficial interaction between students. Officers become peers, collaborators, tutors and ultimately friends while working with students on physically challenging, culturally varied and intellectually stimulating community service projects and social-emotional literacy workshops. Students help the police become comfortable interacting with youth and communities of color by opening lines of communication and building empathy. Our programming and workshops foster leadership, civic engagement and community advocacy. We are looking to develop relationships with: • INDIVIDUAL DONORS & FAMILY FOUNDATIONS. • Police Department's interested in using our model to support better community-police relations.