Governor Hochul Announces Partnership With Former NFL Quarterback Don McPherson and YMCAs to Help Prevent Domestic Violence

As New York continues to observe Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a partnership between the State's Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV), former Syracuse University and NFL quarterback Don McPherson, and the Alliance of New York State YMCAs. Through this partnership, 140 YMCA facilities in communities across the state will begin working in collaboration with OPDV and Aspire NY, McPherson's innovative program to help prevent gender-based violence. This continues the Governor's ongoing commitment to protecting New Yorkers through record investments in law enforcement, nation-leading financial assistance for survivors, expanded community partnerships and new programs focused on combating domestic violence and better addressing the needs of survivors.

"New York is standing up against domestic violence by giving law enforcement more funding to stop abusers, expanding our partnerships with community leaders, and elevating innovative approaches," said Governor Hochul. "I'm pleased to have our team working with Aspire NY and YMCAs across the state to expand our tools and resources to prevent all forms of gender-based violence."

The Aspire NY program is based on McPherson's concept of Aspirational Masculinity - a philosophical approach to engaging men and boys in conversation and encouraging them to live in AWE (Authentic, Whole and Evolving). This approach is rooted in ongoing work to end men's violence against women, and the initiative works with men and boys within their local social ecosystems such as schools, community centers and families.

In addition to being a former NFL player, All-American quarterback at Syracuse University and member of the College Football Hall of Fame, McPherson is a leader on speaking to young men about gender-based violence, which he has done since 1995. The author of "You Throw Like a Girl: The Blind Spot of Masculinity,"Don has twice testified before the United States Congress and has worked closely with the U.S. Departments of Education and Defenseon issues of sexual violence in education and the military, respectively.

OPDV first joined forces with McPherson in 2023, by including McPherson's message of Aspirational Masculinity in its "Start the Conversation, Engaging Men and Boys" campaign.

This new partnership with the Alliance of New York State YMCAs will bring McPherson's Aspire NY program to leadership, staff and members at YMCAs all across the state. There are 36 regional YMCAs in New York, with a total of 140 individual YMCA facilities among them. Each year, the Alliance serves 1.5 million New Yorkers through its programs, including after school and summer camp programs.

Executive Director of the NYS Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, Kelli Owens said, "For too long, the gender-based violence movement has focused on the dangers of toxic masculinity and telling men and boys what they shouldn't do. This mindset has often led to men and boys not participating in the conversations around gender-based violence. It is time that we give men and boys the tools to have healthy relationships in their lives. Don McPherson's approach of Aspirational Masculinity brings a necessary perspective to the conversation. Joining forces with the Alliance of New York State YMCAs allows us to get that message to communities all across the state. Thank you, Governor Hochul, for your dedication and support to finding innovative and culturally responsive ways to combat gender-based violence."

Don McPherson said, "We need to instill the belief in our boys that they are capable and worthy of their authentic wholeness as men and, we must be intentional and deliberate in how we inspire them to be aspirational about themselves. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with the Alliance of the New York State YMCAs and OPDV to further the idea of Aspirational Masculinity to new communities and I am excited to begin this partnership."

Executive Director of the Alliance of New York State YMCA, Kyle Stewart said, "On behalf of YMCAs across the State, the Alliance of New York State YMCAs is proud to partner with the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Don McPherson to promote healthy relationship behaviors and strengthen statewide gender-based violence prevention efforts. The YMCA is deeply committed to keeping communities strong, resilient, and safe. This pilot is exciting and inspiring in its design to empower YMCAs through sustainable training and community engagement. We look forward to witnessing how the project will not only help to promote interpersonal growth, but also contribute to broader societal change."

Earlier this week, Governor Hochul announced a record-level, $35 million state investment to improve the public safety response to intimate partner abuse and domestic violence and better address the needs of victims and survivors.

As part of that investment, five New York City District Attorneys' Offices will share $5 million while law enforcement and service providers in 20 counties outside of the five boroughs will share $23 million to implement evidence-based strategies to enhance the safety of survivors and hold individuals accountable for their actions. Up to $7 million will allow the State to provide training and technical assistance, risk assessment tools, and investigative support to participating agencies and improve the domestic violence reduction efforts of state agencies.

Using funding secured by Governor Hochul in the FY 2025 Budget, the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) will administer $23 million in funding to district attorneys, sheriffs' offices, municipal police departments, probation departments and community-based providers that serve victims and survivors of domestic violence in 20 counties to implement the Statewide Targeted Reductions in Intimate Partner Violence initiative (STRIVE). The following counties participating in the initiative reported the largest volume and rate of domestic and intimate partner violence: Albany, Broome, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Cortland, Dutchess, Erie, Fulton, Genesee, Jefferson, Monroe, Nassau, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Orange, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Suffolk, and Westchester counties.

DCJS will distribute $5 million to district attorneys' offices in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and Staten Island to allow for the implementation of early case enhancement strategies, including the Queens District Attorney's Proact-DV program to the other four boroughs. The program focuses on the importance of collecting evidence, improving collaboration between police and prosecutors, and connecting survivors with support and services as quickly as possible after a crime has been reported, regardless of whether an arrest has been made. This coordinated, early intervention aims to increase victim safety, strengthen the prosecution of domestic violence cases, and ensure offender accountability.

STRIVE is modeled after the State's Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative, also administered by DCJS, which requires partners in each county to develop a comprehensive plan using one or more evidence-based strategies to reduce shootings and save lives. Plans developed by counties participating in STRIVE must use evidence-based strategies and ensure that community members and programs that serve victims and survivors are actively involved in strategy selection and implementation. One or more of the following strategies must be used: domestic violence high-risk team model, lethality assessment program, or intimate partner violence intervention.

Counties participating in STRIVE also will receive training and technical assistance from the State and national experts to implement their county plans and chosen strategy or strategies; and access crime analysis, intelligence development and investigative support from the State's network of 11 Crime Analysis Centers to identify perpetrators and build effective cases for prosecution. DCJS will receive up to $7 million for that work and the funding will also support efforts to improve the ways in which state agencies respond to intimate partner and domestic violence.

Contact the Governor's Office