A new non-profit program is disarming Brooklyn's troubled youth one punch at a time.
Renzo Gracie Fight Academy in Greenpoint has teamed with Sen. Eric Adams (D-Brooklyn) to introduce the Hope Academy. The organization offers free martial arts classes to troubled youth as a way to keep them busy and focused.
Hope Academy also partners with local schools to make sure students maintain or improve their grades in the classroom in order to continue with their free classes.
About 20 students are currently enrolled, but organizers say they want to see that number reach 200 within the next few months.