This week is National Gun Violence Survivors’ Week, and an initiative close to home is facing the gun violence crisis head-on in our communities.  

Advocates gathered at New York City Health + Hospitals/Jacobi on Friday as part of the Stand Up to Violence initiative.  

The hospital-based outreach assesses violent-related trauma and consists of a team of social workers and hospital responders dedicated to preventing violence in the community. 

"It's really important, especially for the younger generation to understand that emotional regulation is really important,” said Jennifer, a member of the team at Jacobi. “If you really don't know how to regulate your emotions then your anger is just going to control everything and you might just do something that you'll regret later on in life." 

Organizers tell News 12 that the work hits close to home for many – some of whom have last family and loved ones to gun violence in the past.