New York is doubling down on its efforts to tackle gun violence by investing millions of dollars into seven cities across the state, including Newburgh. It’s a grassroots-level approach that’s meant to address the underlying challenges and make neighborhoods safer.

One non-profit organization has committed to keep young people off the streets even without state-backed funding.

Harold Rayford is undoubtedly a man on a mission — not just as a basketball coach, but also as a mentor for young people in Newburgh.

“We’re trying to change these kids’ lives and save their lives,” said Rayford, who coaches the Newburgh Zion Lions.

For more than 30 years, Rayford has been giving troubled teens a safe place to come, play basketball and get off the streets. His program so popular that he’s expanded from a small church gym to the Newburgh Armory.

While he didn’t receive any of the upwards of $4 million for Newburgh from New York’s “Project RISE,” an initiative aimed at combatting gun violence, Rayford said his dedication to these young people remains as strong as ever.

“We’re real focused on the youth, that’s 15-17, because that’s the age group in this city, that I find out that nobody else wants to be involved with because of the gun violence, and nobody wants to open their gym, and to bring ’em in,” said Rayford.

Rayford has players who have been victims of gun violence and have survived.

“You know, unfortunately, one of them is paralyzed who probably can’t play basketball anymore,” he said. “And the other one got shot, and God willing he, in four weeks, six weeks, he healed from the gunshot wound, and he’s able to play.”

Rayford says he can relate to his mentees because of his personal experience. A son of Newburgh himself, Rayford turned to the streets and fell victim to gang violence before turning his life around and choosing this path to save other children in the community from a difficult fate.

“When I was younger, I was in the car. And I didn’t know what was going on, and we were just driving, and all the windows of the car got shot out,” he said, “and if I didn’t duck in the car, I probably wouldn’t be here today. So I’ve seen Newburgh mean streets of the gun violence. I’ve been a victim of it myself.”

Jordan Maldonado, 19, who grew up in Newburgh, says basketball is his lifeline.

“Rayford was the only one that was willing to do anything to keep everybody off the streets, keep the negative off the streets,” said Maldonado. “Keep it in the gym, bring all the negative, put it in the gym.”

For Maldonado, having access to Rayford’s gyms is a positive outlet that gives him hope.

In recent years, Newburgh has seen a surge of violent crimes and gun violence, according to the city of Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey.

“I been out here been around it for years, and it’s like nothing really changed, but you know, with people like Coach Rayford, things definitely can change,” said Maldonado.

“We need to open up more programs, we need to open up more avenues for these kids, because there’s nothing really for them to do,” Rayford said. “Once they leave the gym, they go right back to the street corner.”

Rayford and his team recently started a program aimed at encouraging players to read. It’s called “Books and Basketball,” and Rayford says the turnout so far has been very good.