Last year there were many attacks at a Brooklyn subway station. People were getting punched in the face and being sent to the hospital. Ultimately leaving New Yorkers feeling incredibly unsafe riding the public transportation.
"Safe Walks NYC" started in Bushwick, Brooklyn in January 2021. They offer the service of accompanying people walking home from the subway. You can request a 'SafeWalk,' by DMing their Instagram account @safewalksnyc with at least 40 minutes notice. After you DM the account, a network of volunteers will meet you at the subway station and walk you home.
The founder of the group, Peter Kerre, is a Brooklyn resident. “I saw her picture and her face was bruised and I was so mad. I have a sister in the neighborhood too and she works at night. This hits close to home,” Kerre told Pix11.
After only two weeks of the program, their volunteer list grew to over 170 people.
SafeWalks is serving the Bushwick area as well as Chinatown after a huge spike in attacks on elderly Asian people. They are currently working on going into more boroughs and neighborhoods. See the process for how you can volunteer below: