SAAVI was launched in 1994 by F.E.G.S. in an effort to give school and community based professionals a user-friendly prevention/intervention tool in the struggle to make our schools and communities safer.

F.E.G.S. is a large comprehensive, voluntary, not-for-profit human services organization. Since its founding in 1934, F.E.G.S. and its affiliated organizations have served more than two million people. The Agency's extensive network of skills training, employment, behavioral health, education, rehabilitation, residential, developmental disabilities, home care and corporate service programs assists more than 90,000 individuals each year.

SAAVI was established with grants from the J.E. and Z.B. Butler Foundation through UJA Federation of New York. The Louis and Harold Price Foundation has supported the expansion of the SAAVI program and established The Foundation's Youth Violence Prevention Training Institute at F.E.G.S.

More than 10,000 students throughout 25 New York metropolitan area school districts have completed the SAAVI program at the elementary, middle and high school levels.