Support The Power of Second Chances On This Day of Giving Thanks

Just imagine what this world would be like for any of us if our lives were determined by our struggles and our worst mistakes. All young people need support, guidance, and opportunity to help them navigate their lives, but especially those who come from communities like the ones that Avenues for Justice (AFJ) serves, communities that are over-policed and under-resourced. As a result of these circumstances, many AFJ Participants have multiple encounters with law enforcement that can lead them down a path to life-changing events, including court appearances, lengthy sentences, and charges that follow them into adulthood.

That’s where Avenues for Justice steps in. This is where the Power of Second Chances becomes evident. 

AFJ supports our Participants in court, in our programs, in the world of work, and beyond. We provide this support in a manner that’s rooted in community, respect, and a belief in their abilities. When anyone visits Avenues for Justice, they almost always say the same thing – this feels like family. Most importantly, we hear the same from our Participants. Whether they are coming to our program for the first time, or if they graduated and are returning for a visit, they experience AFJ as an extension of their own family. To me, that’s the biggest compliment we can receive: That, like a family, we make our Participants feel safe, supported, and loved. They know we are all committed to providing them with a path forward.

Like any family, the next generation of Participants we serve represents our Legacy. And we know our legacy is in great hands. Our young people only need the opportunity and the support needed to accomplish their goals. That’s why 94% of our Participants avoid reincarceration after three years of enrollment in our program. Through their own commitment and the care and dedication of our staff, they can accomplish so much, and we are eternally proud of them.

To help us continue to cement AFJ’s legacy of providing a path forward, we hope you will consider a gift to support our programs. While we’ve come a long way since we were founded in the Lower East Side, we have so much more to do. More young people to serve in our city, more second chances that we hope to provide them with, and more lives to enrich. We hope we can count on your support as we work to not only sustain AFJ’s current work, but to deepen our presence across New York City.

Avenues for Justice will always be a place that offers young people the guidance, support, and services they need, and we are thankful that we have your continued support.