AVENUES FOR JUSTICE RECEIVES GIFT FROM MACKENZIE SCOTT’S YIELD GIVING OPEN CALL TO HELP EXPAND OUR ALTERNATIVE TO INCARCERATION EFFORTS

‍(New York, NY – March 20, 2024)

On March 19, 2024, MacKenzie Scott’s Yield Giving announced Avenues for Justice (AFJ) as one of the Open Call’s awardees working with people and in places experiencing the greatest need in the United States. Avenues for Justice was selected, in the group of the highest-scoring organizations, from among 6,353 applications from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

In March 2023, Yield Giving launched an Open Call for community-led, community-focused organizations whose explicit purpose is to enable individuals and families to achieve substantive improvement in their well-being through foundational resources, and the AFJ team answered the call. In the Fall of 2023, organizations top-rated by their peers advanced to a second round of review by an external Evaluation Panel recruited for experience relevant to this cause and underwent a final round of due diligence.

The Open Call initially planned for 250 awards, but in light of the incredible work of the organizations who applied, as judged by their peers and external panelists, the donor team decided to expand the awardee pool and the award amount to 361 organizations.

"AFJ is humbled and grateful to receive this transformational investment from the Yield Giving Open Call during our 45th year. It is truly a testament to the dedication of our amazing staff and, most importantly, the resilience of our Participants. Our program is proof of what happens when young people receive second chances, not prison sentences." AFJ Co-Founder and Executive Director, Angel Rodriguez.

The gift from the Yield Giving Open Call will go towards AFJ’s court advocacy, as well as wraparound services through our HIRE Up program for job readiness training with certifications, mental health support, education and mentorship. The news comes on the heels of AFJ celebrating “45 Years of Second Chances” since we were incorporated. 

“Among the goals for the Open Call initiative is to provide opportunities for groups and individuals that meet with systemic obstacles and amplify the voices of those that may not normally be heard. By providing the youth of New York City a second chance to fulfill their potential and reach for their dreams, Avenues for Justice attempts to meet those goals every day. We thank Yield Giving Open Call for the opportunity to expand our education, mentorship, job training, and other services that we provide our clients.” AFJ Board Chair, Alanna Rutherford.

Avenues for Justice is honored to have been selected as an awardee of the Yield Giving Open Call and we thank MacKenzie Scott for her generosity.

Established by MacKenzie Scott to share a financial fortune created through the effort of countless people, Yield Giving is named after a belief in adding value by giving up control. To date, Yield’s network of staff and advisors has yielded over $16,500,000,000 to 1,900+ non-profit teams to use as they see fit for the benefit of others. To learn more, visit www.yieldgiving.com

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PRESS CONTACT‍

Jessica Poulin jessica@wokemediahouse.com

For more information on Avenues for Justice, please visit www.avenuesforjustice.org.