Avenues for Justice
100 Centre Street, Room 1541
New York, NY 10013
info@avenuesforjustice.org
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Congressman Goldman Presented the Grant Award at a Press Conference held at AFJ’s Lower East Side Center on Thursday, February 19th
(New York - February 20th, 2026) Yesterday, New York City’s leading alternative-to-incarceration (ATI) program, Avenues for Justice (AFJ), was awarded a $250,000 grant from Congressman Daniel Goldman (NY-10), secured through the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. Presented by Congressman Goldman during a press conference held at AFJ’s flagship Lower East Side Center at 100 Avenue B – co-named Avenues for Justice Way, the event was a meaningful moment for the entire AFJ team, especially AFJ’s Executive Director, Elizabeth “Liz” Frederick, who originally applied for the JAG grant in 2023, and has spent the last 3 years working tirelessly to secure the much-needed funding for the organization.
Now, through the support of Congressman Goldman, Frederick’s hard work has paid off. Presented alongside AFJ’s Board leadership and management team, as well as several AFJ Participants (including Participant Donald, who previously spoke at AFJ’s Digital Lab Launch on Feb 9th), and even past Participant turned Court Advocate, Elsie Flores, Avenues for Justice will look to use the grant towards advancing community access through AFJ’s HIRE Up Program that addresses barriers that many Participants face—ranging from gaps in education, limited employment skills, and challenges securing long-term, stable work. By providing access to wraparound services, including vocational training with professional certifications, educational support, mental and physical health resources, and life skill workshops like digital and financial literacy, AFJ will be able to continue to support its communities through its ATI programming. With a cost of just $8,900/year to put one young person through AFJ’s program, the team will now be able to cover the costs of 28 Participants with the new grant.
“Between the combination of volatility in the public and private funding sector, a reversal in DEI and racial/criminal justice commitments, and economic uncertainty impacting individuals across classes, 2025 was one of the most turbulent years in the nonprofit sector for minority-focused organizations like AFJ,” says AFJ Executive Director, Elizabeth “Liz” Frederick. “Through grants like the DOJ’s JAG though, it allows organizations like ours to continue the life-changing work we’re doing to support NYC’s young adults, and statistically shows how community-based solutions create accountability, healing, and a fairer criminal justice system for our young Black and Brown people.”
“AFJ’s HIRE Up program helps ensure that young people not only avoid future incarceration, but also develop the skills they need to enter the workforce and build futures for themselves,” said Rep.
Goldman. “This is a proven effective model that creates opportunity, opens doors, and helps our neighborhoods stay safe. I am proud to have fought to secure funding to help expand this program and will continue fighting for federal funds for projects like this one.”
In addition to its HIRE Up program, AFJ’s services include case management for those with active
on-going cases, where Court Advocates, like Elsie Flores, help the Participants understand legal steps, attend court appearances, and coordinate the next steps in AFJ’s program model, receiving support every step of the way. With this new federal investment, AFJ will continue strengthening its work demonstrating that when young people are met with mentorship, workforce development, and care instead of incarceration, they are far more likely to thrive.
“This type of funding is critical to ensure that AFJ continues to provide the necessary services for our Participants, and is even more important in the current fundraising environment,” says AFJ Board Chair, Dean Schaffer. “With dogged determination and support from the Congressman and District 10, Liz never gave up on trying to secure this funding from the DOJ. It is a testament to the AFJ story, Liz’s efforts, along with Congressman Goldman’s relentless support of our organization, that we were able to secure this grant!”
As the organization advances its 2026 theme of “Justice in Action,” the investment will ensure that more young New Yorkers have access to structured support, accountability, and opportunities necessary to thrive, proving once again that alternatives to incarceration are not only effective but essential.
To learn more about Avenues for Justice (AFJ), visit www.avenuesforjustice.org.
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Co-founded by Lower East Side residents Robert Siegal and Angel Rodriguez, and incorporated in 1979, Avenues for Justice (AFJ) is one of the country’s first alternatives to incarceration (ATI) programs for youth. For 47 years, AFJ has remained a trusted and effective model for community-based justice reform, keeping young people out of prison and on a path toward education, employment, and stability. In 1992, AFJ partnered with (ret.) Hon. Judge Michael Corriero to launch the Youth Part model in Manhattan’s Supreme Court. The model is now used nationwide where adolescents are tried separately from adults, promoting ATI services. AFJ continues to advance a vision where community-based justice—not incarceration—is the standard for supporting youth, families, and communities. Maintaining one of the lowest recidivism rates in the nation: 94% of court-involved Participants are not reconvicted of a new crime within three years of enrolling, each year AFJ serves more than 650 youth and young adults, ages 13–24, through its Manhattan courthouse offices and two community centers in Harlem and the Lower East Side. Long term, AFJ envisions a more just world for young people where ATI is the norm for our Participants, our community, and the wider youth justice field.
Jessica A. Poulin - jessica@wokemediabk.com
Christina Zouein - czouein@wokemediabk.com
