500
We serve over 500 youth per year
94%
On average, 94% of our court-involved Participants are not reconvicted of a new crime within three years of enrollment in our program.
$5,500
"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] may be a model to follow. It fills many of the roles of an effective criminal justice system, including punishment, counseling, and rehabilitation.”
“No program I have ever worked with or heard about has more credibility with attorneys or judges than the [Avenues for Justice].”
“At a time when the incarceration rate in America is the highest of any nation in the world…AFJ has questioned the status quo to become one of our most successful and cost-effective crime prevention programs.”
“Judges have come to rely upon Angel, his integrity and the [Avenues for Justice] as a truly meaningful and worthwhile alternative to incarceration.”
On May 10th, Avenues for Justice (AFJ) held our inaugural Mother’s Day Celebration at our Harlem community center. AFJ hosted mothers, caretakers, and guardians of AFJ Participants, along with our team and community members who are mothers.
On May 8th, Avenues for Justice’s (AFJ) Co-Founder and Executive Director, Angel Rodriguez, was honored alongside Elizabeth Scott, Lawrence Steinberg, and Bryan Stevenson with the 2024 Leadership Prize by the Juvenile Law Center (JLC) in Philadelphia.
In addition to managing a full caseload as a Court Advocate, Shantel spearheaded a new initiative for job training and placement in 2021. This year, Shantel will take on a leading role as AFJ’s new Job Developer to expand on our internship and employment placement efforts.
