Goldman Presents $250,000 Federal Grant Award to Avenues for Justice
Funding Will Connect Justice Involved Youth to Job Opportunities, Prevent Recidivism
New York, N.Y. - Today, U.S. Representative Dan Goldman (NY-10) presented a $250,000 Community Project Funding Award to Avenues for Justice (AFJ), an alternative-to-incarceration program that aims to help keep young people out of the criminal justice system.
Rep. Goldman requested and secured funding for the project, which was included in a package of bills to fund the federal government. Goldman secured $13,756,000 for 15 community projects in NY-10 in the FY 2026 appropriations process.
The funding award will support AFJ’s HIRE Up program, which connects justice involved young people to workforce development and job readiness training. Rep. Goldman was joined by Executive Director of Avenues for Justice Elizabeth Frederick as well as justice involved youth who are graduates of AFJ programs at an event in the East Village to celebrate the new funding.
“AFJ’s HIRE Up program sets the standard for community-based support for at-risk youth by ensuring that young people not only avoid future incarceration, but also develop the skills they need to enter the workforce and build a successful future 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 secured funding to expand this program and will continue fighting for federal funds for outstanding programs like this one around the City.”
“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,” said Executive Director, Liz Frederick. “Through grants like the DOJ’s JAG though, it allows organizations like ours to continue the life-changing work we’re doing in 2026 to support NYC’s young adults. Alternative to incarceration (ATI) funding statistically shows how community-based solutions, such as what we are doing here at AFJ, creates accountability, healing, and a fairer criminal justice system for our young Black and Brown people.”
“With dogged determination and support from the Congressman Goldman and District 10, AFJ’s Executive Director, Liz Frederick, never gave up in trying to secure this funding from DOJ," said AFJ Board Chair Dean Schaffer. "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 in the current environment. This type of funding is critical to ensure that AFJ continues to provide the necessary services for our Participants. It's even more important in the current fundraising environment.”
The $250,000 federal grant will support AFJ’s HIRE Up program, which connects justice involved young people to services and workshops for job readiness, digital and financial literacy, and other skill-based learning to keep them out of jail and prison. The funding will help keep young people from further involvement with the criminal justice system, decreasing crime in the area and ensuring that local law enforcement resources are focused on other priorities. In 2025, AFJ served 691 at-risk youth. On average, 94% of court-involved participants are not reconvicted of a new crime within three years of enrollment in the HIRE Up program.
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