News
July Highlights
Highlights of our staff and program accomplishments throughout July.
- The summer session of Osborne’s Youth Experience Success (YES!) program began this week in Brooklyn for youth ages 13–15 who have experienced the incarceration of a family member. Camp YES! kicked off with affirmations, guided team-building activities, and discussions designed to help group members get to know one another and recognize the power of shared experience. Daily outings and activities (pictured above) will include museum visits, a sneaker design and DJ workshop, roller skating and more – ending with an annual trip to Coney Island. Offered year-round in Brooklyn and Buffalo, YES! provides a supportive peer community through which young people gain essential life skills, receive emotional support, and participate in enriching experiences.
- Last month, Osborne celebrated 15 people who completed the Elder Reentry Initiative (ERI) at the North Infirmary Command on Rikers Island, which houses people with acute medical conditions and disabilities. ERI supports the unique needs of older adults preparing for life after incarceration, addressing medical vulnerability, diminished mobility, and social isolation by providing specialized reentry services and a community of support both inside and beyond correctional facilities. Participant James Devore reflected, “I appreciated the sharing that took place in the room,” noting how hearing others’ stories helped him realize many of his experiences were shared by others. Efrain Rivera overcame his fear of public speaking to personally thank Osborne staff for the meaningful connection they built with him and others.
- Osborne’s NeON Works program has been busy supporting young people in the Bronx and Harlem as they pursue educational and career goals. Last month, the program held online job readiness training workshops and launched the Community Benefit Project, which placed participants in volunteer positions at two Harlem Grown locations. Career coaches connected participants to job fairs, GED programs, vocational training, and trade schools.
- The Associated Press recently investigated the impact of “sweeping federal grant cuts” through a closer look at Bronx nonprofits, including Osborne. Our youth gun violence prevention program, the Bronx Osborne Gun Accountability and Prevention Program (BOGAP), has lost a major portion of its funding. As a result, this diversion program that supports young people to avoid prison by committing to yearlong services and trainings will serve 25( or one-third) fewer participants. As President and CEO Jonathan Monsalve observed, BOGAP is “a lifeline for young people.” Read the story here.
- Michelle Howard, Osborne’s Chief Program Officer, was just named to Crain’s New York’s 2025 “40 Under 40” list. Michelle oversees more than 25 programs with a combined annual budget of $29 million and 190 dedicated staff. She is also an ordained Episcopal priest who serves as priest associate at several NYC-area parishes. Read the profile here.