Doors Open at Women’s Justice Program in Bed Stuy!
There are just over 300 women and gender expansive people on Rikers Island. Through our Women’s Justice Program (WJP), we are committed to ensuring that these individuals have an opportunity to live full, independent lives in the community when they return home. Justice involved women experience an array of unique challenges. Access to reproductive healthcare and trauma-informed programming are often overlooked, perpetuating a cycle of disadvantage and limiting their chances of successful reentry into society.
The ripple effects of maternal incarceration are felt across generations, impacting the emotional, psychological, and socioeconomic well-being of children left behind.
In 2019, Providence House became part of SHERO, a collective of housing and social service providers dedicated to creating an alternative to incarceration for women being detained at on Rikers Island.
Thanks to the success of the WJP, Providence House received a 3-year contract from the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) to add 25 beds to our program, effectively doubling our impact. With our architectural partners at ESKW/Architecture, we created a plan to transform a pair of adjacent brownstones into a setting conducive for operating our highly effective congregate housing model.
Thanks to support from our amazing partners including Trinity Church of Wall Street, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, Enterprise Community Partners, and Affinity Legacy, we officially broke ground on this project on May 3rd, 2023.
Pictured: Ariella Louie, Program Officer of Mother Cabrini Health Foundation; Nyasha Salmon, Program Director of the Women’s Justice Program; Danielle Minelli Pagnotta, Executive Director of Providence House; Baaba Halm, Vice President and New York Market Leader for Enterprise Community Partners; Ralphetta Johnson-Moses, PH Board Member; Anju Mahajan, PH Board President; Deanna Logan, Director of Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice; Terri Davis-Merchant, Program Director for Trinity Church of Wall Street; Cassie Siskovic, PH Associate Board Co-Chair; Chi Ossé, Member of New York City Council
Over the course of two months, a team of contractors, Providence House staff, and corporate volunteers worked tirelessly to renovate and rehabilitate the 100+ year old buildings. This included a team from Paramount who helped beautify our backyard, creating a garden oasis for the participants to enjoy.
15 volunteers participated as part of Paramount Community Day
We also had teams from Credit Suisse to help assemble furniture, and another team from the London Stock Exchange who helped prepare the units for the residents to move in.
Credit Suisse Team
London Stock Exchange Team
After three months of hard work, the buildings have opened their doors. Our trauma-informed staff is available onsite 24-hours a day, ensuring access to substance abuse or mental health treatment, and life skills training.
Now, more than ever, it is pivotal that we continue to raise funds to support these individuals. With your help, we can ensure that every person who walks through our doors has the resources needed to remain out of the criminal justice system and thrive in the community.