About Us

About Us

About Us

History

PhillyConnect builds on a twenty-year track record of providing outstanding community-based pathways for court-involved youth in New York City. Since 1999, our Connect Programs, BronxConnect and ManhattanConnect, have supported over 2,400 youth with mentoring, positive youth development, and wraparound case management. Our parent organization, Urban Youth Alliance, was founded in 1970 to build the leadership and self-sufficiency of South Bronx youth and families.

History

PhillyConnect builds on a twenty-year track record of providing outstanding community-based pathways for court-involved youth in New York City. Since 1999, our Connect Programs, BronxConnect and ManhattanConnect, have supported over 2,400 youth with mentoring, positive youth development, and wraparound case management. Our parent organization, Urban Youth Alliance, was founded in 1970 to build the leadership and self-sufficiency of South Bronx youth and families.

History

PhillyConnect builds on a twenty-year track record of providing outstanding community-based pathways for court-involved youth in New York City. Since 1999, our Connect Programs, BronxConnect and ManhattanConnect, have supported over 2,400 youth with mentoring, positive youth development, and wraparound case management. Our parent organization, Urban Youth Alliance, was founded in 1970 to build the leadership and self-sufficiency of South Bronx youth and families.

Our Founding Story

Our Founder believed that love never fails. The Connect programs were birthed by Urban Youth Alliance in New York City. The mother of Urban Youth Alliance, Rev. Faith Brown, loved the gang member. She loved the neighbor struggling with addiction. And she deeply loved the inner city. Our roots began in the Bronx on Fox Street in 1970, where drug addiction was prolific.

Reverend Faith Brown

Mother of Urban Youth Alliance, Int’l, Inc.

In 1999, Public/Private Ventures asked our current Executive Director, Rev. Wendy Calderón-Payne, to design a program that addressed the New York City epidemic of youth incarceration by uplifting the strength and networks of the urban church. Since then, Rev. Wendy has built an impressive response to an impossible challenge. Under her leadership, our New York-based Connect Programs have diverted thousands of youth away from the justice system, while building a bold solution that provides viable, humane alternatives to youth incarceration. Rev. Wendy has launched new initiatives and established partnerships with stakeholders in city and state government, while demonstrating the life-affirming value of employing and promoting the leadership of formerly incarcerated people.
Rev. Wendy, along with our Harlem-born Director, Tara Brown-Arnell, have been a part of NYC’s thriving alternative justice community for decades. They have contributed their talent and expertise to help New York City reach the lowest crime rates in recorded history. When BronxConnect began, Rikers Island Jail housed 21,000 people per day, currently down to less than 9,000 per day. The closure of Rikers Island is now permanently achievable. Our NYC Connect Programs are part of a community that has made the City a model of criminal justice reform while upholding public safety.
We are now working with the Philadelphia community to provide community-based youth interventions that leverage our successful program model while responding to the unique needs of Philadelphia.

Our Founding Story

Our Founder believed that love never fails. The Connect programs were birthed by Urban Youth Alliance in New York City. The mother of Urban Youth Alliance, Rev. Faith Brown, loved the gang member. She loved the neighbor struggling with addiction. And she deeply loved the inner city. Our roots began in the Bronx on Fox Street in 1970, where drug addiction was prolific.

Reverend Faith Brown

Mother of Urban Youth Alliance, Int’l, Inc.

In 1999, Public/Private Ventures asked our current Executive Director, Rev. Wendy Calderón-Payne, to design a program that addressed the New York City epidemic of youth incarceration by uplifting the strength and networks of the urban church. Since then, Rev. Wendy has built an impressive response to an impossible challenge. Under her leadership, our New York-based Connect Programs have diverted thousands of youth away from the justice system, while building a bold solution that provides viable, humane alternatives to youth incarceration. Rev. Wendy has launched new initiatives and established partnerships with stakeholders in city and state government, while demonstrating the life-affirming value of employing and promoting the leadership of formerly incarcerated people.
Rev. Wendy, along with our Harlem-born Director, Tara Brown-Arnell, have been a part of NYC’s thriving alternative justice community for decades. They have contributed their talent and expertise to help New York City reach the lowest crime rates in recorded history. When BronxConnect began, Rikers Island Jail housed 21,000 people per day, currently down to less than 9,000 per day. The closure of Rikers Island is now permanently achievable. Our NYC Connect Programs are part of a community that has made the City a model of criminal justice reform while upholding public safety.
We are now working with the Philadelphia community to provide community-based youth interventions that leverage our successful program model while responding to the unique needs of Philadelphia.

Our Founding Story

Our Founder believed that love never fails. The Connect programs were birthed by Urban Youth Alliance in New York City. The mother of Urban Youth Alliance, Rev. Faith Brown, loved the gang member. She loved the neighbor struggling with addiction. And she deeply loved the inner city. Our roots began in the Bronx on Fox Street in 1970, where drug addiction was prolific.

Reverend Faith Brown

Mother of Urban Youth Alliance, Int’l, Inc.

In 1999, Public/Private Ventures asked our current Executive Director, Rev. Wendy Calderón-Payne, to design a program that addressed the New York City epidemic of youth incarceration by uplifting the strength and networks of the urban church. Since then, Rev. Wendy has built an impressive response to an impossible challenge. Under her leadership, our New York-based Connect Programs have diverted thousands of youth away from the justice system, while building a bold solution that provides viable, humane alternatives to youth incarceration. Rev. Wendy has launched new initiatives and established partnerships with stakeholders in city and state government, while demonstrating the life-affirming value of employing and promoting the leadership of formerly incarcerated people.
Rev. Wendy, along with our Harlem-born Director, Tara Brown-Arnell, have been a part of NYC’s thriving alternative justice community for decades. They have contributed their talent and expertise to help New York City reach the lowest crime rates in recorded history. When BronxConnect began, Rikers Island Jail housed 21,000 people per day, currently down to less than 9,000 per day. The closure of Rikers Island is now permanently achievable. Our NYC Connect Programs are part of a community that has made the City a model of criminal justice reform while upholding public safety.
We are now working with the Philadelphia community to provide community-based youth interventions that leverage our successful program model while responding to the unique needs of Philadelphia.

Our Challenge

The challenge was to find within our own community the solution to this epidemic. Could the youth focused principles of leadership development used with church youth produce the same success with court-involved youth? Could most high-risk youth of our city, with love, mentorship and support, experience lasting change?

Our Foundation

We’re a faith and community-based program that offers alternatives to detention, incarceration and violence prevention work. We utilize asset-based mentoring to connect court-involved and high-risk youth and young adults with positive local community resources: to prevent recidivism and address youth-initiated goals in education and employment.

Our Growth

BronxConnect has joined the NYC Cure Violence initiative to bring our successful model of youth development to an entire community. Our Cure Violence work seeks to improve our neighborhoods holistically. Our Advocacy work gives members of our communities a vehicle to voice their concerns and gain experience and knowledge of the leadership of New York City. And the re-launch of our Workforce and Reentry department gives us the resources to more aggressively support returning citizens and our participants in securing gainful employment.

Our Challenge

The challenge was to find within our own community the solution to this epidemic. Could the youth focused principles of leadership development used with church youth produce the same success with court-involved youth? Could most high-risk youth of our city, with love, mentorship and support, experience lasting change?

Our Foundation

We’re a faith and community-based program that offers alternatives to detention, incarceration and violence prevention work. We utilize asset-based mentoring to connect court-involved and high-risk youth and young adults with positive local community resources: to prevent recidivism and address youth-initiated goals in education and employment.

Our Growth

BronxConnect has joined the NYC Cure Violence initiative to bring our successful model of youth development to an entire community. Our Cure Violence work seeks to improve our neighborhoods holistically. Our Advocacy work gives members of our communities a vehicle to voice their concerns and gain experience and knowledge of the leadership of New York City. And the re-launch of our Workforce and Reentry department gives us the resources to more aggressively support returning citizens and our participants in securing gainful employment.

Our Challenge

The challenge was to find within our own community the solution to this epidemic. Could the youth focused principles of leadership development used with church youth produce the same success with court-involved youth? Could most high-risk youth of our city, with love, mentorship and support, experience lasting change?

Our Foundation

We’re a faith and community-based program that offers alternatives to detention, incarceration and violence prevention work. We utilize asset-based mentoring to connect court-involved and high-risk youth and young adults with positive local community resources: to prevent recidivism and address youth-initiated goals in education and employment.

Our Growth

BronxConnect has joined the NYC Cure Violence initiative to bring our successful model of youth development to an entire community. Our Cure Violence work seeks to improve our neighborhoods holistically. Our Advocacy work gives members of our communities a vehicle to voice their concerns and gain experience and knowledge of the leadership of New York City. And the re-launch of our Workforce and Reentry department gives us the resources to more aggressively support returning citizens and our participants in securing gainful employment.

Be a part of reach change in Philadelphia by partnering with PhillyConnect.

Donate

Be a part of reach change in Philadelphia by partnering with PhillyConnect.

Donate

Be a part of reach change in Philadelphia by partnering with PhillyConnect.

Donate
ABOUT

BronxConnect is a community and faith-based program that offers alternative-justice, cure violence, and re-entry programs to help communities build from within.

ADDRESS

BronxConnect Office
432 East 149th Street
Bronx, NY 10455

Release The Grip Office
1131 Findlay Ave
Bronx, NY 10456

CONTACT


Bronx Connect Office
718.402.6872
info@bronxconnect.org

Release The Grip Office
347.862.1102
rtg@bronxconnect.org

CONNECT