Programs Director Taina Sanon spoke with Tanya Krupat of The Osborne Association, a member organization of Nonprofit New York. We will continue to highlight the work of our members because we believe when your nonprofit is stronger, all of us are stronger.
Tell me about the organization and what you do.
Founded in 1933 to honor the legacy of prison reformer Thomas Mott Osborne, the Osborne Association serves individuals, families, and communities affected by the criminal justice system. Through our programs, we offer opportunities for people to heal from and repair harm, restore their lives, and thrive. Osborne now serves more than 12,000 people a year, working in Rikers Island jails, 29 New York State prisons, and community sites in Brooklyn, Harlem, Buffalo, Newburgh, and the South Bronx.
We offer court advocacy for indigent defendants, aimed at keeping people out of prison or jail; community alternatives to incarceration; substance use disorder and trauma treatment; mentoring programs for youth; in-prison parenting education and support for children of incarcerated parents; support for the management of HIV and Hepatitis-C; workforce training and job placement; housing placement and support; advocacy, technical assistance, and public education; and extensive reentry services, including specialized services for older adults and a jail-based reentry program that serves more than 4,000 people returning to New York City from Rikers every year.
In 2018, the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York recognized Osborne’s caliber in its annual Nonprofit Excellence Awards, naming Osborne one of three finalists for the award of Overall Management Excellence, and winner in the category of Results and Impact.
Within Osborne, I coordinate the Center for Justice Across Generations which is the policy and advocacy arm of the organization. We work to transform the criminal legal system towards one that is grounded in healing, safety, restoration, rehabilitation, and accountability.
How many are on your team?
4
Servicing how many of the nonprofit population?
Osborne serves about 12,000 people per year.
Where do you see your organization in the next five years or ten years?
We are actually currently working on Osborne 2025 and mapping out where we see ourselves in 5 years. We are also actively working on becoming an anti-racist organization, inventorying our policies, practices, and culture to stay true to our core values which include working for justice and equity. As part of living our core values, we are also working to become Trans allies and strengthening our policies and practices to ensure we are affirming and welcoming the LGBTQIA community.
How has partnering with Nonprofit New York helped you succeed?
Nonprofit NY has kept us abreast of other programs and trends which is critical to effectively responding to the needs of individuals, families, and communities. This work cannot be done alone- partnerships and collaboration are essential and Nonprofit NY fosters this.
What are you currently working on that you want us to mention to our membership?
October is See Us, Support Us month! This is the 6th annual national month of awareness-raising for and about children with incarcerated parents. This year See Us, Support Us (SUSU) focuses on supporting children's educational success and well-being from early childhood through college. SUSU includes events, a social media guide, resources and tools. Please check out the website at www.susu-osborne.org.