Getting Out and Staying Out (GOSO) Gets Ready to Toast Success at Fifth Annual Gala on April 19th
Organization to Honor Civic Activist and Entrepreneur Wendy Neu and Goldman Sachs as
“Partner of the Year”
Guest Appearance by U.S. Senator Cory Booker
NEW YORK, NY—Tuesday, April 12, 2016—Getting Out and Staying Out (GOSO) is pleased to announce that its fifth Annual Gala – “GOSO ON THE MOVE” – will take place on April 19th at 6:30 pm at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers. The event, hosted by Emmy Award winning reporter/anchor Dan Mannarino of PIX11, benefits the organization’s mission toward drastically reducing the recidivism rate for the young people they serve. Mannarino recently ran a successful series called “Inside Rikers Island,” which featured GOSO’s accomplishments helping young men forge a path out of the criminal justice system.
The event celebrates the 11-year-old organization’s success in reducing recidivism by giving formerly incarcerated and court-involved young people a path out of the criminal justice system through access to education and job training. This year GOSO will honor Wendy Neu, a passionate civic activist who has dedicated a great deal of time to helping those who were formerly incarcerated. Ms. Neu’s award will be presented by Senator Cory Booker. GOSO will also be honoring Goldman Sachs as “Partner of the Year” for their unwavering dedication to the mission of reducing recidivism.
“This has been a terrific year and we have made many positive strides toward helping young men exit the criminal justice system for good,” said Mark Goldsmith, President and Chief Executive Officer of Getting Out and Staying Out. “GOSO has been very successful in leveling the playing field for the young men we serve by delivering to them the essential tools needed to successfully reenter their communities, largely due to generosity we have experienced through our community and partners. This event will celebrate our collective success!”
Located in Harlem, GOSO helps young men (ages 16-24) throughout New York City avoid re-involvement in the criminal justice system by reshaping their futures through educational achievement, meaningful employment, and financial independence. GOSO focuses on individuals’ capacities and strengths, as well as developmental needs and emotional well-being. Their aim is to promote participants’ personal, professional, and intellectual growth by providing goal-oriented programming and comprehensive supportive social services. GOSO has developed a program unlike any other—GOSO has retained a recidivism rate of 10 percent, far lower that New York City, State and Federal rates for the formerly incarcerated. They join forces with community partners like Legal Aid, Neighborhood Defenders, as well as agencies including the Department of Probation, Department of Education, as well as the Department of Corrections. Through these partnerships GOSO has served over 3,000 young men both inside Rikers and in the communities by connecting them with essential educational and job training opportunities. They also partner with businesses throughout the city to provide meaningful paid internships and job opportunities for young men.
Contacts:
Maya Kremen / Kelly Ferraro
Geto & de Milly, Inc. / (212) 686-4551
mkremen@getodemilly.com | kferraro@getodemilly.com