Congratulations,
MG!
In October, GOSO founder, President and CEO Mark L. Goldsmith — known to his GOSO family, staff and clients alike, as “MG” –was named one of New York Nonprofit Media’s “50 Over 50” honorees, in recognition of his decades-long commitment to improving the lives of justice-involved young men.
Fifteen years ago, Mr. Goldsmith first walked onto Rikers Island as a volunteer for the Horizon Academy (the jail’s high school) “Principal for the Day” program. After recognizing the incredible potential within so many of the men in attendance, Mr. Goldsmith committed to aiding these young men on their journeys to break the cycle of incarceration.
In just a short time, Mr. Goldsmith created a small mentoring program and turned it into a successful organization; now, GOSO helps more than 1,500 young men every year. Mr. Goldsmith’s tireless advocacy and support for incarcerated young men and his relentless dedication continues to motivate our participants to improve themselves through our programs, and it inspires GOSO staff to mirror “MG’s” enthusiasm and commitment, too. Mr. Goldsmith’s continued passion is evident when describing the best part of his job: “Seeing a smile come over the face of a formerly incarcerated participant after he has achieved something significant that he attributes solely to his involvement at GOSO.”
Congratulations, MG, on this well-deserved honor. GOSO staff are so grateful to have in MG a mentor and leader, and we look forward to continuing to work together to improve the lives and futures of thousands of young men involved in the criminal justice system.