Legal Aid & Record Relief
Legal Action Center (LAC)
Manhattan
Free legal help with rap sheets, Certificates of Relief, sealing, job/housing denials, licensing, and discrimination tied to a record, drug use, SUD or HIV.
Reentry Services in Manhattan
Second Start lists 207 reentry programs based in Manhattan, from housing and legal aid to jobs and healthcare, plus 317 citywide services that also serve Manhattan residents.
Many citywide organizations also have their main offices in Manhattan, so a short subway ride can widen your options.
207 local services
Browse by need in Manhattan
Based in Manhattan
Education & GED
Union Settlement - Adult Education
Manhattan
Free HSE exam prep, ESOL, digital literacy and career training (age minimums vary: most programs 21+, GED and digital literacy 18+); referrals to other services.
Employment & Job Training
Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW)
Manhattan
Job training, placement and lifelong career support in construction, utilities, transportation and green jobs for women and nonbinary people.
Employment & Job Training
Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO)
Manhattan
Immediate paid transitional work, job-readiness training, job coaching, placement and retention support for people recently home from prison.
Employment & Job Training
Community Service Society (CSS) - Next Door Project
Manhattan
Hotline helping people with conviction histories request their own records, repair inaccurate rap sheets, and apply for Certificates of Good Conduct or Certificates of Relief from Disabilities, which can ease licensing and employment barriers.
Housing & Shelter
Covenant House New York
Manhattan
24-hour walk-in center and shelter for young adults: crisis care, shelter, transitional living, healthcare, job readiness, education support, legal services, outreach. Health and Wellness Center 212.613.0315.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New Economy Project - NYC Financial Justice Hotline
Manhattan
Runs the NYC Financial Justice Hotline, providing free legal assistance to low-income NYC residents on financial justice issues such as debt collection, credit reports, unfair banking practices, and predatory lending.
Family & Reunification
Safe Horizon
Manhattan
Support for victims of crime and abuse: shelter, advocacy, counseling, legal services and supervised visitation; welcomes all survivors regardless of immigration status. Hotline 800.621.4673.
Housing & Shelter
Center for Urban Community Services (CUCS)
Manhattan
Case management, medical and psychiatric services for people in supportive housing in Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx; phone consultation and referrals for mental health supportive housing; free financial assistance.
Education & GED
Chinese-American Planning Council - Adult Literacy Program
Manhattan
Free ESOL classes plus job development workshops and support for students, part of CPC's broader services for immigrants and low-income New Yorkers.
Food & Basic Needs
Coalition for the Homeless - Grand Central Food Program
Manhattan
Nightly meals and essentials at 20+ mobile stops in Manhattan and the Bronx.
Mental Health & Counseling
Community Access
Manhattan
Provides services to people living with mental health concerns, including supportive and stable housing, education, job retention support and assisted competitive employment, peer training, health and wellness programs, and advocacy. Affiliated programs include Blueprint Supported Education and the Howie the Harp Advocacy Center, which trains people with mental health recovery experience to become peer support workers.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Community Service Society (CSS)
Manhattan
Free advice and legal representation for reentry barriers in employment, licensing, housing and civic engagement, plus health insurance, financial and income support help.
Food & Basic Needs
Food Bank For New York City - Community Kitchen
Manhattan
Food pantry/soup kitchen locator, SNAP help; Community Kitchen groceries Tue-Thu and hot meals Mon/Wed/Fri 4-6 (ID required).
Employment & Job Training
Hot Bread Kitchen
Manhattan
Free culinary workforce training, small business incubation and food entrepreneurship support for women, immigrants and people of color.
Education & GED
Literacy Partners
Manhattan
Offers free English-for-parents classes and Spanish-language parenting programs for people with children ages 0-7, basic reading classes for all adults, and HSE prep for Bronx Community College students, both online and in person.
Mental Health & Counseling
NAMI-NYC Metro
Manhattan
Free peer-led classes, support groups and family mentoring; helpline Mon-Fri 10-6 in 180 languages with referrals to services.
Family & Reunification
NYC ACS - Office of Advocacy
Manhattan
Information about rights for parents who had to place a child in foster care while incarcerated; incarcerated parents can call collect at 212.619.1309.
Family & Reunification
Rising Ground - Steps to End Family Violence
Manhattan
Runs the Criminalized Survivors Program, an alternative-to-incarceration program for survivors of intimate partner and gender-based violence who were criminalized for surviving or resisting abuse. Offers individual and group support, legal advocacy, and court accompaniment throughout the survivor's open criminal case.
Healthcare
The Alliance for Positive Change
Manhattan
HIV and health services; testing hotline 855.427.2692.
Employment & Job Training
The Doe Fund - Ready, Willing & Able
Manhattan
Paid transitional work, transitional housing, case management, legal services, vocational training and job/housing placement for homeless and formerly incarcerated men.
Benefits & Financial Help
The New York Public Library (NYPL) - Financial Literacy Services
Manhattan
Offers webinars and one-on-one help on budgeting, saving, investing, avoiding scams, and college financial planning. Its Budget and Credit Coaching program gives ongoing help with debt problems, and its Medicare Counseling covers enrollment, coverage, and drug plan costs.
Benefits & Financial Help
VOLS Benefits Law Project
Manhattan
Helps low-income New Yorkers with unemployment insurance and SCRIE/DRIE rent freeze benefits. Benefits hotline 347.521.5720.
Substance Use Recovery
Alcoholics Anonymous - New York Intergroup
Manhattan
Peer support groups for people recovering from alcohol use disorder; hotline 9am-1am per website. People on Rikers can call the Bridging the Gap line (201.503.4008) to find a meeting after release.
Mental Health & Counseling
Anti-Violence Project (AVP)
Manhattan
Offers free and confidential short-term crisis counseling, individual and group counseling, and legal services to the LGBTQI+ community and people living with HIV who are survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and hate violence. The crisis hotline provides bilingual assistance 24 hours a day.
Education & GED
Bard Prison Initiative (BPI) - Bard Microcolleges
Manhattan · Brooklyn
Full tuition-scholarship, accredited college program where students earn a Bard College Associate in Arts degree attending classes at the Brooklyn Public Library's Central Library or a location on 125th Street in Harlem, with faculty, tutors and academic advisors.
Housing & Shelter
Bowery Residents' Committee (BRC)
Manhattan
Reentry services for people released from NYS facilities: on-site Medicaid/SNAP enrollment, clothing, HSE classes, resumes, substance use treatment, counseling; pays for lost birth certificates and NYS ID.
Healthcare
Callen-Lorde Community Health Center
Manhattan
Healthcare regardless of ability to pay for the LGBTQ+ community and people living with HIV/AIDS: primary care, hormone therapy, behavioral and dental care, sexual health, case management.
Family & Reunification
Center for Family Representation (CFR)
Manhattan · Bronx · Queens · Staten Island
Free legal and social work help for parents contacted by ACS, aiming to keep children at home; also represents youth 7-17 facing criminal charges.
Healthcare
Charles B. Wang Community Health Center
Manhattan
Primary care, pediatrics, dentistry, mental health, OB/GYN and social work with telehealth.
Family & Reunification
Children's Aid
Manhattan
Provides adoption and foster care, education, school- and community-based health clinics, Head Start classes, after-school/summer programs, and parenting and substance-use/teen-pregnancy prevention programs in high-need NYC neighborhoods. Also offers high school equivalency prep, job readiness, and housing assistance for youth in the Bronx and Manhattan.
Housing & Shelter
Coalition for the Homeless
Manhattan
Crisis Intervention Program: help getting emergency shelter, benefits and permanent housing; referrals to treatment, job training and eviction prevention. Does not run shelters.
Education & GED
Columbia Law School - Paralegal Pathways Initiative
Manhattan
A 12-week evening training program providing skills-based legal training and professional mentorship to formerly incarcerated people preparing for legal careers, covering legal research and writing, ethics, client interviewing, and civil litigation basics.
Mental Health & Counseling
Crime Victims Treatment Center (CVTC)
Manhattan
Medical, legal and psychological support for survivors of sexual assault and interpersonal violence: crisis intervention, trauma therapy, legal advocacy. Legal helpline 212.683.0605.
Substance Use Recovery
Exponents
Manhattan
Provides treatment and recovery services, education, and professional development for people affected by HIV/AIDS, substance use disorder, incarceration, and behavioral health challenges, through programs including drug treatment services, reentry services, and the Judith Loeb Chiara Recovery and Wellness Center. Letters of reasonable assurance are provided, and a crisis line runs 24 hours daily except Thursday.
Mental Health & Counseling
Fountain House
Manhattan · Bronx
Clubhouse community for people living with mental illness with clinical, employment and housing support, senior programs and subsidized lunch.
Employment & Job Training
Getting Out and Staying Out (GOSO)
Manhattan
A reentry program for young men ages 16-24 focused on education, employment, and emotional well-being; offers supportive counseling, educational support, vocational training, workforce development, technology like phones, and referrals to mental health, substance use, anger management, and emergency housing services.
Education & GED
Goddard Riverside - Options Center
Manhattan
College and post-secondary planning help: financial aid, scholarships, essays, campus visits, supplies, transportation, transfers and re-enrollment.
Substance Use Recovery
Greenwich House - Center for Healing
Manhattan
Outpatient treatment program offering methadone maintenance, buprenorphine treatment, naloxone training and distribution, medical care, addiction and mental health counseling, psychiatric services, HIV and hepatitis C testing and treatment, and job training and placement assistance.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Innocence Project
Manhattan
Represents people seeking post-conviction DNA testing to prove their innocence, taking only cases with untested physical evidence capable of proving innocence, for crimes committed in the US outside a handful of excluded states. Accepts only mailed intake forms; phone and email applications are not accepted.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Lambda Legal
Manhattan
Provides a Help Desk with information and resources for LGBTQI+ people and people living with HIV who have faced discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or HIV status. Help Desk analysts are not attorneys and cannot give legal advice; walk-ins are not accepted.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York County Lawyers Association (NYCLA) - Certificates Project, Sealing Project, & Project Restore
Manhattan
Helps people with conviction records apply for Certificates of Relief from Disabilities and Certificates of Good Conduct to reduce barriers to employment, housing, and civic participation. Project Restore provides free representation to people with conviction records who were denied vocational licenses, including appeals before agency commissioners and, when warranted, the New York State Supreme Court.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York County Lawyers Association (NYCLA) - Civil Appeals Project
Manhattan
Provides free representation to eligible litigants who have filed civil appeals in the Appellate Division-First Judicial Department, covering appeals of Article 78 decisions on state or local agency actions and family law appeals such as child or spousal support and matrimonial disputes.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York County Lawyers Association (NYCLA) - Volunteer Lawyer for the Day Consumer Debt Program
Manhattan
Provides free in-court legal help to people being sued by creditors for credit card or other debt in New York County Civil Court, including document review, advice, and limited-scope representation for self-represented litigants during court appearances.
Family & Reunification
New York Foundling
Manhattan
Provides foster care, educational programs, mental health services, and community-based services for children, families, and adults; services for court-involved youth include intervention, alternatives-to-incarceration, and reentry services, plus a mental health clinic for youth and families and support such as counseling, case planning, and emergency food/supply assistance.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG)
Manhattan
Free civil legal services and financial counseling: benefits, tenants' rights, consumer protection, immigration, family and employment law.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York Peace Institute
Manhattan
Free mediation, restorative justice services and training for community, housing, co-parenting, civil and criminal court, youth and special education disputes.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYCLA Legal Counseling Project
Manhattan
Free phone consultations with an attorney on family, landlord/tenant, employment and tax law; interpreter services available.
Employment & Job Training
NYPL Career Services
Manhattan
Career advice, application help, resume and cover letters, mock interviews and job-search workshops, virtual or in person.
Substance Use Recovery
OnPoint NYC
Manhattan
Overdose prevention centers and harm reduction: syringe exchange, counseling, legal help, case management, HIV testing referrals, food pantry referrals, hygiene program.
Food & Basic Needs
Riverside Church - Social Services
Manhattan
Food pantry Tue-Fri 9-1 (arrive by 12:30), free casual clothing and professional attire, and emergency assistance for people in crisis.
Family & Reunification
Sanctuary for Families
Manhattan
Serves survivors of domestic violence, sex trafficking, and gender-based violence with culturally sensitive counseling, case management, crisis intervention, legal representation, and confidentially located shelter for women, men, and families. Also runs a career readiness and technology training program, and, through the EMPOWER Center with NYC Health + Hospitals-Gouverneur, provides resources for survivors of sex trafficking and people in the sex trade.
Family & Reunification
Single Parent Resource Center
Manhattan
Provides programs and support services for single parents and their families, including those living in transitional housing, living with a substance use disorder, or recently incarcerated.
Employment & Job Training
Strive International
Manhattan
A work-readiness and job-placement program for people 18+, offering a job readiness workshop followed by hard-skills training in construction/maintenance or health/office operations, industry-recognized certifications, employer internships, and lifetime alumni support.
Housing & Shelter
The Bowery Mission
Manhattan
Faith-based services for homeless and hungry New Yorkers: meals, clothing, showers, haircuts, shelter, medical care, legal referrals, residential recovery, transitional housing, vocational training and employment services.
Employment & Job Training
The Horticultural Society of New York - HortNYC
Manhattan
Transitional employment program with paid work and workforce development in horticulture and open streets; partners with The Hope Program, Strive, GOSO, CEO, Youth Justice Network and Fortune Society.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Urban Justice Center
Manhattan
Legal services and advocacy through eight projects (domestic violence, mental health, safety net, street vendors and more), with clinics on housing, immigration and family law.
Housing & Shelter
Urban Pathways - Olivieri Drop-In Center
Manhattan
24-hour drop-in for registered clients: meals, clothing, showers, case management, crisis intervention, housing placement and referrals; one overnight chair via 4:30-5pm drop-in. Also a Staten Island drop-in at 150D Richmond Terrace (718.720.0079).
Family & Reunification
Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS) - Incarcerated Mothers Law Project
Manhattan
Provides legal services to incarcerated mothers at Rikers Island, Taconic, Albion, and Bedford Hills correctional facilities, helping them maintain contact with their children and understand foster care and family court proceedings, including adoption and termination of parental rights. Also helps mothers plan for post-incarceration reunification with their children.
Housing & Shelter
Women's Prison Association (WPA)
Manhattan
Provides case management and personalized support for women impacted by the criminal legal system and their families, including help finding safe and affordable housing, developing workplace skills, reunifying families, accessing healthcare and mental health services, and reentry planning for those still incarcerated.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Youth Represent
Manhattan
Free legal services for system-impacted youth: job and license denials due to convictions, public housing denials, school suspensions, summonses and low-level misdemeanors, family court, and RAP sheet corrections.
Employment & Job Training
America Works
Manhattan
A for-profit organization that places candidates for entry-level positions, specializing in helping people who receive public assistance obtain employment through free job training, work readiness, skills building, job placement, and other support; also offers veterans services.
Housing & Shelter
Breaking Ground
Manhattan
Provides supportive housing for the chronically homeless, low-income working adults, youth aging out of foster care, veterans, seniors, people with HIV/AIDS, and people living with mental illness, along with benefits assistance, medical and mental health care, substance use referrals, skills-building, and connections to employment.
Education & GED
College & Community Fellowship (CCF)
Manhattan
Supports women with criminal legal system involvement in pursuing higher education or certification programs, offering a sisterhood community, resources, advocacy opportunities, financial assistance, and career guidance.
Healthcare
Community Healthcare Network
Manhattan
Nonprofit network of health centers in the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens: primary care, reproductive health, STI/HIV services, dental, eye care, mental health, substance use services and more.
Employment & Job Training
Exodus Transitional Community
Manhattan
Mentoring, civic engagement, leadership workshops, substance treatment, trauma counseling, employment training and job coaching for adults and youth affected by the criminal legal system.
Healthcare
Forging Ahead for Community Empowerment and Support (FACES)
Manhattan
Provides free services to New Yorkers who are chronically homeless, living with HIV/AIDS, substance use disorder, or mental illness, including court-involved individuals. Core services include housing, HIV/hepatitis prevention and testing, reentry support, case management, and vocational/educational assessment.
Employment & Job Training
Forging Ahead for Community Empowerment and Support (FACES) - STARS
Manhattan
Offers free vocational services, academic counseling and tutoring, and mentorship for anyone who has had involvement with the criminal legal system. Also provides anger management, substance use treatment and counseling, Narcan training, child support payment reduction assistance, HIV/HCV/STI testing, a food pantry, a clothes bank, and enrollment help for health insurance and SNAP.
Food & Basic Needs
Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen
Manhattan
Meals Mon-Fri 10:30am-12:30pm, grocery pantry Tue-Thu (registration required), benefits help, computer classes, healthcare referrals.
Education & GED
John Jay College - Pathways to GED Program
Manhattan
HSE classes for people with criminal legal system involvement; students receive daily meals, milestone incentives, a rented laptop and WiFi card.
Employment & Job Training
Justice Through Code at Columbia University
Manhattan
Free coding and career skills program for formerly incarcerated people with two AI career paths (Builder and Implementer).
Legal Aid & Record Relief
LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York
Manhattan
Offers an attorney referral service and a free weekly legal clinic on Tuesday evenings at the LGBT Center in Manhattan, staffed by volunteer attorneys who give general guidance and legal referrals but not representation.
Substance Use Recovery
Lower Eastside Service Center (LESC)
Manhattan
Opioid treatment and other substance use care with inpatient and outpatient services, therapy, vocational services, medical care, case management, legal help, mental health, supportive housing and primary care.
Housing & Shelter
Metropolitan Council on Housing
Manhattan
Tenant hotline and free walk-in Tenants' Rights clinics (Oct-Jun) for landlord-tenant disputes; help forming a tenants' association.
Healthcare
Mount Sinai Coming Home Program
Manhattan
Comprehensive care for formerly incarcerated people: primary and OB/GYN care, mental health, dental, case management, legal services, support groups, on-site pharmacy.
Housing & Shelter
Project Renewal
Manhattan
Shelter, transitional and supportive housing, mental health and primary care, and job training; Parole Support and Treatment Program for people with a mental health diagnosis.
Employment & Job Training
Streetwise Partners
Manhattan
Connects underemployed and unemployed New Yorkers with professional mentors, helping with resume writing, office and computer skills, interview prep, AI literacy, and personalized career roadmaps over a 13-week commitment.
Education & GED
SUNY - Student Success Initiative Program
Manhattan
Academic counseling and support for college enrollment and retention for formerly incarcerated and court-involved individuals, across SUNY's 64 campuses; first-year students are paired with a peer mentor and an academic counselor.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
The Exoneration Initiative (EXI)
Manhattan
Free legal help for wrongfully convicted people in New York on cases without DNA evidence (mistaken eyewitnesses, false confessions, police misconduct, perjury).
Mental Health & Counseling
The Jewish Board - Mental Health Clinics
Manhattan
Individual, couple, family and group therapy, evaluation and medication management, plus programs for children, teens, trauma survivors, addiction support and domestic violence advocacy. Hotline 844.663.2255.
Housing & Shelter
WIN NYC
Manhattan
Provides shelter and supportive services for women with children in NYC, including job-readiness training, HSE classes, childcare, and college preparedness.
Family & Reunification
Alliance of Families for Justice (AFJ)
Manhattan
Supports families of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people: virtual family circles, free counseling, free legal help on conditions of confinement, visitation, parole prep and clemency, plus youth and healing programs.
Food & Basic Needs
Cathedral Community Cares
Manhattan
Community outreach program of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine offering food assistance and other community support services.
Substance Use Recovery
CREATE, Inc.
Manhattan
Outpatient and inpatient substance use disorder clinic offering treatment and recovery services, with specialized care for co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorder. Also provides transitional living for homeless young adults, day services for older adults, and a food pantry open to the public midweek.
Employment & Job Training
Dress for Success New York
Manhattan
Professional attire plus workforce development: job readiness, digital fluency, resume prep, security guard, site safety, OSHA and HVAC trainings, and small business help.
Housing & Shelter
Greenhope Services for Women (Acacia Network)
Manhattan
Residential program for women with a history of substance use, including formerly incarcerated women: trauma-informed clinical care, counseling, mental health services, education and vocational support, on-site childcare, benefits enrollment, aftercare.
Mental Health & Counseling
Harlem East Life Plan (HELP)
Manhattan
Counseling, psychiatric evaluations, medication management, opioid and substance use treatment, primary care, ambulatory detox, anger management and domestic violence groups.
Housing & Shelter
MainChance Drop-In Center (Grand Central Neighborhood Social Services)
Manhattan
Drop-in center for single adults with chairs, three meals a day, free showers (Mon-Fri 8:30-10:30), clothing, medical services, social work, housing vouchers and help finding permanent housing. Open 24/7.
Substance Use Recovery
Narcotics Anonymous - Greater New York Region
Manhattan
Peer support groups for people recovering from substance use disorder; helpline 212.929.6262 and meeting listings online.
Substance Use Recovery
Odyssey House
Manhattan
Provides residential and outpatient treatment for New Yorkers with substance use disorders. The drug-free residential program serves adults 18+, while outpatient services are available for both adolescents and adults, combining counseling and medication with housing, education, and job training support.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Parole Preparation Project
Manhattan
Trains volunteers to work closely with people incarcerated in NYS prisons who are serving parole-eligible life sentences, helping them prepare for upcoming parole board hearings, with priority given to those 8-12 months from their next hearing. After release, participants can join Survivors of the System (SOS), a peer support and advocacy network.
Mental Health & Counseling
Services for the Underserved (S:US)
Manhattan
Housing, treatment and rehabilitation, skill-building and care coordination.
Family & Reunification
Circles of Support
Manhattan
Leadership and storytelling workshops for people returning from incarceration and for their loved ones; speaking opportunities, alumni programs and youth programs.
Employment & Job Training
EPRA - Job Placement Services
Manhattan
Vocational rehabilitation for people in recovery: training, career counseling, job placement, readiness training and follow-up support.
Mental Health & Counseling
Revcore Recovery Center
Manhattan
NYS-licensed outpatient treatment for substance use and mental illness: recovery coaching, job and housing help, telehealth, evening hours and no wait for admission appointments.
Family & Reunification
Social Justice Network (SJN)
Manhattan
Runs three programs for people impacted by incarceration: the Reentry Assessment Program connects currently incarcerated or transitional-housing residents to service providers; the Reentry Educational Program supports access to higher education; and the Family Assistance Program connects families of impacted individuals to clothing, food, mental health, and healthcare providers. Also runs a Comic Books for Justice literacy initiative in correctional facilities and NYC public schools.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
ACLU - Reproductive Freedom Project
Manhattan
The Reproductive Freedom Project advocates for incarcerated pregnant people to receive reproductive health services. Write for a Know Your Rights fact sheet.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Advocates for Children (AFC)
Manhattan
Advocates and works on behalf of children who are at risk for school-based discrimination and/or academic failure due to poverty, disability, race, ethnicity, immigrant or English language learner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness, or involvement in the foster care or juvenile court systems.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE)
Manhattan
Advocates for the legal and political rights of trans people.
Healthcare
African Services Committee
Manhattan
Health care, immigration legal help and food pantry for African immigrants.
Substance Use Recovery
Al-Anon - NYC
Manhattan
Holds support meetings for the relatives and friends of a person with alcohol use disorder. Call or visit the website to find meeting information.
Housing & Shelter
Ali Forney Center
Manhattan
Housing and drop-in services for homeless LGBTQ+ young people.
Healthcare
Apicha Community Health Center
Manhattan · Queens
Primary care, HIV care and PrEP with a focus on Asian, Pacific Islander and LGBTQ communities.
Housing & Shelter
Artistic Noise
Manhattan
Works with youth and young adults who are unhoused, on probation, living in the shelter system, or have recently returned to their communities after periods of being incarcerated.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Avenues for Justice
Manhattan
Alternative-to-incarceration program for court-involved youth with court advocacy, tutoring and mentoring.
Education & GED
Black & Pink NYC
Manhattan
Works toward prison abolition in solidarity with LGBTQIA2S+ people and people living with HIV/AIDS who are incarcerated, on parole, or recently released in NY/NJ/CT. Services for incarcerated members include letter-writing, pen-pal matching, birthday and holiday cards; prison visits; quarterly chapter newsletters...
Employment & Job Training
Bottomless Closet
Manhattan
Free interview clothing and career coaching for women.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Cabrini Immigrant Services of NYC
Manhattan
A faith-based agency that provides a broad range of services to immigrants and their families. Direct legal services include Green Card renewals, family-based petitions, DACA renewals, FOIA requests, VAWA petition, U visa, and citizenship applications.
Employment & Job Training
Career Gear
Manhattan
Free interview suits and job-readiness coaching for men.
Housing & Shelter
Catholic Charities of New York
Manhattan · Bronx · Staten Island
Emergency food, housing help, immigration services and case management; serves all faiths.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Center for Appellate Litigation
Manhattan
Appeals for people convicted in Manhattan and the Bronx who can't afford a lawyer.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Center for Appellate Litigation (CAL)
Manhattan · Bronx
Represents people appealing criminal convictions from Manhattan and the Bronx.
Healthcare
Center for Hearing and Communication
Manhattan
Offers a comprehensive program of rehabilitative and human services for those who are deaf or hard of hearing including free hearing testing, hearing aid fitting and repairs, and assistive devices training.
Benefits & Financial Help
Center for Independence of the Disabled, NY (CIDNY)
Manhattan
Benefits and health insurance help, housing help and advocacy run by and for people with disabilities.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Center for Justice Innovation - Harlem Community Justice Center
Manhattan
Community justice center in East Harlem offering housing court support, youth programs and reentry services.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Center for Justice Innovation - Midtown Community Court
Manhattan
Community court offering social services, job readiness and alternatives to jail for people with low-level cases in Midtown Manhattan.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Chosen Family Law Center
Manhattan
Offers free legal assistance to low-income LGBTQIA+, polyamorous, and chosen family communities in New York.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
City Bar Justice Center - Veterans Assistance Project
Manhattan
Provides veterans and their survivors facing systemic barriers in NYC with pro bono legal assistance on issues related to their claims for benefits from the VA. Veterans and their survivors may call to have their cases screened and, as appropriate, invited to a monthly legal clinic.
Education & GED
Columbia Center for Justice - Justice-in-Education Initiative
Manhattan
Free college courses at Columbia University for formerly incarcerated people.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Columbia Human Rights Law Review - A Jailhouse Lawyer's Manual (JLM)
Manhattan
A handbook of legal rights and procedures designed for use by people in prisons and jails. JLM chapters are downloadable for free on the website.
Housing & Shelter
DHS 30th Street Intake Center for Men
Manhattan
24/7 shelter intake for single men; the guide recommends it for people who need housing immediately on reentry.
Education & GED
Dorot
Manhattan
Provides cultural and educational enrichment services for adults ages 60 and over. Visit the website or email info@dorotusa.org for a list of ongoing programs.
Education & GED
Exalt Youth
Brooklyn · Manhattan
Education and paid internships for court-involved youth.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Exodus Transitional Community - Women & Girls Project
Manhattan
A trauma-informed reentry program for women and girls ages 15–24 who have experienced incarceration, court involvement, or systemic trauma. Provide case management and workshops that focus on emotional wellness, leadership development, civic engagement, and career readiness.
Family & Reunification
Families for Freedom (FFF)
Manhattan
An advocacy organization fighting to end the continued detention and deportation of anyone regardless of immigration status, providing support to families affected by criminalization and deportation. The hotline provides help to those who have a loved one who is facing deportation.
Employment & Job Training
Fedcap Rehabilitation Services
Manhattan
Offers comprehensive vocational rehabilitation services for people with disabilities who are ages 18 and over and referred by ACCES-VR, the Commission for the Blind, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. Provides business solutions and educational services.
Education & GED
Friends of Island Academy
Manhattan
Youth development, mentoring, education and job readiness for young people released from Rikers and other facilities.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS)
Manhattan
Provides counseling, therapeutic and recreational groups, referrals to housing, legal and educational resources, transitional housing, court advocacy, and peer mentoring for girls and women ages 12–29 who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and/ or domestic trafficking.
Employment & Job Training
Grace Institute
Manhattan
Tuition-free administrative and professional job training for women.
Education & GED
Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) - NYC Chapter
Manhattan
Provides information, education, support, and advocacy for people with hearing loss. Visit the website for chapter meeting information.
Employment & Job Training
Henry Street Settlement
Manhattan
Lower East Side settlement house: workforce center, mental health clinic, shelters and senior services.
Employment & Job Training
Henry Street Settlement - Workforce Development Center
Manhattan
Career counseling, job training and placement on the Lower East Side.
Mental Health & Counseling
Hetrick-Martin Institute
Manhattan
Youth center offering meals, counseling, education and job readiness for LGBTQ+ young people.
Housing & Shelter
Hetrick-Martin Institute (HMI)
Manhattan
Provides free year-round programs and services for LGBTQIA+ youth ages 13–24 and their families.
Education & GED
How Our Lives Link Altogether (H.O.L.L.A!)
Manhattan
Conducts youth organizing training programs designed to build capacity for critical social analysis, community organizing, and healing. Programming includes an LGBTQI+ retreat center, political education, intersectional healing, and community organizing skillbuilding.
Mental Health & Counseling
Identity House
Manhattan
Provides peer-counseling, resources, and referrals to support LGBTQI+ adults who are working through issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. The walk-in center is open Saturdays 6pm–8pm.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Immigrant Defense Project
Manhattan
Helpline and resources on immigration consequences of criminal cases and ICE Know Your Rights.
Education & GED
Institute for Justice and Opportunity (John Jay College)
Manhattan
Runs college-in-prison, Prison-to-College Pipeline, and reentry education and employment programs.
Education & GED
JBI Library
Manhattan
Provides Jewish-interest and other reading materials for people who are blind, visually impaired, or have a reading disability or a physical disability that makes it difficult to read a book or standard print. Audio books are available in multiple languages, including English, Russian, Hebrew, and Yiddish.
Employment & Job Training
Job PATH
Manhattan
Assists in finding employment for developmentally disabled people. Must have Medicaid and Office for People with Developmental Disabilities eligibility.
Education & GED
John Jay College - Institute for Justice and Opportunity
Manhattan
College Initiative (college enrollment counseling and peer mentors), Career Pathways into human services, Tech 101 and Navigator Certificate.
Employment & Job Training
JustLeadershipUSA (JLUSA)
Manhattan
Leadership training and advocacy organization run by people directly impacted by incarceration.
Employment & Job Training
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center (the Center)
Manhattan
Serves as a meeting place for over 400 organizations supporting the social, health, political, cultural, and business concerns of the LGBTQI+ community. Offers many free and low-cost cultural and social activities.
Employment & Job Training
Lighthouse Guild Vision Plus Health
Manhattan
Provides a range of services for people who are blind or visually impaired, including those with multiple disabilities or chronic medical conditions.
Employment & Job Training
NADAP
Manhattan
Offers employment services for individuals throughout NYC, with a focus on people who face barriers to employment primarily due histories of substance use and/or mental health disorders, chronic medical issues, and/or long histories of unemployment. The Comprehensive Employment Services (CES) has three program options.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem
Manhattan
Public defender for Northern Manhattan: criminal, family and immigration defense plus civil help.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem (NDS)
Manhattan
Holistic public defense covering criminal, family and civil legal problems for people in Northern Manhattan.
Employment & Job Training
New Pride Agenda (NPA)
Manhattan
An advocacy organization for LGBTQIA+ people.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York Center for Law and Justice - Legal Services Program
Manhattan
Provides free legal services to indigent deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing New Yorkers on a range of civil matters, including housing, family, public benefits, student loans, immigration, and asylum cases.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU)
Manhattan
Civil rights advocacy and litigation; Know Your Rights materials; intake for rights violations.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York County Defender Services
Manhattan
Public defender in Manhattan criminal courts.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York County Defender Services (NYCDS)
Manhattan
Public defender office representing people charged with crimes in Manhattan.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI)
Manhattan
Disability, health justice and immigrant rights legal advocacy.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights (NMCIR)
Manhattan
Immigration legal services and education in Washington Heights.
Family & Reunification
NYC Administration for Children's Services (ACS) - Juvenile Justice
Manhattan
Provides a wide range of services including prevention programs, alternative-to-detention programs, and placement services for young New Yorkers. A list of borough locations can be found online at www.nyc.gov/site/acs/about/borough-locations.page.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Board of Correction (BOC)
Manhattan
An oversight board that regulates, monitors, and inspects NYC jails. If you are within the NYC jail system, contact to file a complaint.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB)
Manhattan
Independent agency that investigates complaints of NYPD misconduct.
Benefits & Financial Help
NYC Comptroller's Office - LGBTQ+ Guide
Manhattan
A directory of LGBTQ+ organizations and programs available in NYC. Write to request a printed copy.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)
Manhattan
Provides assistance to consumers, workers, and business owners in NYC. Information on workers’ rights, job searching, free oneon-one financial counseling, tax prep, and a guide to business licenses is available.
Housing & Shelter
NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS) - Adult Family Intake Center (AFIC)
Manhattan
Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. Interpreter assistance is available for individuals who do not speak English.
Housing & Shelter
NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD)
Manhattan
Offers a wide range of programs for NYC youth including afterschool, community development, family support, literary services, youth services, youth workshop development, internships, and job placement. Services include vocational training, HSE preparation, and assistance with finding jobs and shelter.
Housing & Shelter
NYC DHS - Single Adult Intake (30th Street)
Manhattan
Intake for single adult men seeking city shelter; women use Franklin Women's Shelter in the Bronx.
Housing & Shelter
NYC Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities
Manhattan
Offers information and referrals in the areas of housing, transportation, discrimination, education, employment, health, Social Security, and services to the homebound. Multiple languages spoken.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ)
Manhattan
Supports a wide range of programs for New Yorkers impacted by the criminal legal system including alternatives to incarceration, housing, employment, and legal services, health care, neighborhood engagement, and more.
Education & GED
NYU Prison Education Program
Manhattan
College courses in prison and a reentry program supporting students continuing their degrees after release.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Office of the Appellate Defender
Manhattan
Appellate defense and reentry social work for people convicted in Manhattan and the Bronx.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Office of the Appellate Defender (OAD)
Manhattan · Bronx
Handles criminal appeals and post-conviction work, including the Reinvestigation Project for wrongful convictions.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Possibility Project - Youth Justice Program
Manhattan
A performing arts program open to NYC youth ages 15–21 who are or who have been involved in the legal system. Participants meet Mondays and Wednesdays during after-school hours from August through December.
Substance Use Recovery
Reality House
Manhattan
Outpatient substance use treatment in Harlem, including for justice-involved clients.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP)
Manhattan
Advocacy campaign for parole and release of older incarcerated people; connects families to organizing.
Employment & Job Training
Reserve - Silver Stars Program
Manhattan
Matches continuing professionals ages 50 and over with nonprofit organizations, public institutions, and government agencies that need their expertise. Participants are placed in capacity-building and direct service part-time positions, which draw on the professional skills they acquired during their primary careers.
Healthcare
Ryan Health
Manhattan
Federally qualified health centers offering primary, dental and behavioral health care regardless of ability to pay.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Safe Horizon - Streetwork Project Drop-In Centers
Manhattan
Operates drop-in centers which provide free services to homeless youth up to age 25, including emergency services such as crisis housing, hot meals, showers, clothing, medical services, legal assistance, individual and group counseling, HIV prevention materials and testing, and assistance obtaining public benefits...
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Safe Passage Project
Manhattan
Offers help with the legal needs of indigent immigrant youth living in NYC. Provides representation for unaccompanied minors in immigration court and resources for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), asylum, as well as other possible immigration alternatives for children.
Benefits & Financial Help
Sakhi for South Asian Survivors
Manhattan
An organization fighting for the end of violence against South Asian people of all gender identities and sexual orientations. Specializes in working with survivors of South Asian descent, but services are open to all.
Healthcare
Service Program for Older People (SPOP)
Manhattan
Provides comprehensive behavioral healthcare for New Yorkers ages 55 and over. Also offers bereavement support groups for adults of all ages.
Substance Use Recovery
Sexual Compulsives Anonymous of New York
Manhattan
A 12-step fellowship and recovery program, inclusive of all sexual orientations, open to anyone with a desire to recover from sexual compulsion, porn addiction, or romantic obsession. Literature resources are available in Spanish.
Healthcare
Shiloh Consulting
Manhattan
An Article 31 OMH Outpatient Clinic that provides sex offense treatment.
Employment & Job Training
Street Corner Resources
Manhattan
Harlem-based violence interruption, mentoring and youth job programs.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP)
Manhattan
Legal help for trans, intersex and gender-nonconforming people, including discrimination in the shelter system.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
TakeRoot Justice
Manhattan
Legal help and research for tenants, workers and community groups.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Team TLC NYC
Manhattan
The Kindness Center provides resources and services for Asylum Seekers who have been in NYC five years or less, including legal assistance, enrollment in English classes, stress management, job readiness, Know Your Rights, reduced fare OMNY cards, health insurance information, school assistance, and free...
Housing & Shelter
The Bridge
Manhattan
Supportive housing, mental health and substance use treatment, and job services.
Education & GED
The Brotherhood/Sister Sol
Manhattan
Rites-of-passage, education and leadership programs for Black and Latinx youth in Harlem.
Healthcare
The Door
Manhattan
One-stop youth center with health care, legal help, education, job training and meals.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
The Jailhouse Lawyer's Handbook
Manhattan
A free resource for people in prison who wish to file a federal lawsuit addressing poor conditions in prison or abuse by prison staff. Visit the website to place an order for a currently incarcerated friend or loved one.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
The Ladies of Hope Ministries (the LOHM)
Manhattan
Offers programs for women impacted by the criminal legal system. The Rapid Rehousing (RRH) program in NYC provides housing support and services to women fleeing domestic violence and those impacted by the criminal legal system; pairs shortto medium-term rental assistance with comprehensive case management.
Mental Health & Counseling
The LGBT Community Center (The Center)
Manhattan
Recovery programs, counseling, family support and community events for LGBTQ+ people.
Education & GED
The New York Historical - The Citizenship Project
Manhattan
Offers citizenship courses to prepare permanent residents for the civics test portion of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) naturalization interview. Citizenship classes are taught in English and are accessible to English Language Learners.
Education & GED
The New York Public Library (NYPL) - Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library
Manhattan
Provides reading materials for people who are blind, visually impaired, or have a reading disability or a physical disability that makes it difficult to read a book or standard print.
Family & Reunification
The Riverside Church - Prison Ministry
Manhattan
Volunteer faith-based outreach for currently and formerly incarcerated people and families: referrals, holiday gifts for children of incarcerated parents.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Unlocal
Manhattan
A community-centered non-profit organization that provides direct immigration legal representation and community education to NYC’s undocumented immigrant communities.
Education & GED
US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Manhattan
Provides near-comprehensive healthcare services to eligible military veterans at VA medical centers and outpatient clinics located throughout the country, along with several non-healthcare benefits including disability compensation, vocational rehabilitation, education assistance, home loans, and life insurance.
Healthcare
VA NY Harbor Healthcare System - Manhattan
Manhattan
VA medical center; ask for the Veterans Justice Outreach team for justice-involved veterans.
Employment & Job Training
Visions
Manhattan
Provides rehabilitation and social services to blind and visually impaired people of all ages to adjust to blindness and vision loss, lead independent lives, and obtain work.
Housing & Shelter
Volunteers of America - Greater New York
Manhattan
Shelters, supportive housing and services for veterans, DV survivors and people with disabilities.
Food & Basic Needs
West Side Campaign Against Hunger
Manhattan
Customer-choice food pantry with benefits screening on the Upper West Side.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Workers Defense League (WDL)
Manhattan
A nonprofit workers’ rights organization that specializes in helping people who have been denied unemployment insurance. Also conducts trainings for unions and other organizations about unemployment insurance rules, including recent important changes in law, and the hearing process.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Worth Rises
Manhattan
Advocacy and research against prison profiteering (phone call costs, commissary, etc.).
Employment & Job Training
Year Up Greater New York
Manhattan
Tuition-free tech and business job training with paid internships for young adults.
Employment & Job Training
Year Up New York
Manhattan
Paid job training and corporate internships in tech and business.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Youth Justice Network
Manhattan
A community-based organization serving young people ages 16–24, including those who have been incarcerated, are on probation, or otherwise court-involved. Each participant is paired with a Youth Advocate who acts as counselor, mentor, and coach.
Citywide services
These serve people from every borough, often by phone, online or at more than one office.
Housing & Shelter
Unlock NYC
Citywide
Online tools and peer support for people facing housing discrimination because they use rental vouchers (CityFHEPS, Section 8, FHEPS, HASA); helps document and report discrimination and connects to agencies.
Benefits & Financial Help
Community Health Advocates
Citywide
Offers free one-on-one help finding and using health insurance and care, including resolving medical billing and debt problems, disputing coverage denials, accessing hospital and prescription financial assistance programs, and understanding health insurance tax credit forms.
Housing & Shelter
Housing Court Answers
Citywide
Information for tenants, landlords and advocates: housing court procedures, landlord-tenant rules, code violations, referrals to free legal help and back-rent assistance.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
LawHelpNY
Citywide
Online directory of free legal services across New York with plain-language rights information, court info, and live chat Mon-Thu 9am-9pm.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Legal Services NYC
Citywide
Free civil legal services in housing, benefits and immigration, plus representation for conviction-history employment discrimination.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Mobilization for Justice
Citywide
Provides free legal assistance to low-income New Yorkers on housing, civil rights, disability rights, aging rights, bankruptcy, tax, consumer, employment, government benefits, and kinship care matters, including advice, counsel, and representation to help people with past criminal records re-enter the workforce.
Healthcare
New York Abortion Access Fund (NYAAF)
Citywide
Helps New Yorkers and people traveling to New York State access abortion care through financial assistance, case management, and referrals to legal, counseling, and community resources. A volunteer case manager returns calls or emails within 48 hours, and information is kept confidential.
Family & Reunification
NYC HRA - Office of Child Support Services (OCSS)
Citywide
Help with child support orders, license suspensions, lowering or eliminating child support debt owed to the government, paternity, DNA testing, mediation, and free financial counseling.
Education & GED
NYPL Free English Classes
Citywide
Free ESOL, ABE and English-for-Work classes in 10-week cycles.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Prisoners' Legal Services of New York (PLSNY)
Citywide
Provides free legal services to people incarcerated in NYS DOCCS prisons on matters including mental health and medical care, discrimination, disciplinary hearings, excessive force, conditions of confinement, sentence calculation, and immigration. A Pre-Release and Re-Entry Program (PREP) offers counseling and planning for people within 6-18 months of release, and an immigration unit represents noncitizens in removal proceedings. Case acceptance is decided individually and does not extend to county, federal, or out-of-state facilities.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
The Legal Aid Society
Citywide
Free legal representation and advice on criminal, civil and juvenile issues: policing, bail, benefits, housing, immigration, parole, sealing and more.
Benefits & Financial Help
ACCESS NYC
Citywide
Screens eligibility and guides applications for 40+ city, state and federal benefits (food, cash, housing, internet, childcare).