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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Ronald Day, Senior Vice President of The Fortune Society
5:21:51
ยท
127 sec
Ronald Day, Senior Vice President of The Fortune Society, testified about the importance of investing in alternatives to incarceration, reentry services, and supportive housing. He emphasized the need to prioritize community safety and fulfill the mandate to close Rikers Island through effective budget allocation.
- Shared personal experience of serving time on Rikers Island and in state prison
- Highlighted The Fortune Society's 56-year history and mission in supporting successful reentry
- Urged the city council to increase funding for ATI, reentry, and supportive housing programs, contrary to the administration's proposed cuts
Ronald Day
5:21:51
Good afternoon, council members.
5:21:53
Thank you for the opportunity to testify today.
5:21:55
My name is Ronald Day.
5:21:56
I'm a senior vice president at the Fortune Society.
5:22:00
I've been with Fortune for over ten years, managing various units, including discharge planning, employment services, education, our research and policy centers as well.
5:22:13
I also oversaw Fortune's programming in the city jails that was terminated in June 2023.
5:22:21
My professional experiences as well as my personal experience serving one year on Rikers Island and fifteen years in state prison inform my understanding of the critical importance of investing in alternatives to incarceration, reentry services, and supportive housing because these help reshape lives and contribute to community safety.
5:22:47
The Fortune Society has been around for fifty six years.
5:22:51
It is committed to supporting successful reentry and providing alternatives to incarceration.
5:22:58
Our mission aims to strengthen the fabric of communities by instilling a belief in the power of individuals to change.
5:23:06
Through programs shaped by the experience of our participants, we help rebuild lives.
5:23:12
We also seek to change minds through education and advocacy to foster a fair, humane, and rehabilitative justice system.
5:23:21
In fiscal year twenty four, we served over 13,000 individuals.
5:23:26
To fulfill the legal mandate to close Rikers, city council must secure a budget that prioritizes community safety and invest in effective ATI reentry services and supportive housing.
5:23:38
Right now, the administration is calling for a cut of 3,800,000.0 ATI and 8,000,000 in reentry.
5:23:45
And, Fortune is asking city council to work with the administration to ensure that the programs, ATI, reentry, and supportive housing are not actually in decrease but increase.
5:23:56
Thank you for the opportunity to testify.