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This is My New Hour

New Hour was founded to provide meaningful support to current and formerly incarcerated women, their children and families. We build community to promote successful re-entry and lasting reintegration, and to reform unjust criminal justice system policies. We empower directly impacted people to utilize their lived experiences to create lasting reforms to the carceral system.

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Our Funders

  • A New Way of Life

  • Assemblyman Phil Ramos

  • Belzer Charitable Trust

  • Capital One Giving

  • The Charles T. Bauer Family Foundation

  • Circle for Justice Innovations

  • David Rockefeller Fund

  • Engage New York

  • FREE Her

  • FWD.us

  • The Jewish Communal Fund, Malka Fund

  • Galaxy Gives

  • The Good Neighbors Fund

  • The Horace and Amy Hagedorn Fund

  • The Knapp-Swezey Foundation

  • Laura B. Vogler Foundation, Inc.

  • Long Island Racial Equity Donor Collaborative

  • LICF’s Long Island Unitarian Universalist Fund

  • New York Community Trust

  • Serving USA

  • The Good Neighbor Initiative

  • The New York Women's Foundation

  • The Patrina Foundation

  • The Pritchard Charitable Trust

  • The Public Welfare Foundation

  • The Sunshine Foundation

  • Together Rising

  • UU Congregation Shelter Rock Women’s Committee

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Our History

In 2013, a small group of volunteers began mentoring women in the Riverhead Correctional Facility. One of the volunteers was Mrs. Patty Kraus. She and others quickly realized there were almost no re-entry or supportive services for women. As a result Mrs. Kraus and her husband, Mr. George Kraus, became New Hour's founding donors after being introduced to Serena Liguori through Sister Tesa Fitzgerald of Hour Children. Ms. Liguori developed a vision plan which, with the help of the Krauses' generous seed funding and founding board members, created New Hour.

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Our Vision

New Hour's vision is to empower justice impacted women and provide successful support for mothers and children. We recognize the critical role mothers play—often as the primary caretakers for their children. We understand the need for specialized support for mothers whose pathways to prison or jail are often tied to domestic violence or substance abuse. By providing  parenting skills, work skills, and wellness programs during and after incarceration, we aim to give women the tools needed to become powerful change agents for themselves, their community and their children. 

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Meet the Staff

Executive Director

Serena Martin-Liguori

Executive Director

Director of Development, Communications, & Advocacy

Skyler Johnson

Director of Development, Communications, & Advocacy

Director of Programs

Danielle Donaphin

Director of Programs

Advocacy Coordinator

Caroline Hansen

Advocacy Coordinator

Director of Services & Reentry

Amanda Acevedo

Director of Services & Reentry

Intern

Daphne Baptiste

Intern

Case Manager

Bria Agard

Case Manager

Intern

Gabrielle Cecere

Intern

Director of Operations

Lindsay Spencer

Director of Operations

New Hour Board

George Kraus

Chairman of the Board

Tiheba Bain

Mary Ellen Mendelsohn

Barbara Allan

Advisory Board

Victoria Roberts

Advisory Board

Rochelle Kelly-Apson

Board President

Tracey Edwards

Eileen McKeown

Sister Marion Defeis

Advisory Board

Colleen Eren

Vice President

Elizabeth A. Justesen

Francine Rexer

Sister Tesa Fitzgerald

Advisory Board

Theresa Santoro

Secretary

Robert F. Keeler

Frances Belzer-Reid

Tim Motz

Advisory Board

Sally Esposito

Treasurer

Patricia Kraus

Judith White

Vanessa Pino Lockel

Advisory Board

Founder's Circle

We are grateful for our founders circle, who paved the way with a vision for the work we continue to do today.

Hon. Jane Devine

Maria Del Rio

Anthony LaPinta, Esq.

Ellie Nidds

Jim Morgo

Hon. Michael Mullen

Ellen Rieger

Paul J. Tonna

Rhonda Wainright-Jones

Special Thanks

New Hour is thankful for all the people who have joined us on our mission.

Our Amazing Volunteers

Marianna Hoitt-Lange & The Wells Cafe
Susan Karbiner
Linda Lebovitz
Angela Mislowack
The Book Revue, Huntington

All of our past interns & staff.

Rusti Miller Hill
DeAnna Bizarro
Rachel Hand

Pam Neely
Jayla Mack
Katrina Avilla
Diamond Lewis

Jessica Allen

Kara Wissing

Kelsey Pirnak

Jessica Devlin - Yactayo

Emily Pernice

Jennifer Galdames

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