August 6 (Day 159) Hour Children

The name of the organization was chosen  because the children's lives are dictated by the "hour" of the mother's arrest, the "hour" of the visit and the "hour" of her return.   There are more than 11,000 children in New York State whose mothers are imprisoned.

Located in Long Island City, New York, Hour Children is a multi-faceted family service organization that provides housing, permanent and transitional, and a wide array of supportive services that transform the lives of women and their families involved in the criminal justice system.

Hour Children is Unique:
The delivery of services we provide to women on both sides of the “wall” is unmatched. When women leave prison, ex-offenders face a mountain of challenges beyond their prison record and the associated social stigma. They generally have few job skills, little education and few, if any, financial resources. In addition, many of these women are still recovering from childhood physical and sexual abuse. So we start from square one, providing housing and childcare. During their time with us, women complete their education, obtain marketable job skills, and learn home and financial management skills to do the most with the resources they have. Hour Children also maintains relationships with community organizations that can facilitate job placement. When they are ready, we help our clients secure affordable housing.

The Women:
More than 70% of the women are from the NYC metropolitan area. Fifty-one percent are first-time offenders; 75% are incarcerated for non-violent, drug-related offenses. Their economic status, prior to incarceration, was almost always low-income, often below the federal poverty threshold. An estimated 50% have been victims of domestic violence.

The Children:
There are more than 11,000 children in New York State whose mothers are imprisoned. Many are sent to live with relatives or foster families, and are shunted from household to household and school to school often living, in at least, two residences. The children’s insecurities are worsened by the fact that their mothers have little or no access to phones. The absence of their mother leaves them vulnerable, particularly the older children, who face increased risk of involvement with crime, substance abuse, truancy, and other anti-social behaviors. Without proper care and attention, they become victims of the prison system. The core of Hour Children's work is to reverse this outcome.

Our goals are to ensure that the children in our care are healthy, socially well-adjusted and achieving academically, and that their mothers make a successful transition to independent living. We work closely with each mother, tracking her progress and addressing problems with obtaining a job, managing a household, and caring for her children. On a long-range basis, we keep track of program participants to ensure that they are still employed and housed, and have not returned to prison. The success of our programs is demonstrated by our 4% rate of recidivism which is far lower than the 30% rate statewide, as reported by NY State Department of Corrections.



Get Involved:

Donate to Hour Children.

Volunteer opportunities with Hour Children.




Source:  Hour Children