Programs

The Neighborhood Opportunity Network (NeON) is designed to connect people on probation with supportive services and engage them directly within their own communities. The NeON model focuses on three core elements:

Network
NeON is built upon a diverse network of partners, including local organizations, businesses, and public agencies, all working collaboratively to enhance public safety and support the rehabilitation and success of individuals on probation. By delivering services within neighborhood settings, NeON fosters a sense of community and trust.

Engage
NeON staff works closely with clients and their families, providing supervision and support that promotes positive life choices, behavioral change, educational advancement, and career development. By meeting clients where they live, NeON aims to reduce barriers to access and offer a personalized approach to community-based supervision.

Community Engagement
NeON emphasizes building strong, collaborative relationships with community partners and residents. This approach helps address complex client needs, leveraging community resources to find effective solutions and enhance overall community well-being.

Impact and Resources
NeON has proven to be a transformative partner within NYC communities. Through initiatives like the Young Men's Initiative (YMI), NeON has successfully brought over $30 million in funding to support mentoring, arts programs, literacy assistance, civic engagement, and educational advocacy. These programs have been essential in providing opportunities for personal and professional growth among participants, especially in communities with higher concentrations of people on probation.

NeON Locations
NeON centers are strategically located in seven neighborhoods with high numbers of probation clients:

Jamaica
Northern Staten Island
South Bronx
Harlem
Brownsville
Bedford-Stuyvesant
East New York

NeON Arts — a program of the New York City Department of Probation (DOP) in partnership with Renaissance Youth Center — integrates arts into the seven NeONs (community-based probation centers located throughout New York City). The project empowers local stakeholder groups to choose art projects for their communities—projects that engage clients and neighbors in strengths-based activities supporting educational outcomes and connecting to employment opportunities.

NeON Sports℠ offers young people in New York City, including those on probation, the chance to explore sports through projects in a variety of disciplines, including swimming, basketball, tennis, horseback riding, gymnastics, aerobics and track and more. Visit www.nyc.gov/neonsports for additional information.

NeON Nutrition Kitchens - A public-private partnership that seeks to help close the meal gap NeON neighborhoods. Through collaboration between the Department of Probation, the Food Bank for New York City and the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, the Nutrition Kitchens provide bags of food as well as nutrition information and cooking demonstrations. 83,774 people served in Calendar Year 2016.