Fortune Society halfway house marks 10 yrs. helping ex-inmates, homeless in Harlem
Ex-cons say time in The Castle taught them to become productive citizens
After two prison stints for drug dealing, Vilma Ortiz Donovan knew something had to give. “I had no place to go,” said Donovan. “My life had to change.”
Five years later, Donovan, 49, has her own apartment and a job, and she is currently enrolled in Hostos Community College. She attributes her turnaround to a place called The Castle, where former prisoners are given the means to become functioning members of society.
Located on Riverside Drive at W. 140th St., the stone building named for its gothic style celebrated its 10-year anniversary this week. Opened by the Fortune Society in 2002, the 62-bed residential center has housed close to 1,000 former inmates and homeless people.
The Fortune Society was founded in 1967, a nonprofit aimed at supporting former prisoners’ reacclimation into society, an antidote to a penal system that many believe to be flawed.
Over the past 20 years, the organization’s annual budget has grown from $700,000 to about $16 million and its staff has grown to more than 200.
The creation of The Castle was a watershed moment for Fortune; in 1998, it was an abandoned building and drug den. Now it’s a community staple, providing care and low-cost housing for those with checkered pasts.
“We are creating people who are assets to their society, not liabilities,” said Fortune CEO JoAnne Page.
Residents, who are accepted through an interview process, get services and classes ranging from substance-abuse and domestic violence counseling to employment training.
Last month, celebrity chef and Red Rooster Harlem owner Marcus Samuelsson gave the residents a cooking lesson.
“These were the only people I could turn to and trust,” said Victor Rojas, who joined the program in 2009, after 13 years in jail. He lived in the Castle until last year and now works as a counselor at a Fortune Society center in Long Island City.
According to the organization, two-thirds of those released from prison are re-arrested within three years. The potential for relapse can be attributed to the lack of opportunity.
Several published studies have found that 30% to 50% of parolees in New York and other large American cities
are homeless.
The Fortune Society believes that by providing former inmates with a safe, positive environment and proper skills training, it can help them return to life as productive citizens.
When asked to describe her experience during the 10-year anniversary celebration at The Castle on Monday,
Donovan was reflective.
“I came here broken down. Now, after five years, I cannot stop smiling,” she said. “This place is magic, it’s my home. This is where I really grew up.”
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/uptown/fortune-society-halfway-house-marks-10-yrs-helping-ex-inmates-homeless-harlem-article-1.1099476#ixzz1yOAuMDre