LOWER EAST SIDE COMMUNITY HERO

photo by Whitney Browne

Nelson Valentine has been working as a Senior Court Advocate at Andrew Glover Youth Program (Glover Program) for over 26 years. When a youth is mandated to the Glover Program by the courts, Nelson works diligently with the client to develop a rehabilitation plan that addresses their specific needs, meeting not just with the youth, but also with their families, schoolteachers, and officials. 

“Nelson Valentine has been working with youth at [Avenues for Justice] for over 15 years. Having grown up in the Lower East Side, Nelson understands the daily pressures inner city youths face and serves as a positive role model for the kids. Nelson provides counseling to the youth and their families, and works with them to design their own alternative to incarceration, always emphasizing that the youth must take moral responsibility for his/her life. As a Senior Court Advocate, he is on call 24-hours a day and being that he lives in the same neighborhood as some of his clients, he is always accessible to them. El Diario La Prensa profiled Nelson in the March 2015 issue of their “Buena Gente” (Good People) weekly section. Nelson was selected as a result of his amazing work with youth, as well as his positive drive to improve the quality of life for his fellow Lower East Side residents.” – Avenues for Justice