Rising up the youngest of eight youngsters raised by a single mother in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, Gary P. Jenkins realized early that survival in New York Metropolis required a form of vigilance most kids by no means must develop. He grew up in a family the place cash was inconsistent and the long run felt even much less sure.
It might have been straightforward, even anticipated, for Jenkins to observe the identical trajectory as others who grew up in the identical setting — if not for the steering of somebody particular in his life. “I had an older sister who actually guided and guarded me and made certain that I stayed on the proper path,” mentioned Jenkins, 59. “Everybody round me someway received caught up on the unsuitable aspect of the street, incarceration, utilizing medication, ingesting.”
However he didn’t.
Later, a social employee advised him, “Gary, you don’t must be a product of the remainder of your loved ones. You may make a distinction.” She inspired him to use for school and mentioned she would supply him with the supporting documentation for monetary help. The interplay helped change Jenkins’s life — and was additionally the place the seeds of public service have been first sown for him.
“Simply happening there and watching her work together with completely different households … that’s when it resonated with me to say, I need to give again. I need to give again to others,” Jenkins mentioned.
Now, as CEO of City Pathways, a nonprofit dedicated to serving and supporting unhoused and at-risk adults, he’s serving to others decide their very own course in a constructive manner.
Jenkins’s present function is the right encapsulation of how he likes to work: serving essentially the most needy with the liberty to make selections which have the best influence. He was appointed to the highest management spot of City Pathways in March, after serving as its inaugural chief administrative officer for 2 years. He succeeded Fredrick Shack, who served as CEO for 21 years.
“Transitioning over to a nonprofit and understanding that I could make a larger influence within the nonprofit world, as a result of all the paperwork is eliminated …,” mentioned Jenkins. “After I need to, I can begin a pilot program with out going via so many hoops, like via metropolis corridor and the state authorities.”
Opened eyes
After attending SUNY Oswego for 2 years, Jenkins graduated in 1999 from CUNY John Jay School of Felony Justice with a level in forensic psychology. He later earned a Masters in Public Administration from Metropolitan School of New York in 2006. From there Jenkins dove proper into public service, beginning as an eligibility specialist at a middle in Queens.
“I used to be very [proud] that I used to be ready to return. I used to be capable of assist households that appear to be me, and actually, I additionally centered on the youngsters that got here within the job. I did the recertifications and new purposes. I made it so I had a dialog with them and mentioned, ‘I used to be you again then — yeah, have a look at me. I’m sitting to see and I’m serving to your loved ones. I’m giving again. It’s all the time essential.’”
Jenkins climbed the ladder within the New York Metropolis Division of Social Providers, beginning as an eligibility specialist and finally turning into commissioner. He credit his success to being laser-focused on who his final buyer was: the folks.
Throughout his tenure, he was capable of prolong the curfew time at shelters by one hour. Single adults needed to be within the shelter no later than 10 p.m., households with youngsters by 9 p.m., or they misplaced a mattress and needed to be reassigned to a different shelter.
He mentioned shelter residents advised them the curfew was tough for them as a result of they wound up leaving locations the place that they had established relationships. Via his advocacy, he made a shocking discovery: The preliminary curfew time was set as a result of it was handy for workers. “We needed to get refocused to serve the shoppers, not for us, for our jobs to be higher,” mentioned Jenkins. “Even as we speak, I run into the shoppers they usually thank me for altering that curfew hour for them.”
Jenkins does admit that working inside metropolis authorities, even on the highest ranges as commissioner, has constraints. “What shocked me essentially the most, actually, was the paperwork, the politics of being in that place, that you simply needed to work together with so many exterior elements, the place the main target ought to have been on the those that we serve, [as] against the politics of getting issues completed and the way it received completed,” mentioned Jenkins.
Jenkins mentioned he balanced the constraints of his function by all the time being clear with the folks he served.
“Once we met with completely different focus teams, as a result of we met with the folks with lived expertise, we might allow them to know ‘we’re preventing in your behalf,’” defined Jenkins. “We’re advocating in your behalf, however there’s a course of that we now have to undergo, and we now have guidelines and rules outdoors of town authorities, as a result of the state is our oversight.”
Peeling again the layers
Jenkins, who additionally serves as vice chairman of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity’s Brooklyn Alumni Chapter, just lately printed a memoir titled “By no means Give Up: A Memoir of Resilience, Goal, and Changing into the Change.” In it, he appears again on the restricted assets and challenges he had rising up, and sends a message that the place you begin doesn’t decide your consequence. “I needed to inform my story and hopefully have it resonate with younger Black boys that grew up like me. Present circumstances don’t outline your future,” mentioned Jenkins.
Due to the success he’s seen, Jenkins now has large targets whereas steering issues at City Pathways. He plans to deal with having access to alcohol and drug use providers for the unhoused inhabitants he serves. “Traditionally, [Urban Pathways] has been nice with coping with psychological well being, however you even have to deal with the underlying problem that accompanies psychological well being, and that’s alcohol and drug use,” he mentioned, “so I’m engaged on bringing these providers to our inhabitants, to allow them to be addressed on the state stage, on the metropolis stage, but additionally onsite at our areas.”
Jenkins reiterated that City Pathways is a housing-first service, and they don’t flip anybody away. Individuals can drop in for a bathe and meal, and get entry to assist with transitional shelter and, finally, everlasting housing. Additionally they have a program referred to as Whole Wellness, staffed with a licensed psychiatrist, nurse practitioners, and registered nurses. Beneath Jenkins’s management, they’re additionally piloting a proactive crew. “This can be a group that goes to completely different areas, taking a look at high-acuity circumstances, the power circumstances, and works with these people on a person foundation,” Jenkins defined.
As Jenkins continues on the helm of City Pathways, he leads together with his personal story. “I’ve lived expertise, so this work is private to me. It’s not a job,” he mentioned.
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Editor’s Word: An earlier model of this story incorrectly acknowledged that Jenkins graduated from SUNY Oswego. He’s a graduate of CUNY John Jay School of Felony Justice. It additionally acknowledged he had been an eligibility officer with the NYC DSS. His title was eligibility specialist.
