New Brunswick Certified for My Brother’s Keeper Initiative

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (October 22, 2025) - New Brunswick has become certified under the Model Communities Initiative of My Brother's Keeper, the program launched by former President Barack Obama to boost opportunities for young men of color.

The City, along with Franklin in Somerset County, joins Newark as the only certified cities in the state and is among just 100 communities nationwide to earn the designation.

The program focuses on six key milestones to improve educational and employment outcomes: ready for school, reading at grade level by third grade, graduating from high school, completing postsecondary education, entering the workforce and remaining safe from violent crime.

New Brunswick will concentrate on postsecondary education and employment across Middlesex County.

"Working with all these avenues, we can provide opportunities for young men of color," said Keith Jones II, director of the City's Department of Human and Community Services.

The City plans to leverage existing resources like the Recreation Department and Fatherhood Council, while forging new partnerships with the New Brunswick School District, Rutgers University, the Middlesex County Magnet Schools, and local development and health care sectors. Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church will serve as the initiative's backbone.

To better target its efforts, the City will partner with Rutgers' Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy to collect data across Middlesex County. This research aims to identify specific barriers-such as transportation, health issues, or criminal records-that prevent young men of color from finding jobs.

Obama launched My Brother's Keeper in February 2014 in response to the death of Trayvon Martin. The program sought to address the opportunity gaps that boys and young men of color face and to ensure all young people can reach their full potential.