Good Call, an organization providing critical legal assistance to individuals upon arrest, has been awarded a 2025 Spark Prize from Brooklyn Org. The $100,000 prize will help the nonprofit expand its technological infrastructure, allowing its attorneys to offer more effective services to underserved communities.
Operating a 24/7 hotline, Good Call connects arrested individuals, or their loved ones, with free legal support, providing immediate access to attorneys who explain their rights and advise on next steps. This service aims to address the lack of timely legal intervention in communities that are often disenfranchised in the legal process.
“When folks are arrested, it’s like entering a black hole,” said Executive Director Jelani Anglin in an interview with BK Reader. “They have no idea what’s happening, and their family has no idea where they are.”
Anglin emphasized that for low-income New Yorkers, the 24-48 hours following an arrest can be critical, with individuals vulnerable to coercion and loss of freedom without proper legal guidance.
“The time of being arrested is make or break,” Anglin said. “You could be coerced into signing a statement under duress. We just want to make sure we’re here, and we have the city’s back.”
Good Call’s services typically assist around 1,000 residents annually, but that number can spike depending on circumstances. Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, the organization saw its caseload quadruple in just one week.
The funds from the Spark Prize will allow Good Call to enhance its technology, providing attorneys with more efficient tools to navigate cases and better serve their clients.
“We want to provide the attorneys that are doing this work more efficient tools so that they can have a better experience. There’s a huge gap that exists in our communities - there’s a lack of resources, there’s a lack of education about the system, knowledge about what to do when arrested,” Anglin said.
