New Yorkers For New York Honoree Spotlight: Jay Goffman: A Champion for Second Chances—and First Steps

When Jay Goffman talks about his career, he doesn’t begin with accolades or titles. He begins with values. “You help people through their worst moments,” he says, “and you have a friend for life.” That ethos—practical, generous, and deeply human—has shaped Jay’s four-decade career as one of the country’s most respected restructuring attorneys. It’s also why CitizensNYC is proud to recognize him as a 2025 New Yorker for New York honoree.

Jay made his name guiding Fortune 500 companies through moments of extraordinary stress. But he never lost sight of the people at the heart of the work. Whether he was helping stabilize a global business or serving food at a pantry run by Catholic Renewal, his approach has always been the same: listen closely, look for the solution others miss, and act with integrity. His work in the boardroom is matched by decades of dedication to charitable causes—serving on boards, writing checks, rolling up his sleeves.

In CitizensNYC, Jay found a model that resonated with the very core of his philosophy: giving people the opportunity to succeed, rather than simply giving them things. “It reminded me of my mentor, Del Smith,” Jay says, recalling the late founder of Evergreen Aviation. “Del was an orphan who worked from the time he was a child and built a billion-dollar business. He believed in giving people opportunities to create their own success.” CitizensNYC, Jay explains, follows the same blueprint: “You fund an entrepreneurial idea, and that one grant creates jobs, builds services, and strengthens the community. That’s a threefold return.”

That clarity of purpose is part of what makes Jay such a powerful advocate—not just for CitizensNYC, but for the idea that small investments in the right people can yield extraordinary outcomes. He mentors leaders in both the nonprofit and business sectors. Since the pandemic, he has written regularly about values—kindness, empathy, charity—in emails he sends to a growing list of peers. He raises money for organizations that serve vulnerable populations, from people experiencing homelessness to CIA special forces veterans and their families.

And he brings others with him. “People in law and finance want to give back—they just don’t always know where to start,” he says. “Once you remind them of the values that brought them into this work in the first place, it’s like a light switch goes on. You open one door, and another one follows.” Jay has opened a lot of doors.

That’s part of what makes him such an important partner for CitizensNYC. In addition to being a generous supporter, he’s helped bring new visibility to our work in the financial and legal worlds. He believes deeply in what we do—not just because it feels good, but because it works. “In my restructuring work, I’d meet with everyone: board members, managers, staff. And it was always the people closest to the problem who knew the real solutions. You just had to listen.” That same lesson drives our model of funding hyperlocal leaders—neighbors, volunteers, educators, and small business owners who know their communities and have the vision to make change.

Jay understands this instinctively. “Neighborhoods face hardship. Not because they’ve failed—but because of their circumstances,” he says. “What CitizensNYC does is say: here’s a little funding, here’s some belief, and here’s a network. Let’s help people build something of their own. That’s how real stability starts.”

Jay’s belief in New York’s resilience runs deep. He’s lived through the city’s toughest moments—from the fiscal crisis of the 1970s to 9/11 to the pandemic. “I’ve seen the city bounce back again and again,” he says. “And I’ve always believed in the people who make that possible. The ones who give back, who roll up their sleeves, who build something that outlasts them.” It’s part of what makes this year’s honor especially meaningful to him: “To be recognized with the same honor given to people like Mayor Bloomberg and Robert De Niro—folks who’ve really shown up for New York—that means something.”

Jay’s not slowing down anytime soon. His resolution this year was simple: “I just want to give back and help people.” Whether through CitizensNYC or one of the many other causes he supports, he’s doing exactly that—and showing others how to do the same.

We’re proud to honor Jay Goffman not only for his career and contributions, but for the values he embodies: trust, integrity, and the belief that lasting change starts with people. As CitizensNYC celebrates 50 years of grassroots leadership, we’re especially grateful for leaders like Jay—who prove that the most powerful tools in our city’s toolbox are the people who invest in each other.