Made Up North NYC

Built on Freedom. Fueled by Purpose.

From prison to purpose — Made Up North is more than a brand. It's proof that transformation is possible.

Transformation Discipline Purpose Redemption
122+ Interviews
NYC Schools Reached
1 Published Book
Jason Abreu, founder of Made Up North

Breaking Cycles

We exist to help people build better futures. Every initiative under Made Up North serves one mission: breaking cycles of incarceration, recidivism, and lost potential — through three core pillars.

01

Reentry

Helping formerly incarcerated individuals successfully rebuild their lives, reduce recidivism, and create lasting freedom.

02

Prevention

Reaching young people before the system does — helping them make better decisions, develop discipline, and avoid the path that leads to incarceration.

03

Transformation

Helping people transform their mindset, health, habits, and purpose through discipline, accountability, and personal development.

More Than a Brand.
It's a Movement.

"Off The Count" is a declaration. In prison, the count determines if you're confined or free. This movement is for everyone who has ever been counted out — by the system, by society, or by themselves.

01

Transformation

Real change is possible for anyone willing to put in the work — regardless of where they've been.

02

Discipline

Freedom isn't given — it's built through daily decisions, structure, and accountability.

03

Purpose

Every person has a reason to be here. Finding yours is the first step to making it count.

04

Redemption

Your past does not define your future. The comeback is always greater than the setback.

Off The Count seal — tally marks and broken chains, est. 2021
The tally marks count the days. The broken chain ends the count.
"Off the count & making it count." — Jason Abreu, Made Up North
Join the Movement
122+ Interviews
12 Week Program
NYC Schools
1 Published Book
Second Chances
Made Up North — est. 2021 — Off The Count & Making It Count

One Movement. One Mission. One Comeback.

Off the count is freedom. Making it count is what you do after.

Counted Out.
Made Up North.

Jason Abreu has been shot. He has been incarcerated twice. He came home in 2019 certain he was done — and on October 2nd, 2020, he was back inside. That second bid is where everything changed. Walking the yard at Ulster, then Wyoming, then back to Hale Creek, he kept seeing the same faces from his first sentence. The system wasn't just cycling men through. It was failing them.

The first time he was locked up, he built his body. The second time, he built his mind. He came out with a code — F.D.P.: Focused. Disciplined. Patient. — and a blueprint for reentry that nobody had ever handed him. Today Jason is the founder of Made Up North, host of the Off The Count Podcast, a published author, a 12-week transformation coach, and a youth prevention facilitator in New York City public schools.

He is also a husband, a father, and a son. He never became the attorney he once promised his parents he'd be. He found a different calling instead: helping people — especially Black and Brown men from underserved communities — break cycles and reclaim their lives.

“If I had to bet on anyone never coming back, it would've been you.”

— Jason's counselor at Hale Creek, before his release. Jason came back anyway. What he built the second time is why he never will again.
Author Made Up North: Off The Count
Podcast Host Off The Count Podcast
12-Week Coach Mind, Body, Soul
Youth Facilitator Prevention Curriculum
"You are not your worst mistake. You are not your DIN number. You are not your greens. And you are not that black box. I was all of that once — but I'm Off The Count and Making It Count." — Jason Abreu, Made Up North: Off The Count
Jason Abreu holding his book during a podcast interview
Guest AppearanceFrom Prison to Purpose

Platforms & Appearances

  • Locked In w/ Ian BickGuest — "From Prison to Purpose"
  • Off The Count PodcastHost — 122+ episodes
  • NYC Public SchoolsPrevention curriculum facilitator
  • Reentry & Community OrgsSpeaker and program partner
Invite Jason to speak →

The 12-Week Comeback

A complete mind, body, and soul transformation built for people who are serious about change. Whether you're coming home, fighting addiction, or just done playing small — this program was built for you. It starts with the Comeback Kit, then twelve weeks of themes, daily prompts, action steps, and honest check-ins.

M

Mind

Mindset rewiring, accountability systems, and purpose mapping

B

Body

Structured workout programming and nutrition fundamentals

S

Soul

Faith, identity, healing, and community reconnection

The Twelve Weeks

  1. 01Commit to the Comeback
  2. 02Rebuilding Your Body
  3. 03Confronting Your Demons
  4. 04Forging New Habits & Discipline
  5. 05Turning Pain Into Power
  6. 06Discovering Purpose & Passion
  7. 07Building Your Support Network
  8. 08Overcoming Setbacks
  9. 09Staying Off The Count
  10. 10Making It Count
  11. 11Celebrating Your Strides
  12. 12Your Comeback Blueprint
Off The Count coaching program — break the cycle and build a new path

What's Included

  • The Comeback Kit — your orientation, baseline, and daily structure
  • 12 weekly modules with themes, goals, and action steps
  • 7 daily focus prompts every week
  • Weekly progress check-ins you fill in yourself
  • Your finished Comeback Blueprint — in your own handwriting

Self-paced and built to work whether you start today or next Monday. Available for individuals, reentry clients, and organizations. Group and facility licensing available.

50 lbs lost in 12 weeks.

Jason's first 1-on-1 coaching client didn't just reach his goal — he outperformed it. Twelve weeks. One mindset. A complete transformation. Individual results vary; commitment and consistency determine outcomes.

Choose Your Comeback

Three ways in — from the self-paced blueprint to full 1-on-1 transformation. Pricing is being finalized for launch; join the list for current rates and founding-member offers.

Standard

$497

The Comeback Blueprint

  • Full 12-week program (PDF series)
  • Weekly group coaching call
  • Comeback Kit & welcome letter
  • Accountability tracking
Enroll

Legacy

$1,497

Lifetime Access

  • Everything in VIP
  • Lifetime access to all updates
  • Invite to live events & retreats
  • Free merch + signed letter
  • Featured success spotlight
Inquire

Founding-member launch offer: first 10 clients get $100–$200 off any tier plus a free 15-minute discovery call. Monthly payment plans available.

Featured Episode · 555 views

Arrested for Murder at 18: How Rico Still Made It

Off The Count Podcast

Real Stories.
Raw Truth.

122+ interviews with formerly incarcerated individuals, youth advocates, reentry experts, and everyday people who chose a different path. Every episode is a life. Every story is a lesson.

Featured: "Arrested for Murder at 18" — Erico "Rico" Montalvo on the night that changed everything, and the purpose he built from the wreckage.

Made Up North: Off The Count — A Blueprint for Successful Reentry and Overcoming Recidivism, by Jason Abreu Now Available

Made Up North:
Off The Count

More than a memoir — it's a blueprint. Written by a man who lived it, this book delivers a raw, step-by-step guide for rebuilding your life after incarceration and redefining what freedom truly means.

Each chapter ends with a Comeback Challenge — real tools you can apply today in mindset, structure, and accountability.

Format Paperback, 100 pages
Published October 14, 2025
Perfect For Reentry, Youth, Corrections
Physical Copy
Paperback — ships from Amazon
Buy Now
Signed Copy
Personally signed by Jason
Request Signed
Audiobook
Coming soon
Notify Me

Inside the Book — 15 Chapters

  1. 01Identifying Triggers (Winning the Inner War)
  2. 02The F.D.P. Mindset
  3. 03Setting Realistic Goals
  4. 04Always Be Ready: Plan A, B & C
  5. 05Ownership Over Victimhood
  6. 06Get a Mentor
  7. 07Support Groups & Circles
  8. 08Health Is Wealth (Body + Mind)
  9. 09Higher Power
  10. 10The Power of Forgiveness
  11. 11Break the Cycle, Build the Future
  12. 12Creating Legal Hustles & Income
  13. 13Off The Count & Making It Count
  14. 14Building a Legacy
  15. 15The Final Stamp

"From a prison cell to building a movement that changes lives. Jason Abreu's story isn't just about reentry — it's about redefining your entire existence."

— From the back cover

"This book hit different. It wasn't just about prison — it was about rebuilding who you are. Every chapter challenged me."

— Verified Reader

Limited. Purpose.
Legacy.

Every piece represents more than apparel. It represents the decision to break free and stay off the count. This is a one-time founders run — black on black, embroidered, built to last. When it’s gone, it’s gone.

  • Pullover hoodie — Independent Trading Co. SS4500 heavyweight fleece
  • Embroidered Off The Count seal, left chest — not a screen print
  • “Off The Count” across the back hood
  • Matching snapback — embroidered seal front, wordmark back
  • Black on black with white thread. One colorway. That’s the point.
Get First Access

Founders on the list get the drop link, sizes, and pricing before it goes public.

Black Off The Count pullover hoodie with embroidered seal on the left chest
The Hoodie — front
Back of the Off The Count hoodie with the wordmark across the hood
Back hood
Black flat-brim snapback with the embroidered Off The Count seal
The Snapback

Rep the Movement.
Fuel the Work.

Everything you need to look the part, feel the part, and do the work.

Available Now

The Book

A Blueprint for Successful Reentry & Overcoming Recidivism. Paperback + signed copies available.

Order Now
New Drop — September

The Founders Drop

Limited "Off The Count" embroidered hoodie and snapback. One run, one colorway, for those who were here from the beginning.

See the Drop September Drop
12 Weeks

Coaching Program

The complete mind, body, and soul transformation. Apply and start your comeback.

Apply Now
$5 — In Hand Now

"Choose You" Bands

CHOOSE YOU on the front. F.D.P. on the back. Adult and youth sizes, with bulk pricing for schools and programs.

The Campaign

In the Schools.
In the Community.

Jason's bilingual youth prevention curriculum is being successfully facilitated in schools across New York City. A 5-week pilot program has already proven its impact — expandable to a full 12–16 week engagement. His message is direct, real, and built for young people who need to hear it most — before the system gets to them first.

5-Week Pilot Program
12–16 Week Full Program
Bilingual English & Spanish

Prevention Curriculum

Evidence-informed sessions on accountability, mindset, decision-making, and avoiding incarceration.

School Assemblies

Powerful live presentations built around the FDP mindset and real-life consequences.

Ongoing Mentorship

Long-term relationships with at-risk youth, nonprofits, and school partners.

Youth Prevention & Leadership Curriculum

A 12-week interactive curriculum for middle and high schools, alternative programs, and youth organizations — 60 to 90 minute sessions, available in English and Spanish. Students don't just hear a speech; they build a personal roadmap for decisions, resilience, and purpose, with a workbook, a Choose You wristband ceremony, and a certificate of completion.

01 Choosing You — Identity & First Choices
02 Identifying Triggers
03 Ownership vs Victimhood
04 Focused. Disciplined. Patient.
05 Goals, Vision & Purpose
06 Planning for Success — Plan A, B, C
07 The Power of Influence
08 Building Healthy Habits
09 Communication & Leadership
10 Mindset Transformation
11 Breaking the Cycle
12 Legacy — Commitment Ceremony
Request the Full Curriculum Outline
NYC Public Schools Bronx Community Programs Youth Development Orgs + Your School
Bring Jason to Your School

Wear it. Live it.
Pass it on.

One band. Two reminders. CHOOSE YOU on the front — F.D.P. on the back: Focused. Disciplined. Patient. It costs five dollars and it starts a conversation every single day.

A circle of students' fists, each wearing a Choose You wristband
Every student who finishes the program leaves with one on their wrist.

Not a giveaway. A graduation.

The band isn’t merch we sell to kids. It’s what they earn at the end of the Off The Count Youth Prevention Program — the day they decide, out loud, that they’re choosing themselves.

It’s the smallest piece of this movement and it travels the furthest. It goes home. It goes to school. It sits on a wrist through the exact moment somebody almost makes the wrong call.

“Off the count is freedom. Making it count is what you do after.”

A Choose You wristband held in hand

For Schools, Reentry Programs & Community Orgs

Order for your group

You don’t need Jason on contract to put these on wrists. Order a run for your students, your cohort, or your community event.

  • Two sizes — adult and youth
  • Bulk pricing on runs of 50, 100, and 150+
  • Pairs with the curriculum — available in English and Spanish
Request Bulk Pricing

Book Jason as a Speaker

Jason speaks to schools, correctional facilities, community organizations, reentry programs, and corporate audiences. His story is raw, real, and designed to move people — especially those who have been counted out.

Reentry & Second Chances
Youth Empowerment & Anti-Violence
Mindset, Discipline & Purpose
Prison Realities for Young People
Community Healing & Redemption
Breaking Cycles

We respond within 48 hours. You can also email jason@madeupnorthnyc.com directly, or DM @madeupnorthnyc on Instagram.