Ex-offender Reentry Program

Reducing the Barriers

It is so discouraging to know that across the country, 44% of released inmates will be rearrested within one year; 83% within 10 years. Sadly, the primary reason for this is that most of them go back to their previous environments, faced with the same problems and mental demons—without a network of support or a way forward.

This is why in addition to programming on the inside, we provide “wrap-around” Reentry Services that help reduce the significant barriers to achieving reentry success. Once released, our clients work with a Reentry Services Specialist to set goals and develop a strategy. Our Specialists walk beside our clients for as long as they are needed—there is no time limit or cost to them.

We provide our clients access to a depth of resources available to help “restart” their lives in a positive direction. These resources are primarily focused on four key areas:

Mental Health Counseling
Education Assistance
Employment/Job Placement
Addiction Recovery/Rehab Placement

Working with local community partners and volunteers, we also provide clothing to exit the jail, temporary housing, assistance for food insecurities, and access to mentors and churches.

For more information about reentry resources, or to request reentry help, visit our Get Help page.

Reentry Council

Safer Communities Ministry is currently acting as an intermediary agency working to assemble and secure official state recognition of a reentry council to serve Union and Anson Counties.

A local reentry council is an organized network of individuals and agencies that coordinate resources at a local level to help ex-offenders and their families to create a better transition from incarceration back to society. A local reentry council will help formerly incarcerated individuals become productive citizens and reduce recidivism and the economic strain to county governments of housing more incarcerated individuals.

The Reentry Council meets every 2^nd Tuesday of the month at 2 pm. If you’d like to attend, register here to receive a formal invitation with more details.

In 2001, the Council of State Governments launched a national Ex-Offender Reentry Policy Council. Since then, reentry councils have been established in counties and communities across the U.S.