SERVICES
Connecting Basic Needs For a Fresh Start
The first hours and days after release can set the tone for someone’s entire re-entry journey. Without immediate access to food, shelter, clothing, and vital documents, the road ahead becomes much harder. That’s why we make sure no one starts their new chapter alone or without the essentials.
Safe transportation. Clean clothes. A place to sleep. Support in getting identification, birth certificates, or military discharge papers. These basics are more than just items — they are the foundation for hope, dignity, and forward progress.
When people have their basic needs met, they can focus on rebuilding their lives, reconnecting with family, and finding meaningful work. This is how we help break the cycle of criminalization: by removing immediate barriers and replacing them with opportunity.
Why Supporting Basic Needs Matters
Of people booked in jail once in a typical year:
%
had annual incomes under $10,000
%
had no health insurance
Poverty, lack of healthcare, and unstable living situations are risk factors that can lead people into the criminal justice system in the first place. When those same challenges are waiting for them upon release, the odds of rebuilding a stable life shrink — and the cycle of incarceration continues.
The Reality: 36% of people booked in jail in a typical year had annual incomes under $10,000. 23% had no health insurance.
By meeting basic needs like food, shelter, clothing, and access to healthcare from day one of re-entry, we give people more than survival — we give them a fair chance to break free from the cycle and build a future filled with dignity, opportunity, and hope.
