US Labor Department announces $20.5 million in grants to support, help ensure success of formerly incarcerated adults returning to work in their communities

News provided by

May 23, 2012, 10:49 ET

WASHINGTON, May 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Labor today announced grants totaling $20,518,598 to 18 nonprofit organizations across the country to fund employment-related services for formerly incarcerated adults who are returning to high-poverty, high-crime communities. These grants represent the fifth round of funding under the department's Reintegration of Ex-Offenders-Adult program, through which more than $98 million has been awarded to date.

"A strong support network is the key for formerly incarcerated individuals to successfully transition back to their communities," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "The federal grants announced today will help to establish this network, while also providing job training to ensure long-term stability and success."

Grantees will use the funds to provide occupational training that leads to credentials in high-demand industries; mentoring; and assistance in connecting formerly incarcerated adults with supportive services such as housing, substance abuse programs and mental health treatment.

In 2010, nearly 709,000 people were released from state and federal prisons, an increase of almost 20 percent from 2002. Research indicates that, without assistance to make a successful transition, the majority of former offenders return to criminal activity. This program aims to break that cycle.

For more information about the program, visit http://www.doleta.gov/RExO/aboutRExO.cfm.

Editor's note: A list of the grantees, their locations and award amounts follows this news release.

Reintegration of Ex-Offenders-Adult Program Grantees

Grantee	City	State	Amount
Arizona Women's Education & Employment Inc.	Phoenix	Ariz.	$1,212,000
Catholic Charities of Kansas City-St. Joseph Inc.	Kansas City	Mo.	$1,212,000
Centerstone of Indiana Inc.	Bloomington	Ind.	$1,212,000
Community Service Council of Greater Tulsa	Tulsa	Okla.	$1,025,858
Friends Outside in Los Angeles Inc.	Los Angeles	Calif.	$1,212,000
Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Louisiana	New Orleans	La.	$1,025,858
Goodwill Industries of Upstate/Midlands South Carolina Inc.	Greenville	S.C.	$1,025,858
Impact Services Corp.	Philadelphia	Pa.	$1,201,137
Living Classrooms Foundation	Baltimore	Md.	$1,025,858
OIC of Broward County	Ft. Lauderdale	Fla.	$1,212,000
SER-Jobs for Progress of the Texas Gulf Coast Inc.	Houston	Texas	$1,025,858
SNAP Financial Access	Spokane	Wash.	$1,212,000
Span Inc.	Boston	Mass.	$1,025,858
Spectrum Resources	Des Moines	Iowa	$1,211,405
The Dannon Project	Birmingham	Ala.	$1,212,000
The Fortune Society Inc.	Long Island City	N.Y.	$1,212,000
Tri-County Urban League	Peoria	Ill.	$1,042,908
Word of Hope Ministries	Milwaukee	Wis.	$1,212,000
Total			$20,518,598

U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at http://www.dol.gov. The information above is available in large print, Braille or CD from the COAST office upon request by calling 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755.

Connect with DOL at
http://social.dol.gov
http://twitter.com/usdol
http://www.facebook.com/departmentoflabor
http://www.youtube.com/usdepartmentoflabor
http://social.dol.gov/blog/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/52862363@N07/

SOURCE U.S. Department of Labor