Goodwill West Texas is proud to announce the expansion of its mission services with the launch of its newest program, Reentry Point. The innovative initiative aims to provide comprehensive assistance and education to individuals who have been impacted by the justice system.
Reentry Point is the latest step forward in Goodwill’s ongoing commitment to provide opportunities for people with barriers to employment. The program’s multi-faceted approach is intended for individuals who have a history of being justice-impacted, have been recently released from incarceration or are 3-6 months away from exiting incarceration.
“Investing time, education and resources into our justice-impacted neighbors is a proven strategy in breaking the cycle of recidivism,” CEO Rick Waldraff said. “This program not only helps individuals reacclimate into our community, but it creates an opportunity to make our community safer and stronger.”
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 60 percent of formerly incarcerated individuals struggle with unemployment. The Reentry Point program aims to curb these struggles in the Big Country by providing job and life skills training to 100 individuals in its first six months.
The program includes two tracks:
Track 1: Intended for recently released and justice-involved individuals, the 5-day course teaches job skills and life skills training, shares resources for paying and advancing education, and more. The fast-track program takes place at Goodwill’s Career Center in Abilene, as well as on-site in partnership with transitional living facilities in the area.
Track 2: Designed to begin within correctional facilities, participants are taught Texas Department of Criminal Justice-approved curriculum intended to equip soon-to-be released individuals with skills needed to succeed post-release, including job skills training, financial planning and more.
The Reentry Point program is funded by the sale of donated items in Goodwill West Texas retail stores. After its inception in the Big Country area, Goodwill plans to expand the program to serve justice-impacted individuals across the nonprofit’s 35-county territory in the future.
For more information on the Reentry Point program, please visit goodwillwtx.org/reentry-point.