How Reentry Cash Assistance Kept George on the Path to Stability
Reentering society after incarceration comes with countless hurdles, from securing stable employment to affording basic necessities. For many, the first few months are the most critical—without financial support, the risk of recidivism increases dramatically. In Denver, George, a participant in the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) program, experienced these challenges firsthand. With the help of reentry cash assistance, he was able to cover essential expenses like gas to get to work, rent, food, a phone, and clothes for his children. This support allowed him to stabilize his life, focus on his job in glass installation, and avoid the pitfalls that often lead people back into the system. In this Q&A, George shares how financial assistance was crucial to his successful reentry.
Q: How did you use the cash assistance funds?
A: The biggest items and bills that the reentry cash assistance helped me pay for were my cellphone, gas for my truck, rent, food, and shoes and clothes for my three kids. I don’t know how I would have returned to work so quickly if it wasn’t for the assistance. I could buy work clothes, shoes, personal protective equipment for my job, and work tools, and I had money to pay for gas to get back and forth to my job every day. Without that money, I would have had difficulty returning to the workforce.
Q: What has the monthly payment allowed you to do that you wouldn’t have without it?
A: It helped me stay afloat, and without it, I would not have been able to survive, and my two kids needed it. Every month, different expenses came up, and I knew with the assistance that I didn’t have to stress over some of them. It let me focus on more important things like my job and family.
Q: What do you think people don’t understand about reentry?
A: How challenging it is mentally and financially for someone getting out. It takes time to reestablish yourself in the community, and you need a vision of how you will succeed, or else you'll spiral down and crash. You have to stay positive and patient, or you will go crazy worrying about the future.”
Q: What do you want lawmakers to know?
A: The old methods aren't working, and recidivism is high. The states should invest more money into self-help programs, mental health services, life skills, education, addiction counseling, and programs like the reentry cash assistance that I received which helped me so much.
Q: What is your hope for reentry cash +?
A: It’s vital that lawmakers open up more in other states and get help with funding these programs so that more people like me can benefit from it. The odds are against us when we get out, but this cash assistance really does help people stay out of prison and be with their families.
George’s experience highlights a simple yet powerful truth: financial support during reentry isn’t just about survival but creating opportunities for long-term success. By alleviating immediate financial stress, reentry cash assistance allows individuals to focus on securing stable employment, caring for their families, and reintegrating into their communities. As George points out, the odds are often stacked against people returning home, but programs like reentry cash assistance make a real difference in breaking the cycle of incarceration. His story is a testament to why investing in fair chance programs is not just the right thing to do—it’s the smart thing to do.
To learn more about access to reentry cash benefits so that each person returning from incarceration has immediate support that promotes safety, health, and access to job opportunities and establishes pathways to quality jobs providing mobility, sign up for the monthly newsletter or call your local state representatives to get information about reform topics in your district.
