Former offenders often find it hard to get employment or housing in Minnesota due to discrimination. Fortunately, several community organizations in the state are committed to helping felons reintegrate into society by enabling them to develop employable skills, obtain gainful employment, and secure housing.
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180 Degrees
180 Degrees is an organization formed to help former offenders get employment and housing. The organization helps youths and young adults contribute positively to society through job training and life skills. The organization offers 60 days residency to adults who pass employment, permanent housing, and sobriety tests. The Adult Community Reentry Services Program sponsored by the organization helps residents rebuild their lives through employment, housing, and other support services.
Amicus Project Reconnect
Reconnect is an ex-offender mentoring program that offers ex-convicts an opportunity to network and participate in discussions about re-integration challenges. The forums discuss topics related to social integration, career skills, relationships, and coping strategies. The organization helps former offenders get shelter and housing, employment, education, clothing, and identification.
AccessAbility
AccessAbility helps ex-felons get immediate employment and community integration. The organization offers training on vocational skills, life skills, and job training to help former offenders get sustainable employment. They offer jobs in the document shredding, assembly and manufacturing, mailing services, and janitorial sectors.
Careeronestop
Careeronestop helps ex-convicts gain employable skills through formal education and apprenticeships. They also provide participants with opportunities to undergo educational training and career development. They assist with internships and resume development to improve employment prospects. Ex-convicts can link up with the platform to learn about the requirements of various occupations and get an assessment for career guidance.
Breaking Free
Breaking free is an organization that works with female survivors of sex trafficking, prostitution, drug addiction, and domestic violence. It helps them build their lives afresh by providing them temporary and permanent housing, food and clothing, vocational training, and employment and counseling programs. The organization encourages residents to attend its job skills and life skills program.
Central Minnesota Re-Entry Project
Central Minnesota Re-Entry Project targets ex-convicts who committed crimes in Benton, Stearns, and Sherburne counties. Participants get referrals for employment, housing, educational training, clothing, and family support services. Participants can also benefit from the community furniture program that builds homes for low-income individuals and households.
Portland House
Portland House is a facility sponsored by the Lutheran social services to help ex-convicts gain sustainable employment, develop life skills, and secure housing. The center focuses on empowering male ex-convicts to learn new life and social skills, reunite with their families, reconnect with their community, achieve financial stability and live positively. Former convicts can get admission through referrals by correctional facilities.
Christian Restorative Services
Christian Restorative Services provides supportive housing to homeless ex-felons. Each resident is assigned a case manager to help him or her transition into society. Residents also get support from a network of partner organizations, including community agencies, churches, and law enforcement agencies. The support network helps vulnerable persons get substance use recovery, mental health services, and family support.
RS Eden
RS Eden is an organization that accepts and provides separate accommodations for male and female ex-convicts. Male ex-offenders go to Ashland or West residential facilities while female offenders with children get housing at the Metro residence. The organization’s reentry program provides employment, substance abuse testing, case management, individual goal planning, referral to community services, and housing assistance to former offenders. RS Eden aims to promote healing and a new beginning for communities by reconnecting offenders to contribute to a thriving, resilient community.
The Minnesota Second Chance Coalition
The Minnesota Second Chance Coalition is an advocacy group comprising of 50 organizations that help ex-convicts reenter society without discrimination. The coalition helps ex-convicts through professional training and pushing legislation that enables them to get fair housing, employment, sentencing, and voting rights. Former felons can become active members and participate in the group’s activities. The coalition also helps former offenders who have been denied employment connect with a criminal law attorney.
Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center
The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center provides counseling, housing, employment, and therapy to former offenders. The organization provides a support structure and resources needed by former convicts to transition into society. The training includes substance abuse and skill-building, family reunification, personalized rehabilitation, and work therapy. Felons can join this program by submitting an inmate application.
St. Stephens Ex-Offenders Housing Services
Based in Hennepin county, St. Stephens Ex-Offenders Housing Services assists former offenders in getting permanent housing. The staff at this facility helps former offenders find landlords who will allow them to live in their property at affordable rates.
Step Ahead
Step Ahead is a program designed to help former convicts improve their employability. Former offenders can join the organization for career guidance, advice on career options, assistance in developing a career plan, advice on searching for employment and preparing for job interviews, and access to training programs.
