Ex-Offender Re-Entry Program
The purpose of the Goodwill’s Re-Entry Program is to provide job readiness training and job placement to men and women who have been recently released from incarceration, be it from county jail or state/federal prison. Every year Smith County receives about 900 recently released prisoners who are on probation and parole, living with family or in transitional housing for justice-served individuals. Those still on probation or parole have three weeks to find a job or risk going back to jail. This is a very difficult task for anyone, much less someone with a criminal record. Very few individuals are released from jail with a job ready and waiting for them, so it’s valuable to have an organization with temporary paid work experience opportunities and an Employment Specialist continuously working with local employers to help them find permanent employment.
Goodwill’s ReEntry Program teaches participants how to accept responsibility for their actions, honestly disclose their offense to employers, prepare for job interviews, prepare resumes and conduct job searches. The temporary job in Goodwill’s Facility Maintenance Department offers hands-on training and helps the participants to gain current experience and a referral which looks great on a job application.
Director: Kim Lewis kim.lewis@goodwilletx.com
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