OAKLAND, Calif. (KCBS RADIO) – A brand new facility in Oakland opened its doors on Monday to provide support to people recently released from prison.
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CROP, Creating Restorative Opportunities & Programs, is a nonprofit located at 2511 Adeline St., that provides housing, financial literacy classes and job training for formerly incarcerated individuals.
The organization, which was founded by those formerly incarcerated in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), aims to cycle at least 200 people through its programs over the next three years at its new live-in career campus.
The newly opened condo complex will house 35 people for year-long stays, where they can transition and train up into productive lives outside.
The program is being funded with $28.5 million in state grants, secured with the help of Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo.
"We have an incredible opportunity to ensure there's a holistic, wraparound service one-stop-shop where an individual can completely stabilize post-release," said Terah Lawyer-Harper, CROPS executive director.
"Also, get their mind incredibly ready for a new career," she said.
Career opportunities can range from user-interface design to IT sales, with a focus on the tech industry.
The organization’s signature program, Ready 4 Life, includes job training and preparation. The program itself takes about 12 months to complete, according to their website and focuses on four elements: mindset, skills, employment, and housing.
Participants get leadership coaching as well as other trainings, and a monthly stipend of $1,000, to help boost their economic standing.
Applicants are eligible if they are currently incarcerated but will be released by the program’s start date or have been released from state/federal prison within the past five years, and have earned at least their GED.
One of the organization's founders, Richard Mireles, knows how hard it can be to return to the workforce after leaving incarceration. When he got out of prison in 2019, his family helped him out.
But many formerly incarcerated people don't have that soft landing – it's hard for people with criminal records to find decent jobs or affordable places to stay.
"What's most important is the housing component, and here we are today," said Mireles.
This is just the beginning. CROP hopes to scale up and open more live-in job centers like this one.
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