2023 CFAAC Annual Report - Report - Page 25
Transforming Futures : MDRRC Gives Hope to Recently
Incarcerated Individuals
The journey from incarceration to societal reintegration
is often fraught with challenges, but hope emerges in
the form of the Maryland Reentry Resource Center
(MDRRC). Fueled by a belief that growth and recovery
hinge upon awareness and sustainability, MDRRC is a
beacon of support for recently incarcerated individuals
who are transitioning back into society. The nonprofit is
only a small team of dedicated staff and volunteers but
has ambitious goals. Thanks to community grants and
partnerships, these goals don’t seem insurmountable.
Through MDRRC, program participants gain access
to employment opportunities through landscaping
training with MDRRC’s partnership with the Chesapeake
Conservation Landscaping Council, a stipend of $15.00
per hour, and free transportation. MDRRC has applied
for and received previous funding from the Community
Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC)—including
grants from the Help Our Neighbors Fund.
“You have to have diversified funding streams
to be successful,” said MDRRC Executive
Director Vanessa Bright, referring to why the
organization applied for CFAAC’s grants.
Grants from CFAAC’s Help Our Neighbors Fund are
focused on client assistance—buying work supplies,
mental health services, food, clothing, transportation,
and accessing government documentation such as IDs
and birth certificates—factors that are essential for
MDRRC’s clients to succeed.
Another goal of MDRRC is to help reduce recidivism rates.
Recidivism occurs when a released individual reoffends
or repeats their crime after already having served a full
sentence. According to the World Population Review,
Maryland’s three-year recidivism rate is currently
40.5%. To reduce that percentage, MDRRC advocates for
more standardized programs across the prison system
so incarcerated individuals are able to receive proper
assistance in the earlier stages of transitioning to society.
At this point, some have access to better reentry programs
than others—while others may not have access at all.
According to Vanessa, a standard system would ensure
that those who are incarcerated will have what they
need along with additional training and a paid stipend
for jobs that they may already have while serving their
sentences. This will allow them to save for security
deposits and rent for the first few months after release,
as well as obtaining the proper documentation to apply
for a position, and possibly provide support for any
substance abuse disorders and mental health issues.
To make sure they accomplish these goals and to
ensure the organization’s longevity, MDRRC opened a
Nonprofit Designated Fund with intent to endow—the
Maryland Reentry Resource Center Fund at CFAAC.
MDRRC also wants to create more awareness about what
the organization does for individuals reentering society.
To accomplish that, the organization has pushed for
more speaking engagements, networking, annual impact
reports, quarterly newsletters, outreach, and social
media. Invitations to resource events are a plus because
they provide the organization the opportunity to promote
the services that they offer. Opening the fund with CFAAC
will also generate more awareness for the nonprofit.
"To help these new Fund Holders reach their goals,
CFAAC is pleased to be able to promote their new
designated or endowed funds through our social media,
e-newsletter, website, and during conversations with
the donors who look to us for effective nonprofits" said
CFAAC Director of Gift Planning, John Rodenhausen.
“You don’t know what you don’t know,” Vanessa said.
She hopes that spreading awareness and promoting
education about the barriers that incarcerated
individuals face in the prison system will help the
public develop a sense of compassion and reduce
social stigma. Going forward, her goals for MDRRC
are to offer transitional housing and add monthly
support groups for men and women. Another objective
is for program participants to attend driving school
to obtain a license. Lastly, MDRRC is working on
developing a social enterprise around their stormwater
maintenance training program, partnering and
sharing a contract with the city and the county to
create transitional employment.
“I really hope that we [as the community] will find a way
to collaborate [with each other],” Bright says. “There’s
enough work that needs to be
done. If we work together, we
can have a great impact.”
Support the Maryland
Reentry Resource
Center Fund
at cfaac.org/
MDRRC.
www.cfaac.org | 25
