Impact Justice

Proposals for the National Housing Incubator are due TODAY by 11:59 pm EST/8:59 pm PST! Visit https://lnkd.in/guut4Ka8 to learn more.

We’re creating a more humane, responsive, and restorative system of justice in the United States, and we won’t stop until it’s done. #NelsonMandelaInternationalDay

With the recent ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson, cities across the country can now legally penalize people for sleeping outside, even in cases where there is no other option available to them. Far too many people impacted by this SCOTUS decision are caught in a cycle of criminalization – a prison to homelessness pipeline that can be virtually inescapable. The Homecoming Project provides an example for anyone hoping to choose compassion and kindness over cruelty and disengagement in the face of California's ongoing housing crisis. Learn more and get involved at https://lnkd.in/gZB4R6wp.

Have you heard about The Center from Impact Justice? Part of Impact Justice’s Housing Lab, The Center is a supportive network for formerly incarcerated community members, run by formerly incarcerated community members. Through The Center, we take a holistic approach to reentry, supporting individual wellness, personal growth, and community integration through trauma-informed reentry and care training, 1:1 reentry coaching, digital literacy workshops, and peer support groups. If you or a loved one would benefit from working with The Center, sign up today at https://lnkd.in/gfqRkG9E!

California women’s prisons have now reached deadly temperatures inside. And while incarcerated women are desperately trying to stay cool, as many as 40% are experiencing menopause symptoms at the same time. Going through menopause in prison is too often an excruciating experience, and rising temperatures make the situation far worse. It doesn't have to be this way. Learn more about our work to transform menopause care behind bars at https://lnkd.in/gSFpPA8c.

Impact Justice’s Alexander Busansky calls for more diverse and creative investments in criminal justice reform across the country at a time when funders are increasingly pulling away from these issues. It’s critical to remember: we’re not in a zero sum situation. Funders should keep investing - and investing more - in criminal justice work across the country, without pulling back from places that have seen success. In California and elsewhere, the work is far from over. 

If you’re in Los Angeles, you have an opportunity to fundamentally transform someone’s life by hosting with the Homecoming Project! The Homecoming Project is a groundbreaking program that places people recently released from prison with local homeowners who have a spare room and an open heart. To date, we've secured housing matches for over 100 formerly incarcerated people and every participant has left the program with stable housing of their own. After several years of successfully operating in the Bay Area, we’ve expanded the program to Los Angeles, where the need is significant: in recent years, thousands of people have been released from California's prison system to Los Angeles County without established housing. Get more information on hosting in Los Angeles at https://buff.ly/45TyPNR

As a founding member of the DC Jail Food Working Group, we work to address pervasive hunger and poor nutrition behind bars in the nation's capital. A survey of over 300 people in the DC jails revealed startling and concerning experiences: 7 in 10 reported having been served spoiled or rotten food - a number that rose to 8 in 10 for those who had been in jail longer than a year. Respondents reported constant feelings of hunger, mass food waste, and new or worsening health problems as a result of their diets. Today, the DC Jail Food Working Group is focused on improving nutrition standards for the jail's food service and expanding culinary training opportunities for jail residents. We're grateful to our partners in this work, and remain fiercely committed to transforming food behind bars for incarcerated people in DC and across the country. Read founding partner DC Greens’ full report on food in the DC Jails and learn more about our work together at bit.ly/jail-food-dc-23!

The deadline to submit proposals for subgrants through our National Housing Incubator is fast approaching! Download the RFP and learn more about our selection process at https://lnkd.in/guut4Ka8.

Today is all about freedom, and many people are celebrating that with their families - including Daaron, one of our first Homecoming Project participants in Los Angeles, and his host Philna. While most of our hosts and participants are total strangers entering the program, Philna and Daaron are family. That may be unique to the Homecoming Project, but their story mirrors countless other families stepping up to support loved ones experiencing or returning from incarceration. As a host with the Homecoming Project, Philna gets to provide a welcoming and stable home for Daaron while receiving a monthly stipend. As a participant, Daaron gets direct support from our team as he begins to rebuild his life. But don’t forget: most of our hosts and participants meet for the first time through the program, and many even become like family in the process. Change someone’s life by becoming a host with the Homecoming Project in Los Angeles. Get involved at buff.ly/3VMtlzO. Special thanks to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation for creating this beautiful video!