Impact Justice

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!

Sometimes, you have to break the mold to find solutions - and last month, we had the incredible opportunity to tap into collective imagination in Birmingham, Alabama, along with other winners of the Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge. We’re beyond grateful to Build Urban Prosperity (Build UP) for hosting us in their hometown, to TheCaseMade and the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute for some truly incredible learning opportunities, and our partners at Enterprise Community Partners and Wells Fargo Foundation for making it all possible. Learn more about our work to disrupt the prison-to-homelessness pipeline at https://lnkd.in/g4XzbGEv!

75% of people we surveyed reported being served spoiled or rotten food in prison. Hardly any of them regularly had access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Food in prison could promote rehabilitation and support successful reentry - but that requires a new approach to food service that’s grounded in dignity and health rather than punishment and a bottom line. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gdNxJZpw.

Poised to become a national model, our California Justice Leaders partnership with Americorps and California Volunteers strategically leverages the wisdom and experiences of systems-impacted people to interrupt cycles of violence and crime. The program recruits and matches Justice Leaders with organizations across California to provide reentry coaching and mentorship to youth and young adults who are facing many of the same challenges they once did. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/g7Uia-BZ!

We were beyond thrilled this week to see Ethan Ward’s beautiful story on the Homecoming Project for AfroLA win top prize in the Solutions Journalism category a the LA Press Club’s SoCal Journalism Awards ceremony! Ethan’s piece explains how shared housing programs like the Homecoming Project can help make a meaningful dent in the housing crisis, and beautifully captures the spirit and potential of the program. Most importantly, his work centers the people behind the numbers. Thank you, Ethan, for helping us shine a light on innovative solutions to some of the country’s most complicated problems -- and doing so with compassion, curiosity, and care.

“Changing the negative connotations around prison and hospital food brings dignity and well-being to both the people being served and those who are serving it.” Proud to see our partnership with Daniel Giusti and Brigaid highlighted! Learn more about our work employing trained chefs to overhaul prison menus at https://lnkd.in/gdNxJZpw.

In recent weeks, reporting from The Associated Press has revealed the number of incarcerated people being forced to work dangerous job assignments with little to no training, and has highlighted stories of serious injuries and even deaths as a result. Incarcerated people deserve access to safe working conditions; more than that, they deserve fair pay, and the ability to choose their own employment pathways. Providing incarcerated people with access to job training in high-wage industries sets them up for success, and benefits all of us.

After participating in our Harvest of the Month program, Sierra Conservation Center worked directly with our partners at Spork Food Hub to purchase fresh, local strawberries to serve Strawberry Shortcake for the incarcerated population on Father's Day. We love seeing our partner institutions purchase locally-grown produce as we work collectively to increase the availability of fruits and vegetables behind bars in California and nationwide. Special thanks to Spork Food Hub for making this possible!

Are you considering applying for one of our Housing Incubator grants? We’re currently accepting proposals! Register for our upcoming informational webinar to learn more about the RFP process and get your questions answered. REGISTER: https://lnkd.in/gY_FxTpZ