Money Management for Formerly Incarcerated People

Individuals who were previously incarcerated often struggle to find support upon re-entry.

Between housing, employment, and finances, this group faces significant challenges.

Below, find over 150 resources for re-entry support and money management basics. This includes info on repairing credit, employment programs, and state-specific aid - specifically for those coming out of incarceration.

Financial Literacy Basics

Re-entry after incarceration can be more challenging without a solid financial footing. Find resources on repairing credit, opening a bank account, and more below.

Banking

• Selecting financial products and services: A guide helps to identify which financial products or services fit with the needs of the consumer.
  
• ABC's of Banking: Details about the difference between commercial banks, thrift banks, and credit unions.
  
• BankFind: A tool that helps find banks and financial institutions that are insured by FDIC.
  
• Checking vs Savings Account: What's the Difference?: Details about different types of banking accounts.
  
• How to Choose a Bank: Information on the types of banks with advantages and disadvantages to differentiate each institution.
  
• Credit Unions vs Banks: Comparison between a credit union and bank to help college students understand the difference between financial institutions.
  
• What Is A Credit Union?: Explanation of what is a credit union, how it functions, and the perks of being a member of it.
  
• Credit Union Locator: An online tool that helps consumers and union members find credit union branches around in the USA.

Budgeting

• Budgeting: Tips on creating a budget plan to track expenses and savings.
  
• Make a Spending Plan: Guide on creating a spending plan and tips on tracking expenses.
  
• How to Make a Budget: Guide about spending plans, saving accounts, emergency funds, needs versus wants, and steps for achieving financial goals.
  
• Mint: A multi-platform app that provides access to all finances, a budgeting tool, and free credit score reports.
  
• YNAB: A budgeting app that helps track expenses and spending of teens with a monthly report to monitor progress.

Credit 101

• Creating a Credit Profile: How To Build Your Credit: Steps that help students start building credit and understand how crucial a credit line for obtaining assets.
  
• How to Rebuild Your Credit: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau provides a step-by-step guide in rebuilding credit score back to a good rating.
  
• Credit Scores: Tips that help improve credit score to avoid financial crises and be eligible for loans or insurance.
  
• Understanding Your Credit: FTC guide provides information about credit, history, score, and report.
  
• Your Credit History: A guide to help understands how credit history affects personal finances and how to maintain a good credit score.
  
• What is the difference between a credit report and a credit score?: Consumer's guide to help understand credit score and credit report.
  
• What Is a Good Credit Score?: Explainer on FICO and VantageScore - the two credit scores used by lenders.
  
• Here's What Americans' FICO® Scores Look Like -- How Do You Compare?: Comparison of FICO scores among Americans and helps to assess the standing of your credit score.
  
• What's in my FICO® Scores?: FICO scores calculation in the credit report and the credit data affect it.

Saving Money

• Savings Made Simple: Strategies with checklist to start reducing expenses and creating a budget plan.
  
• Save Money with Coupons: A shopping guide focused on taking advantage of coupons to save money and to strike bargain while buying groceries and essentials.
  
• Shopping Tips: Guide on how to become a savvy shopper and tips for finding great deals.
  
• Best Money Saving Apps: Review of best money apps for increasing savings and control spending.
  
• Save and Invest: Tips on how to manage money wisely and how to invest to grow money.

Employment and Government Assistance

Some government and nonprofit organizations provide dedicated support to help those formerly incarcerated locate employment and necessities. Check the links below to get started.

Employment Resources

• Delancey Street: The foundation helps ex-convicts become teachers, general contractors, and truck drivers as their new career.
  
• America Works: The organization helps participating job seekers find permanent employment through its network of partners.
  
• Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): CEO offers paid employment opportunities for ex-felons within multiple states.
  
• Metro Community Ministries: The organization offers programs such as leadership development, mentoring, and employment assistance to ex-offenders.
  
• Expunging A Criminal Record: Steps that ex-offenders can take to seal their non-serious crime record to increase the chances of getting employment.
  
• Job Search Help for Ex-Offenders: Career One Stop has a toolkit to help ex-offenders find local training programs that help improve their chances of getting a permanent job.
  
• Jobs for Felons Hub: The platform has a directory of jobs and housing available for ex-felons.
  
• Right Turn Program: The program provides services such as case management, job training, career development, and employment opportunities for juvenile ex-offenders.

How to Get Identity Documentation

• Birth Certificate: Ex-felons can use the CDC's online portal to find local offices to request a copy of their birth certificate.
  
• Non-Driver IDs: Ex-felons can re-apply for a non-driver identification card through local DMV offices.
  
• Social Security Number Card: Ex-felons can request card replacement after incarceration as a form of identification and to reactivate benefits.

Government Assistance

• SSA BEST Questionnaire: An online tool to help people determine on what benefits they are eligible from the SSA.
  
• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): LIHEAP assists with the energy cost of low-income households.
  
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): A program that provides support to low-income families with children to achieve self-sufficiency and financial stability.
  
• Benefit Finder: Benefits.gov search tool can help cancer patients find eligible government benefits for their needs.
  
• Incarcerated Veterans: A guide that helps veterans understand everything about VA benefits when incarcerated.
  
• SNAP State Directory of Resources: An online directory of all the local SNAP offices.
  
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): A program that provides applicants supplemental budget for buying nutritious food for their family.
  
• Benefits after Incarceration: What You Need To Know: Ex-felons can re-apply for eligible benefits under Social Security after incarceration.
  
• SSI Spotlight on Prerelease Procedure: Ex-Felons can re-apply to their local Social Security office for reinstatement of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

State Re-Entry Resources

Most states also have their own re-entry programs - check the links below to find support in your area, including employment, transitional housing, and more.

Alabama

• The Dannon Project Re-Entry Program: The program focuses on ex-offenders to find a career path as a way to re-enter the community.
  
• Holistic Program: Renascence provides services such as helping former inmates obtain identification, health care, basic education, and job training.
  
• GENESIS House: Aid to Inmate Mothers (AIM) provides transitional housing to women recently left prison to help re-establishing independence within 12 months.
  
• Renascence Re-Entry Program: Renascence provides transitional housing to male ex-felons as a way to help re-establish independence within 6 to 12 months.
  
• The Lovelady Center Recovery Program: The program helps women recently released from jail on the transition to being independent.

Alaska

• Goodwill Industries of Alaska: Goodwill provides employment opportunities to ex-felons in the state of Alaska.

Arizona

• Primavera Works: Primavera provides employment opportunities, job training, financial empowerment, and coaching.
  
• OPCS Re-Entry Recovery programs: OPCS provides programs that help ex-offenders to re-enter the community through transitional housing, counseling, therapies, and employment placement.

Arkansas

• Our House Career Center: Our House has programs to help ex-felons find employment through classes and the re-entry program.
  
• Arkansas Community Correction Transitional Housing Facilities: A list of transitional housing helps ex-felons find re-entry programs within the state of Arkansas.
  
• Our House Shelter and Family House: Our House provides transitional housing that helps individuals with temporary lodging for three weeks until they find employment.

California

• Rubicon Programs: Rubicon offers assistance on resume writing, finding a job, and employment retention support.
  
• Homeboy Industries Workforce Development: Homeboy Industries provides skill training and employment assistance to ex-felons to help them find stable income.
  
• Chrysalis Transitional Jobs Program: Chrysalis provides a transitional job program that helps individuals facing problems finding employment.
  
• ReVIVE Program: The program provides services such as case management, job placement, legal assistance, and trauma counseling for ex-offenders.
  
• A New Way of Life (ANWOL) Re-Enter Project: ANWOL helps women through the re-entry program with transitional housing, ID assistance, and job search.
  
• VOA Bay Area Community Re-Entry: Volunteers of America has a program that helps ex-felons through transitional housing, education, and employment training.

Colorado

• The Empowerment Program: The program helps women having trouble finding or maintaining employment.
  
• Women's Bean Project: The transitional program helps women who were ex-offenders find new work and maintain employment.

Connecticut

• CPA Culinary Training Program: The program helps individuals who want to work in the culinary arts and hospitality industries through paid on-the-job culinary training.
  
• CPA Work Release Program: The program helps ex-offenders find permanent employment and access to support services to avoid relapse.
  
• CPA Transitional House: The transitional program helps male ex-offenders referred by CT Court Support Services Division to re-entry the community.

Delaware

• Sojourners' Place Re-Entry Services: The program helps ex-offenders in terms of training, education, employment, and housing.

District of Columbia

• East of the River Clergy, Police, Community Partnership (ERCPCP): The organization offers workforce development to help ex-felons find a job and a transitional residency service for housing assistance.

Florida

• PRIDE Enterprises: PRIDE helps former inmates to re-enter society through skill training and employment.
  
• Goodwill Industries of North Florida: The organization offers services to help individuals who have a hard time finding stable employment through job search assistance and training.
  
• Operation New Hope: The organization helps former inmates through a re-entry program focused on housing and employment opportunities.
  
• Re-Entry Center of Ocala: The program helps former inmates find employment through training and gaining life skills.
  
• Hillsborough House of Hope: Hillsborough House of Hope helps female ex-offenders transition back to society through housing, education, and employment.
  
• Shisa House Community Release & Re-Entry Center: Shisa House is transitional housing for female ex-offenders to help re-enter society through a work-release program.

Georgia

• Dismas Charities: Dismas has a program to help former inmates re-enter society through education, employment, and support.
  
• Transitional Housing for Offender Re-Entry (THOR) Directory: An online directory of transitional housing programs within the state of Georgia that helps former inmates and individuals on probation or parole find employment.

Hawaii

• Going Home Hawaii: The organization provides re-entry services to former inmates through housing, support services, and employment assistance.
  
• WorkNet: The organization has programs that help inmates transition back to the community through employment assistance, housing referrals, support services, and job search.

Idaho

• St. Vincent de Paul Southwest Idaho: The organization's re-entry program helps former inmates reintegrate into the community.

Illinois

• Centerstone Re-Entry Services: The Centerstone has a program that helps former inmates to re-enter society through behavioral health and employment services.
  
• Leslie's Place: The program provides a second chance for female ex-offenders through job placement, coaching, and skills training.

Indiana

• Blue Jacket, Inc.: The organization helps individuals who experienced barriers in finding employment.
  
• Dismas House of Nashville: Dismas has a re-entry program to help former inmates successfully transition back to society.
  
• Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana New Beginning Program: The program provides second-chance for ex-offenders through job training and finding permanent employment.

Iowa

• OpportUNITY: The organization provides housing, employment, mental health, and support services for former inmates in the state of Iowa.
  
• Catholic Charities' Jail & Prison Ministry: The re-entry service helps former inmates by providing housing, training, and employment.

Kansas

• Catholic Charities Of Kansas City St. Joseph: The organization has a workforce development that provides resume preparation, financial education, and job searching.
  
• Oxford House Kansas Re-Entry Program: The program provides a safe and drug-free environment to help ex-felons reintegrate into society.

Kentucky

• Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, Inc.: Goodwill provides support to job seekers having a hard time finding employment through training, education, and referrals.

Louisiana

• Goodwill Acadiana: Goodwill provides employment services to help job seekers find work by giving access to computer, library, resume writing assistance, and job search.
  
• Turnaround Village: The organization helps newly released ex-offenders with supplies and on finding employment to regain self-sufficiency.

Maine

• Maine Regional Re-Entry Center (MCRRC): The center helps ex-offenders to transition back to society through training and employment opportunities.

Maryland

• Project JumpStart: The program helps participants gain skills and employment in the construction industry.
  
• AAWDC's Workforce Re-Entry Initiative: The program aims to help ex-offenders re-establish life in society through finding employment.
  
• Job Opportunities Task Force (JOTF): JOTF helps job seekers overcome barriers to getting permanent employment.

Massachusetts

• Community Work Services: The organization has a workforce development program to help individuals improve their chances of getting a job through evaluations, training, and support services.
  
• Project Place Skill Development: The program helps individuals learn job-ready skills to increase their chances of getting or maintaining permanent employment.
  
• Dismas House Worcester Oakham: Dismas House helps former inmates reintegrate into society by providing shelter, education, training, and employment.
  
• Project Place Housing: Project Place has GateHouse and Betty's Place as transitional housing programs that helps ex-offenders.

Michigan

• Goodwill Flip the Script: The two programs help men and women returning to society from jail find a job through training and employment assistance.

Minnesota

• EMERGE's Workforce Development and Employment Services: EMERGE helps participants to get a job through training, skill development, and coaching.
  
• Goodwill Re-Entry Career Training: The program offers a second chance for ex-offenders to reintegrate into society through education and employment.
  
• Central Minnesota Re-Entry Project: The re-entry program helps former inmates find transitional housing, education, support services, and employment in the state of Minnesota.
  
• Damascus Way Re-Entry Center Inc.: The program provides transitional housing, support services, and employment.

Mississippi

• Goodwill Industries of South Mississippi: Goodwill has a career center that helps participants successfully get a job through training, education, and coaching.

Missouri

• MERS Goodwill: The re-entry program helps ex-offenders find a job through training, support, and placement services.
  
• Employment Connection of St. Louis: Employment Connection helps job seekers overcome barriers to getting or maintaining employment.

Montana

• Alpha House: Alpha House is a pre-release center that holds offenders for six months before returning to the community to obtain employment and remain drug-free.

Nebraska

• Released and Restored: The non-profit organization has multiple programs focused on helping ex-offenders find stable employment.
  
• Tackling Recidivism And Developing Employability (TRADE): TRADE is a re-entry program that focuses on helping ex-offenders develop new skills and assist in the employment application.

Nevada

• Ridgehouse: Ridgehouse provides services such as treatment for substance or mental disorders and workforce development for employment assistance.

New Hampshire

• Dismas Home NH Transitional Living Program: DHNH's transitional housing assists participants in reintegrating into society through therapies, education, and recovery services.

New Jersey

• New Jersey Career Connections: One-Stop Career Center assists individuals previously incarcerated to find stable employment.
  
• New Jersey Re-Entry Corporation (NJRC): NJRC assists ex-offenders to overcome barriers to getting employment after incarceration.

New Mexico

• A Peaceful Habitation: The organization helps women release from incarceration to reintegrate back into society through support services, employment, life skill training, and transportation assistance.
  
• Crossroads for Women: The organization has two transitional housing programs with mental health services for women released from incarceration.

New York

• Exodus Workforce Development: Exodus has a workforce development program that helps job seekers obtain new skills to achieve stable employment.
  
• The Osborne Association: The association offers multiple re-entry services for ex-offenders to help them reintegrate into society successfully and achieve self-sufficiency.
  
• The Fortune Society Housing: The organization has multiple housing programs as re-entry services for ex-offenders to help achieve self-sufficiency.
  
• Exodus Housing: Exodus provides an emergency housing program in 3 hotels for ex-offenders released from correctional facilities during COVID-19.

North Carolina

• LifeWorks!: Center for Community Transitions has a program to help individuals with criminal backgrounds overcome obstacles for getting employment.
  
• StepUp Ministry: The organization provides support to individuals to find a job through skill training and employment assistance.
  
• LINC Residential Re-Entry Program: The program helps former inmates reintegrate back to society through transitional housing, education, mental health services, and job training.
  
• The Community Success Initiative (CSI): The organization helps former inmates transition back to society through life skill training, education, and entrepreneurship.
  
• Piedmont Triad Regional Council (PTRC) Project Re-Entry: The program has two components focus on pre-release and post-release inmates to help prepare for reintegration into society.

Ohio

• Mahoning Valley Partnership for Employment: Flying HIGH provides a workforce development program to help individuals with criminal backgrounds get a job.
  
• Venice on Vine: The program helps individuals who have trouble getting a job by undergoing pre-employment training and job placement within the food catering industry.
  
• Pathway Employment And Career Services: Pathway has programs that help individuals achieve self-sufficiency through employment training and financial literacy classes.
  
• Akron Urban League's Career Pathways Program: The program aims to help individuals achieve self-sufficiency through employment and skill training.

Oklahoma

• Goodwill Industries of Tulsa - Job Connection: Goodwill provides free employment assistance to help job seekers with skill assessment, resume writing, job search, leads, and interview coaching.
  
• Resonance Center - Women's Re-Entry Support Services: The program helps women for pre-release and post-release from prison to achieve self-sufficiency after jail life.
  
• Inside Out Re-Entry: The organization offers a transitional living program for applicants from the Oklahoma County Jails to reintegrate back to society.

Oregon

• Prisoner Re-Entry Employment Program (PREP): PREP helps ex-offenders find long-term employment through job training and placement.
  
• Ross Shepard Re-Entry Resource Center (RRC): RRC has an employment assistance program to help ex-offenders find a long-term job.
  
• Lifelong Information for Entrepreneurs (LIFE): LIFE is a 32-week training to help ex-offenders become self-sufficient through entrepreneurship and self-employment.
  
• NewStart Re-Entry Resource Center: The program helps ex-offenders reintegrate back to society through securing IDs, housing assistance, access to utilities, and employment.
  
• Sponsors, Inc. Transitional Housing: Sponsors Inc. has multiple transitional housing for men and women who recently released from the correction institution.

Pennsylvania

• Impact Services: Impact Services helps ex-offenders through employment training to get a job and ID program to acquire necessary identity documents.
  
• I'm FREE Pre-Release Empowerment Training: The program is a pre-release workshop program to help incarcerated women prepare for re-entry to society.
  
• GETPAID®: The program helps ex-offenders return to the workforce through employment training.
  
• CRAM: CRAM provides services that help ex-offenders through employment assistance, vocational classes, financial literacy classes, transportation assistance, and work-shop training.
  
• GEO Re-Entry: GEO Re-Entry Services has a transitional housing program to help parolees have a safe and supervised environment to reintegrate back to society.
  
• The Nehemiah Wall: The organization provides a transitional home for women as a safe environment and housing to re-enter society.

Rhode Island

• OpenDoors Employment Services: The organization assists incarcerated participants prepare to get a job during pre-release and post-release to achieve self-sufficient.
  
• Amos House Job Training & Employment: Amos House offers workshop training to provide a second chance for participants to find stable employment.
  
• OpenDoors Housing Services: OpenDoors provides a transitional housing program that helps participants prepare for reintegration into the community through education, training, and employment.

South Carolina

• Goodwill Job Connection: Goodwill centers have workshops covering job search techniques, resume writing, interview tips, and ways to overcome barriers like a criminal background to get a job.

Tennessee

• Project Return - Re-Entry Entrepreneurship Program (REP): REP is a workforce development program that helps ex-offenders re-enter society through employment.
  
• 4:13 Strong: The organization provides a 6 to 8 months residential program to help participants prepare for employment and self-sufficiency.

Texas

• Goodwill Industries of East Texas, Inc.: Goodwill provides skills training and vocational opportunities to persons with barriers to employment.
  
• Goodwill Houston Life Launch Young Adult Re-Entry: The program serves young adults who have had contact with the justice system to assist them with their educational and employment goals.

Utah

• MentorWorks: MentorWorks provides transition homes to individuals previously incarcerated as a safe environment after release and employment guidance to get a stable job.
  
• Fresh Start Ventures: The organization helps ex-offenders transition back to society through training and support.

Vermont

• Dismas of Vermont: Dismas provides transitional housing to assist ex-felons to reintegrate back to society.
  
• Vermont Catholic Charities: Vermont Catholic helps ex-felons by providing rent assistance, clothing vouchers, and grocery cards.

Virginia

• Friends of Guest House - Workforce & Life Development Program: The organization helps female ex-offenders find and maintain employment after incarceration.
  
• OAR Re-Entry Services: OAR offers pre-release and post-release programs to help incarcerated participants prepare for transitioning back to society through classes, training, and employment readiness.
  
• People Incorporated of Virginia: The organization offers housing assistance to prevent homelessness and employment assistance to get a stable job for ex-offenders.
  
• Friends of Guest House - Residential Program: The organization provides transitional housing for female ex-offenders to help them reintegrate into society through a safe environment with support services.

Washington

• Goodwill Job Training And Education Programs: Goodwill offers free training programs to help participants find stable employment.
  
• FareStart Adult Culinary program: The program provides 16 weeks of foodservice training with support services like housing assistance, bus pass, counseling, and job search.
  
• Interaction Transition: The organization has an employment assistance program that helps ex-offenders successfully re-enter society.
  
• Pioneer Re-Entry Programs: The programs provide transitional housing to incarcerated individuals as help to re-enter society successfully.
  
• White Feather Re-Entry: The program provides incarcerated individuals a safe environment through transitional housing with support services to reintegrate back to society.

West Virginia

• WV ReFORM Initiative: The program helps incarcerated participants through transportation, housing, and employment assistance.

Wisconsin

• Windows to Work (W2W): W2W is a re-entry service that provides employment training to pre-release inmates with continuous support during the post-release period.
  
• WCS Community and Reintegrartion Services Division: The division offers programs to help ex-offenders reintegrate into society through residential re-entry housings as a safe environment during the transition and workforce development to achieve self-sufficiency.
  
• GENESIS Lighthouse IN Milwaukee: The Lighthouse offers services that help ex-offenders housing, education, and employment assistance.
  
• ATTIC Correctional Services: ATTIC provides re-entry services to help ex-offenders reintegrate into the community through a transitional living program, residential services, and other support services.

Wyoming

• Goodwill Wyoming Re-Entry Plus Program: Re-Entry Plus assists ex-offenders to overcome the barriers of getting a job within the state of Wyoming.

Bottom Line

Coming out of incarceration can be a jarring transition, but you don't have to go it alone.

The above resources can help you manage your finances, take care of your health, and move forward. Above all, remember that re-entry is a process. Be kind to yourself as you work through it.