To support justice-impacted associates in achieving long-term stability and successful workforce integration, the TRP Team collaborates with and refers to a network of state-recognized agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community-based partners across Minnesota. These partners provide essential services addressing employment readiness, housing stability, transportation access, food security, legal navigation, and personal development during the critical reentry period following incarceration.
The resources outlined below align with Minnesota Department of Corrections reentry priorities and reflect services commonly accessed by individuals within the first days and weeks of release.
Click on the following links to jump to the assistance section you are interested in:
Employment Assistance
The following partners provide job readiness, career coaching, and employment placement services for justice-impacted individuals:
CareerForce - Library CareerForce Corner in Hennepin County | CareerForce
Resume development and job search assistance
Access to computers, job postings, and workforce resources
Hennepin County Library Employment Programs - Business and employment | Hennepin County
Utilize library resources and events to develop skills, conduct research, explore job opportunities, explore new career paths, and more.
Hennepin County Employment Services- Information for job seekers | Hennepin County
Get the support you need to prepare for employment and find a job.
EMERGE Minnesota - Home - EMERGE Minnesota
Career coaching and employment placement
Job training and financial support programs
Pre-release and post-release reentry planning
Better Futures Minnesota - Home - Better Futures Minnesota
Paid transitional employment opportunities
Job training pathways for individuals with criminal records
Holistic support addressing employment, housing, and health
T.O.N.E. U.P. - T.O.N.E. U.P. Re-entry services
Individualized reentry planning and case management
Resume development, interview preparation, and digital literacy
Workforce readiness and mentorship support
The Redemption Project - Job Opportunities
Clothing, Tools Assistance
These partners provide assistance, often requiring employment verification such as an offer letter or application confirmation:
Small Sums - Home — Small Sums
Work clothing and job-related tools
Assistance provided with employment verification
Goodwill Easter Seals Minnesota - Home : Goodwill Easter Seals
Professional clothing and employment supplies
Workforce services and employment readiness support
Bus passes and transportation assistance within the first week of release
Housing Assistance
The following organizations provide transitional and supportive housing options:
Damascus Way - Damascus Way
Residential reentry support and structured housing
Faith-based and community-centered reentry programming
R.A.I.N. Homes - RAIN HOMES – Re-Entry Assistance for the Incarcerated North America
Transitional housing for individuals returning from incarceration
Case management and stability support
RS EDEN - Home - RS Eden
Reentry housing and halfway house programs
Substance use treatment and mental health services
Comprehensive case management
Bridging –
Bridging provides donated furniture and household goods to families and individuals transitioning to housing stability. Bridging gives hope and a leap towards housing stability. With locations in Roseville, Plymouth, and Bloomington, Bridging is driven by volunteers and donations of basic home essential items from the community.
Email Malcolm Olatunde for help with Furniture and housing resources for furnishing your home.
Volunteers of America – MN/WI - Volunteers of America Minnesota and Wisconsin
Transitional housing and reentry support services
Employment assistance and community reintegration support
Food Assistance
The following organizations provide food support to people during reentry and beyond:
Loaves & Fishes - Home - Loaves & Fishes
Serves free, healthy meals to Minnesotans where need is greatest.
Go to their website to find a meal near you - Find a Community Meal - Loaves & Fishes
Find Free Food in Minnesota - Minnesota - Food Banks, Food Pantries, Food Assistance
A resource for users to find free food resources locally.
Keystone Community Services - Food Shelf – Keystone Community Services
A Food Shelf program on a first-come, first-served basis.
Location: 1800 University Avenue W, Saint Paul, MN 55104
Second Harvest Heartland - Find food assistance, free meals, and hunger relief options.
Across the Twin Cities metro and in greater Minnesota, our programs, services and resources help hungry families, school children, seniors and others access healthy food, get the support they need and most importantly, move toward a brighter future.
Hennepin County Library System
Information and referrals to free food shelves and meal programs
Access to county-wide food resources and social services
Community Food Shelves and Meal Programs
Free food distribution and emergency nutrition assistance
Referrals coordinated through county and nonprofit partners
Transportation Assistance
Reliable transportation supports employment access and program participation:
Goodwill Easter Seals Minnesota - Home : Goodwill Easter Seals
Bus passes and transportation assistance tied to employment services
Redemption Project – TAP Card Program
Legal Assistance
Legal and systems navigation support helps associates access benefits and resolve barriers to stability:
Ask A Lawyer - Talk to a Lawyer online now
Chat with certified lawyers until you’re satisfied. About any legal issue—from big to small, and everything in between.
A team of lawyers is standing by around the clock so you can stop any legal issue quickly and effectively.
Law Help Minnesota - LawHelp Minnesota | Helping Minnesotans solve legal problems
A project of the Minnesota Legal Services Coalition (MLSC), an association of the state's regional legal aid programs that help low-income residents with a variety of legal matters. State Support also manages ProJusticeMN.org, a website for advocates, and MNLegalAdvice.org, a statewide legal advice website.
Minnesota Unbundled Law Project - Find affordable legal help in Minnesota
Find a lawyer for exactly what you need and nothing more.
Lawyers in this program will review your legal issue and work with you to design a plan that works for you.
Free or Lower-Cost Legal Services - Criminal - Find a Lawyer
If you have a lower income, you may qualify for free or lower-cost legal services, including full representation.
Click on the link (Find a Lawyer) to find a service that fits your needs.
Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services - SMRLS
To provide a full range of high quality legal services to low-income persons and eligible client groups in civil matters, in a respectful manner which enables clients to:
enforce their legal rights;
obtain effective access to the courts, administrative agencies and forums which constitute our system of justice;
maintain freedom from hunger, homelessness, sickness and abuse;
empower persons and assure equal opportunity, thus, helping people to help themselves and become economically self-reliant, to the extent their individual abilities and circumstances permit.