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:


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

  • 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

    • Metro Transit access for work, training, and appointments

    • Email Malcolm or Tom to find out more about this program


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.