Voices of Reentry: Stories from South Bend, Indiana

In this episode, we introduce you to the Indiana Department of Corrections' operations in northwestern Indiana.

Correctional facilities - like those in the Indiana Department of Corrections (IDOC) - prefer using a cookie-cutter approach in rehabilitating convicts. So, a few individuals come out ready to go, while others crumble before getting a real second chance. While the reentry process for Andre, Chris, Haji, Jason, Jerome, and Raymond meant being free from Westville, the guys weren’t free from the IDOC.

Finding purpose in what you do is a universal goal. Against all the odds, these men find their purpose – in work, in volunteering, in education, and in all the opportunities that they were once denied. Andre, Chris, and Jerome bring us on their journey into the dimension of successful reentry.

That feeling when you’re finally released and the world opens to you... the journey home is one filled with gratitude and joy, plans for the future, and “Morgan Freeman moments.” The guys tell Lillian how they connected with each other, with friends, and with family through their time at South Bend Reentry Center.

How can we build a better reentry system? Thanks to the work of Raymond and Sam Burgett, the Community Change Center shows us how. And now, it's time for US to show up for our communities.

You can donate to the Community Change Center now through the 2023 World Relief Campaign at www.worldreliefcampaign.org. You can find more about the Community Change Center by visiting their website www.communitychangecenter.org.