A nonprofit organization established in New Haven that helps ex-offenders find work and develop their job skills will soon open a location in Bridgeport’s East Side.
Years after a similar initiative was introduced in Bridgeport, which has one of the worst imprisonment rates in the state, Emerge Connecticut, Inc. is growing.
Bridgeport is an obvious choice for Emerge Connecticut, Inc.’s second location, according to executive director Alden Woodcock.
According to Woodcock, getting from Bridgeport to New Haven has never been easy. Some of our crew members are from Bridgeport, but they must have a car because the train is a little too costly for them to travel back and forth.
Next month will see the opening of the new Bridgeport facility, which is situated at 440 Arctic St.
On Thursday, Emerge team members and city officials met for a balloon-adorned ribbon cutting.
According to Woodcock, the site was designed with community involvement and will be centered on Bridgeport’s needs. According to city officials, the center would enhance the city’s current rehabilitation initiatives.
The Mayor’s Initiative for Reentry Affairs (MIRA) is run by Toshirea Jackson. Jackson was present for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. According to her, MIRA will help with city funds and permission paperwork. She added that MIRA would support community outreach as well.
According to Jackson, Emerge Connecticut fills a need in the city because many inmates who are leaving prison have trouble finding employment.
According to your charge, you might need to change course when you get home, Jackson added. The majority of men who return home want to work in construction, drive trucks, and obtain their CDLs. The majority also aspire to become business owners.
The Bridge on Main, which is near to the superior courtroom on Main Street, is scheduled to open years after a similar endeavor was proposed, according to WSHU. Although the site has not yet opened, Chris Landino, the project’s development manager, stated that building is anticipated to begin shortly and that the facility should open by the end of 2027.
He stated that he agrees with the mission of Emerge Connecticut.
According to Landino, “we think the world of them, it’s great,”
According to Woodcock, the site expansion also achieves a major objective: increasing the number of businesses and benefactors in Fairfield County.
Another thing to think about is that, in contrast to most organizations, Emerge makes money on its own by selling landscaping and building services, Woodcock added. Therefore, even though people may not be able to monetarily support our cause, employing an Emerge crew and providing them with the chance to complete these jobs and receive a paycheck also helps.
According to earlier CT Mirror reporting, Bridgeport has seen more rebuilding in recent years, but the city also has high incarceration rates.
According to Woodcock, Emerge Connecticut, Inc. aids in the fight against recidivism. According to Emerge’s website, just 11% of members commit crimes again. It also offers assistance for mental health.
Kendal Carter and Jermaine Smith, both from Bridgeport, are among those members.
After more than five years in prison, Smith was released in April. Carter served eight months before being released in February. Their basic requirements are met by finding work, but Smith claimed that staying out requires more than that, and he gave Emerge credit for that.
According to Smith, jobs do not transform people. However, everything else changes when you shift your perspective.
Carter stated that while Emerge offers assistance, it also offers something else.
“Sometimes you get blackballed when you get home,” Carter remarked. They’re not interested in hiring you. Here, they give you an opportunity to improve your own life.
