A resource center for formerly incarcerated people and their families is coming to Bridgeport.
The 44,000 square foot building is located at the corner of Fairfield Avenue and Main Street and will be called The Bridge on Main.
More than 10 nonprofits will provide holistic services to help with every aspect of reintegration into society.
Community partners will join Career Resources Incorporated to provide job placement, banking assistance, housing support and more.
Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz said there are 100,000 jobs to fill in Connecticut — and formerly incarcerated people could be part of the solution.
“What we have found with working with formerly incarcerated people is they are the most loyal employees,” Bysiewicz said. “Because once they have an employer that gives them a chance, they so appreciate it; they just do really, really well at the jobs.”
Senator Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, said the new development will help give people a second chance.
“Good people do bad things sometimes,” Hwang said. “But ultimately it's about redemption and the opportunity for people to lift them up.”
More than 1,000 individuals are released from incarceration and return to Bridgeport annually. Without jobs, about half are incarcerated again.
The program will receive local, state, and federal financial support.
Construction is expected to begin soon and is predicted to finish in the summer of 2024.
