TOLEDO, Ohio — Getting back to living in the real world can be a struggle for someone who's spent time behind bars, but did you know there are resources available to make that adjustment a little easier?
Once a month, dozens of organizations come together to help people who have been incarcerated get back on their feet when they're released from prison. They receive assistance with tasks like getting a driver's license or a new birth certificate, to getting a job and finding a place to live.
Those are the obstacles people can face when they reenter society.
"We are no longer incarcerated. We are returning citizens," Willie Knighton Jr. said. "We have paid our debt to society. "Now, please assist us in being better when we come out here."
Knighten Jr. spent 13 years behind bars until a judge ruled he was wrongfully convicted of murder. When he got out of prison, he faced many obstacles.
He recalled the concerns people, such as himself, have when re-entering society.
"My license has definitely been expired, I may have a child support payment that I couldn't pay for in prison that would hinder me," he said. "It's so important that these resources are available. We just have to have the information to give to the men and women."
He's talking about organizations like the Reentry Coalition of Northwest Ohio, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council and the Adult Parole Authority - all of which meet on a monthly basis to host a resource fair to help people transition to life after prison.
"All of the agencies that are here and then some, they're helping hundreds, up to thousands a year," said President of the Reentry Coalition Karyn McConnell. "Just add all that together from the time we've been in existence. It's phenomenal."
McConnell said it's their mission to help returning citizens get back on their feet. They provide resources, employment opportunities and housing needs.
And she said sometimes support from loved ones is what helps the most.
"There's a stigma automatically attached to returning citizens," she said. "They're not all bad people. They might have done something bad or something bad happened to them, but it doesn't make you a bad person. The overriding thing that we always try to portray is everyone deserves a second chance."
McConnell said she know how difficult it can be to make that transition without the proper support.
"I know how you can fall through the cracks, I know the frustration that can set in and I know that that can lead to depression and recidivism," she said. "It can just lead to not wanting to do more for yourself. So if you have people there to nudge you, to support you, encourage you, that really takes away that stress and strain on you and helps you get to the point where you need to be."
McConnell explained if you're someone trying to adjust to life again after serving time, don't hesitate to reach out to the Reentry Coalition. She said they can be your support system, your mentor and even your friend.
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