Re-entry support center opens in North Lawndale for former inmates

CHICAGO - The City of Chicago unveiled another center to assist former inmates as they re-join society in the North Lawndale neighborhood.

This is the fifth of its kind, created to give these individuals a helping hand. 

The goal is to prevent the formerly incarcerated from going back behind bars. This center will give them and their families the resources they need to be successful. 

It's called the "Spring Forward Program" and it focuses on a two-part approach: employment and housing. 

The center will help serve the city's West Side communities. They say the first year after release is the toughest. 

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson hopes these centers will create a safer and stronger city. 

"As a city, we cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the challenges faced by our returning residents," Johnson said. "The truth is, if we do not reach out to returning residents with our support, we are doomed to repeat the cycle of recidivism." 

The center is located at 808 South Kedzie Avenue and is operated by the Safer Foundation.