We will use the print grant to print our newsletters, flyers, brochures, and postcards  for direct mailing. Our newsletters provide more detailed information about our organization to our donors, community partners and currently incarcerated individuals. With a printing grant we will be able to create a targeted direct mail appeal to help raise awareness of who we are and what we do. The direct mail appeal will also help us raise awareness on our efforts to transform our criminal justice system.

Direct mail has been proven to increase an organization's brand awareness and increase donations. As many other organizations within the state and nationally, our revenue was hit hard due to COVID-19. This has affected us in a way that we saw a reduction in our donors giving because our donors saw a reduction in their hours, are relying on unemployment benefits or have lost their jobs all together due their companies downsizing efforts.

In response, we are seeking as many grants as we can to help us leverage our resources including printing. In fact, since we are unable to enter the local jails or prisons our printing and postage costs have increased dramatically. During this time, we have to rely on mailing letters to those who are currently incarcerated.

Learn More About This Organization:

Mississippi Center for Re-Entry (MS Reentry) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Southaven, Mississippi. We disrupt the cycles of incarceration and alleviate poverty among justice-involved individuals in northwest Mississippi by providing reentry services that include but are not limited to risk-needs assessments, intensive case management, in-jail work readiness training, employment placement, financial literacy workshops, referrals for substance abuse and/or mental health treatment and any other services needed to meet their basic needs.

To date, we have provided over 100 Christmas gifts to children of the incarcerated, incorporated a mail reply system where we reply to every letter that is sent to us by an incarcerated person, revised our cohort that includes components such as financial literacy, fresh start banking and insurance to name a few. We have ongoing partnerships with our local corrections facilities, the Mississippi Department of Corrections, First Step Alliance, Element Credit Union, Northwest Mississippi Community College, local employers, and countless other community agencies. In 2021, our goal is to increase our impact (per COVID-19 guidelines) by reaching more currently incarcerated individuals and their families.

In late 2020, over 70% of our program participants died due to COVID-19 while still incarcerated in response, we have created a criminal justice reform task force that includes community and state advocates and thought leaders to start a movement that expose policies within our prison system. The task force is collectively fostering new connections between and among different communities.

At MS Reentry, we believe society gains when all people receive the support and tools, they need to lead responsible, productive, and dignified lives therefore by providing wrap around services, we help our participants find their way to self-sufficiency. Our vision is to ensure justice-involved individuals who desire a second chance receive just that - a second chance.