Staying informed is a powerful part of a successful reentry journey. This page brings together opportunities, announcements, and resources shared with us by organizations throughout the community — including job fairs, training programs, new legislation, and other updates that may benefit returning citizens and their families.

Our goal is to make it easier for you to access information that supports stability, growth, and connection.

Disclaimer:
We share these opportunities to keep you informed. The information provided is for awareness only and does not imply endorsement by Hinda Institute.

 

Looking for work?
Our Finding Employment page lists job‑search sites, training programs, and agencies committed to second‑chance opportunities for returning citizens.

 

 

Posted September 28, 2026

When Jimmy Soto walked out of prison after serving 42 years for a crime he did not commit, he had his release papers, $25, and the clothes on his back.

Thankfully, Jimmy had family and friends waiting for him.

But not everyone does.

After years or decades of incarceration, people return home to a world that may be almost unrecognizable from the one they left behind. They are expected to find housing, obtain identification, access healthcare, secure employment, navigate technology and transportation, establish financial stability, and rebuild their lives often with little guidance about where to begin.

ABC Reentry was created to help change that.

On Friday, October 2, ABC Reentry will host our inaugural Wrongful Conviction Day Resource Fair & Celebration in Chicago.

One day. One place. A one-stop shop for reentry resources.

From 12–5 PM, we are bringing together organizations and professionals providing legal assistance, housing resources, employment and workforce training, healthcare, mental health and trauma support, financial education, entrepreneurship support, benefits assistance, reentry navigation, community programming and more.

Then, from 5–8 PM, we will come together for a community celebration of returning citizens, exonerees, their families, and the community that surrounds and supports them as they move forward.

We have been overwhelmed by the organizations, advocates, service providers, sponsors, and community members who have stepped forward to help make this possible.

Now, we need your help.

REGISTER OR SUPPORT WRONGFUL CONVICTION DAY

If you plan to attend and have not yet registered, please RSVP today. Registration helps us maintain an accurate headcount so we can plan appropriately for food, resources, staffing, and services.

Returning citizens, their families, and participating organizations, volunteers and vendors attend free. Community admission options are also available.  

And if you can’t join us in Chicago, you can still be part of what we’re building.

We are actively raising funds to help cover the costs of October 2 and to help ABC Reentry continue building this model so that this does not have to be a one-time event.

Our goal is to learn from this day, strengthen it, and recreate this kind of one-stop resource experience in the future—bringing services, organizations, and community together for returning citizens in Chicago and, eventually, beyond.

Every donation matters. Whether it’s $25, $100, $500, or more, your support helps us make October 2 possible and build toward what comes next.

REGISTER OR DONATE HERE → https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/abc-reentrys-wrongful-conviction-day-resource-fair-and-celebration

And if you are outside of Illinois, we would love to connect with you too. Our vision extends beyond one city and one event, and we welcome opportunities to collaborate with organizations and advocates around the country who believe in building stronger systems of support for people returning home.

ABC Reentry’s Wrongful Conviction Day Resource Fair & Celebration
Friday, October 2, 2026 | 12–8 PM
311 N. Aberdeen St. | Chicago, Illinois
Resource Fair: 12–5 PM
Community Celebration: 5–8 PM

REGISTER • DONATE • SHARE

October 2 is one day.

What we’re building is much bigger.

 

Join us in celebrating Chicago Good Neighbor Week, September 28 – October 4! Chicago Good Neighbor Week is an opportunity to recognize the power of kindness, connection, and community across our city. It is a time to strengthen relationships with the people around us and celebrate what it means to be a good neighbor.

Get Involved

Why It Matters

Good neighbors do more than live near each other. They create a sense of belonging, look out for one another during difficult times, and celebrate together. Whether it is a friendly wave, lending a hand, welcoming someone new, or organizing a block club, small acts can help build stronger, safer communities.

Ways to Celebrate

Here are a few simple ways to embrace the spirit of Chicago Good Neighbor Week:

  • Reach Out: Learn your neighbors’ names, welcome someone new, or share food or extra produce.
  • Share Information: Exchange phone numbers, create an emergency contact list, or start a neighborhood group chat.
  • Gather Together: Bring neighbors together for snacks, conversation, a block party, or another community activity.
  • Support Local: Volunteer with a neighborhood organization, support a locally owned business, or host a community event.
  • Show Gratitude: Thank a neighbor who has made a difference, beautify your block, or find another simple way to show appreciation. 

Join the Movement

During Chicago Good Neighbor Week, let’s commit to being the kind of neighbors we’d love to have! 

Together, we can create a stronger sense of belonging in our neighborhoods and build communities where everyone can thrive.

 

 

Posted September 22, 2026

This November, Harvard University is hosting the bi-annual Prison Law & Advocacy Conference (PLAC). PLAC is an opportunity for advocates, system-impacted people, academics, and experts to gather in order to strategize, inspire, and reflect on where we are in our work against inhumane carceral conditions.To ensure accessibility for the two-day event, the conference organizers are extending free registration to individuals impacted by the criminal legal system. 
 
You can learn more about the conference by visiting their website below: 
 
 
Those interested in attending who are impacted by the criminal legal system can use the registration link below to do so for FREE!
 
 
 

 

 

Posted September 14, 2026

This Friday, a coalition of criminal justice advocacy organizations is coming together to share about Credit for Change, the campaign which improves safety inside our prisons, promotes more successful and safer reentry, and addresses some of the harshest impacts of mass incarceration.  Credit for Change accomplishes this all by simply laying out a pathway for thousands in Illinois’ prison system to earn their way home, thus incentivizing good behavior and rehabilitation.

If you want to learn more about Credit for Change, or how to advocate for it more effectively, please join us!  If you’re nearby, please join us in person at the Women’s Justice Institute. You can sign up here:

Credit for Change Act Community Forum
Friday, September 18
10 AM - 3 PM

If you’re further out or can’t join in person, sign up here to join us virtually.

 

 

Posted September 1, 2026

 

 

Posted August 4, 2026

 

 

Posted August 4, 2026

In Illinois, FAMM has been working hard to advance Credit for Change. This bill will greatly expand the ability for half of Illinois' incarcerated population to earn good time and programmatic credits, giving them a path home earlier in exchange for good behavior and engagement in rehabilitative programming.  

In just a few weeks, we are offering in-person training in Rockford, Illinois. We will learn about how a bill becomes a law in Illinois, the points in that process at which our advocacy can have the greatest impact, and how we can share about this campaign (and our own experiences!) effectively so that we can work together to make this bill become a law! 
 

Training information is as follows: 

Who: You! And any FAMM member, past, present, or future, who wants to learn how to be as effective as possible when advocating for our loved ones 
What: An interactive training on the process of a bill becoming a law and how we can have the greatest impact on that process, particularly with the Credit for Change Campaign 
When: Saturday, August 22, 1-4pm  
Where: The Inscape Collective, 201 7th St, Rockford, IL  
Why: Because this campaign requires all of us!  

If you are able to join us, please register at this link: 
https://act.famm.org/a/rockford-il-credit-change-advocacy-training

 

 

Posted on July 27, 2026

Join us on Wednesday, August 5, at 6 p.m. for a Loved Ones Self-Advocacy webinar about understanding your rights when a loved one dies in the IDOC.

Last year, Restore Justice unexpectedly lost our dear friend Mike Watson, who passed away while incarcerated at Lawrence Correctional Center. Our Outreach Director, Julie Anderson, was his next of kin. Like so many families, we were left with more questions than answers about what happened and what to do.

We hope you don't need this information, but we want you to feel prepared if you find yourself in a position no family wants to be in. In this webinar, attorney Alan Mills will share legal insights and answer questions about the rights and options available to loved ones. Focused on the Illinois Department of Corrections, we will discuss what questions to ask, how to request records, what to expect when recovering a loved one's belongings, and what comes next. 

Click Here To Register

This training is part of our Loved Ones Self-Advocacy Series for people who have loved ones incarcerated in Illinois prisons. You can find more information and recordings of past sessions on our website.

Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Time: 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Location: Virtual; please register to receive the Zoom link

 

 

Posted on July 14. 2026

 

 

 

 

SNAP Changes Under H.R.1: What They Mean for Food Access and Housing Providers

Read the Full Article

 

 

Posted on June 24, 2026


A Landmark Step Forward for Affordable Housing: CSH Applauds Passage of the Landmark 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act 
CSH applauds the bipartisan passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which cleared the U.S. House of Representatives this week by a vote of 358-32 and now heads to the President’s desk. The Senate passed the same legislation on June 22 by a vote of 85–5.  

The strong bipartisan support for this legislation reflects a shared recognition that communities across the country need more affordable housing options and practical solutions to address persistent housing shortages. CSH looks forward to the President signing the landmark legislation.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is the most comprehensive federal housing legislation in a generation. The bill gives communities stronger tools to build and preserve affordable housing including reauthorizing the HOME program that local partners rely on, making homes easier to finance and develop, and clearing the red tape that slows projects and drives up costs. These are practical changes that will help more people find a home they can afford.  

“When communities have the tools to build more affordable housing, everyone benefits,” said Deb DeSantis, President and CEO of CSH. “For people with disabilities and complex health needs with extremely low incomes, access to stable housing can be life changing. The bipartisan passage of this legislation is an important step toward expanding housing opportunities and helping more people find a stable place to call home and to thrive.” 

Supportive housing relies on many of the same financing tools, development processes, and local resources that support affordable housing development more broadly. By strengthening those systems and reducing barriers, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act will help communities expand housing opportunities and create more pathways to stability for people who need them most. 

This legislation is an important step forward and demonstrates what is possible when leaders come together around practical, bipartisan solutions to housing challenges. We commend the bipartisan leadership that carried this bill through the Senate, including Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). We are proud to have worked with Rep. Mike Flood and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, chairman and ranking member of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, along with House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill and Ranking Member Maxine Waters, whose partnership helped bring this moment within reach. 

We encourage Congress to build on this progress by continuing to advance bipartisan policies that expand supportive housing opportunities and help people with disabilities and complex health needs remain stably housed in their communities. CSH looks forward to partnering with communities across the country to ensure these new tools help create more supportive housing where it is needed most. 

Read the Full Statement

 

 

 

 

Posted 6-16-26

 

 

 

Posted 6-11-26

CSH Statement: When Enforcement Becomes the Policy,
Communities Pay the Price

 
Communities across the country are rightly frustrated by the visible growth of homelessness and encampments. Local leaders are under pressure to respond.

Unfortunately, and in many places, that pressure has led to increased arrests, fines and other enforcement actions to show near‑term action even as longer‑term housing solutions are underway.

While the frustration is understandable, the evidence is clear that enforcement on its own does not reduce homelessness. In fact, it often makes it harder for people to stabilize, find work and ultimately secure housing. 

Since the Supreme Court’s 2024 decision in Grants Pass vs. Johnson removed barriers to anti-camping enforcement, two dozen states and hundreds of cities have passed or proposed laws that treat homelessness as a public offense.

That approach has a track record, and it is not working. 

Punishing people for experiencing homelessness only makes it harder to regain stability and secure housing. 

Read the Full Statement