When State Representatives Kate Farrar and Jillian Gilchrest visited CPA’s Greater Hartford Reentry Welcome Center, they saw firsthand how second chances take root — and what happens when they don’t. Their visit came after a CPA supporter reached out upon learning that $1.5 million in state funding for Reentry Welcome Centers was removed from the proposed budget at the last moment, putting these vital services at risk.
Since opening, CPA’s Greater Hartford and Greater Waterbury Reentry Welcome Centers have supported more than 4,000 individuals returning home from incarceration, helping them secure housing, employment, treatment, and community connections. These services reduce recidivism, strengthen families, and make our neighborhoods safer. Yet, not one dollar of consistent state or federal funding currently supports them.
The numbers tell a compelling story. It costs Connecticut taxpayers approximately $105,000 per year to incarcerate one person. The $1.5 million needed to fund all six Reentry Welcome Centers statewide would more than pay for itself if just 15 people avoided returning to prison — less than 1% of annual releases.
Still, the Centers rely on temporary grants and private donations to stay open, leaving thousands of returning citizens vulnerable to homelessness and instability. Our State Representatives were surprised to learn that Connecticut has no dedicated funding for reentry, and they urged us to mobilize supporters to contact the Governor and legislative leaders to restore this essential investment.
A Special Legislative Session may be called soon, and your voice can make all the difference.
Take a moment today to stand with us: visit cpa-ct.org/take-action to urge state leaders to restore funding for Reentry Welcome Centers across Connecticut.
Your advocacy can help ensure that no one returning home is left without support, and that every person striving for a second chance has a fair opportunity to succeed.