Annually, over 3,600 people come home to the District after serving time in prison or jail. Many will have been away for years or decades, and they return to a city radically different from when they were first incarcerated.

Yet when they come home, they are often met with distrust, discrimination, and fear.

A Chance to Thrive aims to help DC residents understand how their social censure – through judgment, side glances, distrust, and exclusion – hurts our clients’ ability to succeed post-incarceration. With so many obstacles already facing returning citizens, offering someone a helping hand instead of fear is the best way to make this city a safe and better place.

They just want a chance to thrive.