On October 4, the Sacramento Community Based Coalition (SCBC), one of the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) Adult Re-Entry Programs, partnered with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Division of Adult Parole Operations (DAPO) to host its annual resource fair for parolees and probationers.
The fair connected more than 300 people with community resources and services that can assist with a successful transition back into society. Nearly 70 service providers were available to help with things like housing, substance abuse, education and literacy, vocational training, college, child support, and physical and mental health. The DMV was on site, processing identification cards at no cost. Attendees also had access to trauma-based yoga and a free clothes boutique.
Natalya Edwards, an SCBC Project Specialist, said the resource fair shows clients there is hope and that many resources are available. “When they’re getting out, it lets them know—you know what? My community does care.”
Hollis Mack, an SCBC client who has less than a month of parole left, said that SCBC has had a major impact on his life. “This program gave me the courage to change. And I know if I can change, anybody can change,” Mack said.
SCBC client Anthony Reyes said the programs at SCBC have given him the direction he has wanted for years. “For me, they’re very helpful, useful, and much needed,” Reyes said.
The resource fair was open to SCBC clients, as well as parolees and probationers from El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo counties.
About SCBC
The Sacramento Community Based Coalition is a collaborative effort between SCOE and CDCR, designed specifically for men and women re-entering the community from state prison. The program applies a career technical education model aimed at helping high-risk clients succeed. Services are tailored to individual clients based on their specific needs.
Participants include men and women parolees who have been referred by their parole agent. They are eligible to receive educational assistance with literacy and math skills, GED and high school diplomas, substance abuse education, vocational training referrals, and more.