A nonprofit in New Haven that helps former prisoners re-enter society with work and other support structures will be expanding to Bridgeport next year.
A New Haven organization that is committed to helping former prisoners successfully transition back to society is expanding its services to another shoreline community.
EMERGE Connecticut is a nonprofit social enterprise that began in New Haven in 2011, with a focus on providing formerly incarcerated people a job and support services to reintegrate back into society.
Executive Director Alden Woodcock said they are working to expand their services in Bridgeport at the beginning of 2025.
“We want to be that place where people begin that process of healing, once you come home and just build a little bit of a community, positive support system,” said Woodcock
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He said the City of Bridgeport has always been supportive of EMERGE Connecticut and have expressed interest after seeing EMERGE’s successful recidivism results.
“EMERGE alumni experience a 12% recidivism rate after two years in comparison to up to 50% at the state level, so it makes a huge difference whether or not somebody goes back.”
Woodcock added the program is designed to last 6 to 9 months but can go longer depending on the individual needs.
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Over the past year EMERGE Connecticut also began a youth program for people ages 18 to 25 called Team GRIT (Growing Receiving Inspiring Together).
Liygere Wicker is one of the young men participating with Team GRIT.
Wicker was incarcerated for two years on gun possession charges.
He said following his release he learned of EMERGE Connecticut through his halfway house and once he joined, he hasn’t looked back.
“Ever since, from day one until now, the best way I could put it is it changed my life around,” Wicker said.
At EMERGE they offer services such as parenting classes, restorative food justice classes, financial empowerment classes, entrepreneurship, mentorship and guidance.
Joel Evans who participates in the program with his nephew Liygere Wicker has also been with EMERGE Connecticut for 2 and half months.
He said he gets a lot of motivation and encouragement from the weekly scheduled meeting called Real Talk.
“It basically shows us where we’re at, what we’re doing through the week, and expresses what we have going on. It's a lot of love, it helps you through the week and it keeps you on track,” said Evans.
Evans and Wicker described the program as life changing and hope people in Bridgeport will also get to take advantage of the services.
“Stay committed to it, join it, a lot of people might look at EMERGE, and say I don’t want to do that, that’s how I was but once you place yourself in it, you won't look back,” Wicker said.
For more information on EMERGE Connecticut, click here.
