About
Sponsors Inc. provides transitional housing and employment opportunities to people who are released from Oregon prisons and jail in Lane County Oregon. Since 1973, Sponsors has been the model in evidence based re-entry services. Sponsors employs recognized best practices to help ex-offenders stay out of prison, for good. The program based upon the belief that: “People can and do change, and that a strategic intervention at the appropriate time can serve as a catalyst in that change.“
When people get out of prison, often they have nothing but the clothes on their backs. Facing tremendous barriers to employment and housing, nearly 1 in 3 felons in Oregon return to prison within a year of release. Sponsors stops this “Revolving Door”, by providing people with opportunities to succeed. Successful completion of the Sponsors programs results in a safer community, the reunification of families and children, the establishment of a person with a criminal history as a positive and productive member of society.
Clients in Sponsors Transitional Housing programs come directly from prison or jail to Sponsors, where they will reside for 3-4 months on average. In their first few days “out” clients get much needed assistance in obtaining such basic necessities as ID cards, bus passes, and work clothes. They attend employment workshops, practice interviewing, locate “felony friendly” employers and build resumes in our Reentry Resource Center. Clients receive 1:1 support, positive role modeling and learn healthy recreational activities through our Mentorship Program
While at Sponsors our clients work closely with their Case Managers to develop and maintain a transition plan. They are also screened for illicit drugs and alcohol to support abstinence and insure compliance with terms of probation. We employ nationally recognized tools in re-entry such as MRT “Moral Reconation Therapy”, *(an evidence based cognitive behavioral therapy), to help clients towards long term behavioral change.
Successful graduates have found full time employment or are attending university or college and working, have obtained long term stable housing, are in compliance with parole requirements and have remained clean and sober. Sponsors works closely with Parole and Probation, other housing agencies, and dozens of local employers, to further support the client’s re-entry to the community.
Sponsors has served over 4000 clients since 1988 and in that time 65-75% have completed the program successfully. In 2010 Sponsor’s moved it’s Men’s Transition Program to a new $6 million dollar facility which houses 72 men and includes a parole office, Donation Center, Resource Center and Mentorship Program.
If you are interested in applying to Sponsors, please see our Getting into Sponsors page.
