Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, along with cabinet officials and community advocates, marked the opening of a new outpost of the city’s Office of Returning Citizens and PowerCorps program on Friday, situated at 30 Dimock Street in Roxbury. The new facility is aimed at facilitating the reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals into the Roxbury neighborhood.
The newly opened office will provide support for “better connections” to essential services such as healthcare, mental health, and substance use disorder services, as well as host a food pantry, according to Mayor Wu’s office. These services are considered crucial for residents returning to the community.
“Establishing welcoming, public-facing resources in the community is essential to making critical constituent services more accessible to our residents,” Mayor Wu remarked during the celebration.
The city’s Office of Returning Citizens focuses on providing services to individuals who have returned to Boston after serving sentences in county, state, and federal custody. Additionally, PowerCorps is a workforce development program that prepares individuals for careers in green jobs.
Both agencies prioritize individuals who have been “disproportionately impacted by the criminal legal system,” as stated by Mayor Wu’s office.
In addition to the new office opening, Mayor Wu’s office also announced the availability of applications for the city’s Health and Wellness Services for Returning Citizens (HW-RC) grant program, offering a total of $200,000 to fund programming such as peer support, restorative justice initiatives, yoga, and mindfulness services.
“This grant opportunity will enable the city to partner with organizations that provide tailored support to returning citizens as they come back to our community,” noted city Human Services Chief José F. Massó. He emphasized that the grant exemplifies the city’s holistic approach to addressing the needs of returning citizens.
Research cited by Mayor Wu’s office indicates that over half of returning citizens struggle with mental health or substance use disorder issues, highlighting the pressing need for such services.
The opening of the new office in Roxbury demonstrates the city’s commitment to addressing all aspects of the health and well-being of its residents, sending a message that community support and reintegration are priorities for Boston. City Councilmember Ruthzee Louijeune expressed pride in the collective message of care for the city’s residents sent by this initiative.
