Salinas Valley hosts first reentry resource fair

September 11, 2024

Outside nonprofit organizations provided information at Salinas Valley State Prison's first reentry resource fair Aug. 28-30.

Salinas Valley State Prison at Soledad successfully held their first reentry resource fair Aug. 28-30, representing a step toward new beginnings.

The reentry fair provided incarcerated individuals with the tools and resources necessary for a smooth transition back into society.

This collaborative effort involved multiple nonprofits and service providers spanning three days on four facilities.

Each organization set up booths and provided information, equipping the participants with essential knowledge and skills.

“I think a lot of the guys were skeptical at first because nothing like this has been done here before,” said Jennie Nestler, director of Transformative Reentry. “They are very open to it (with many) of the guys saying these are great resources and thanking us. It seems like they are very grateful for outside entities to come in and offer resources.”

The incarcerated population who attended said they were grateful for the information and a chance to learn about available resources.

Salinas Valley organizers expressed their gratitude to all participating organizations.

The organizations who helped make the event possible included:

Veterans Transition Center, an organization devoted to helping veterans find housing.
Barrios Unidos, providing reentry services for those on supervised parole and probation.
Helping Empower Reentry Services, or HERS, seeks to empower system-impacted individuals through comprehensive and personalized guidance for successful reintegration and lasting transformation.
and Jesse’s Place, an advocacy organization addressing incarceration.

Staff are already looking forward to expanding the fair in the coming years.

Submitted by Lt. W. Fonseca