How Brookside Community Reentry is helping Hoosiers improve their lives

Reintegrating into society after incarceration, addiction, or homelessness requires more than a place to call home.

Brookside Community Development Corporation leaders say housing is just one part of their re-entry program.

“It’s saving lives. It’s so important that people can come out of prison and say, ‘I can go here and get help.’ Instead of saying, ‘I have to go here and sit in the corner and wait for someone to give me small change,” Ricky Wilson said.

Wilson spent just over 18 years of his life in prison.

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“I came out and I just made up my mind. I said I’ve got to do something better,” Wilson said.

Something better, started with Brookside Community Reentry, a program created by Brookside Community Church.

Part of the re-entry program includes the opportunity to join the Isaiah House Residential Program, an initiative Wilson is a part of.

“We have 42 properties serving 67 people. We have people from traditional and transitional housing who can graduate,” said Keith Smith, director of housing for Brookside CDC.

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The properties are located on the east side of Indy near Brookside Community Church.

The re-entry program helps make it easier for people to return to society by connecting them to sustainable living.

“We have great partnerships with Recycle Force and Keys2Work to be able to help make their jobs easier,” Smith said. “This helps them provide the income to be able to be part of our housing program, but also to make a living for themselves.”

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For about 9 months, Wilson lived in a transitional home with other men. While there, he took the initiative to clean up the property and keep up with the landscaping.

“My time was to be in one of the houses,” Wilson said. “Now, I have my own apartment. That means everything. I can go to sleep and not have to worry about anyone else.”

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Brookside’s reentry program also focuses on transportation, employment, financial, emotional and spiritual barriers that cause recidivism.

Now that Wilson is in a traditional home, he continues with the programming that Brookside offers. After 2-4 years, the goal is for participants to be able to purchase their own home.

Because of Brookside’s commitment to the community, Christian Theological Seminary awarded the organization a $35,000 Faith in Action grant.

See: How the Faith & Action grant is helping Brookside CDC

How the Faith and Action grant is helping Brookside CDC

The grants are intended to help organizations working to reduce poverty in our community.

“That’s what everybody wants. Everybody wants to be able to thrive and have a stable and prosperous home,” said Lindsey Nell Rabinowitch, director of the Faith & Action Project.

Funding helps with maintenance and staffing for the Isaiah House residential program.

Since 2017, the Faith & Action program has awarded $425,000 in grants.

See: Why was the Faith & Action grant created?

Why was the Faith and Action scholarship created?

“People tell us how their neighborhood has changed, or how their families have changed, or how their organization has changed and empowered to do even more for the community, which is exciting to us. . That’s why we’re here.” David Mellot, president of the Christian Theological Seminary, said.

Every Wednesday from 9 am to 12 pm Brookside’s re-entry program takes in new clients.

Wilson credits the program with changing his life.

It means everything to me, and I’m enjoying every minute of it,” Wilson said.

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