U.S. Attorney Ritz Announces $500,000 Grant to Memphis Nonprofit to Support Community Re-Entry

Memphis, TN – Kevin G. Ritz, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, today announced that a Memphis nonprofit organization was awarded a Department of Justice grant for $500,000 to help reinforce community-based reentry programs and create more opportunities for formerly incarcerated community members to make successful transition back to society.

This grant, which comes through the Byrne Discretionary Grants Program, was awarded to Lifeline to Success, a local organization focused on helping men and women with serious felony convictions transition back to society. The funds will support the organization’s new rehabilitation center, Welch Home for Success, and a 12-month demonstration program offering peer support, therapeutic and mental health services, job training, and life coaching to reduce recidivism and support long-term success.

“Our reentry partners play a crucial role in keeping Memphis safe and strong,” said United States Attorney Ritz. “This grant demonstrates the federal government’s commitment helping state and local partners stand with us to decrease crime, advance opportunity for ex-offenders, and protect our entire community. Lifeline to Success has an impressive and long-standing track record for helping those whose past would put them most at risk for returning to crime. We applaud them for the work they’ve done and the work this grant will allow them to do in the future.”

“If someone is committed to leaving a life of crime, our goal is to help them transform and become productive members of the community,” said Executive Director Vinessa Brown. “Since we started this program in 2009, we’ve helped more than 1,947 men and women to create new lives for themselves, find jobs, set financial goals, and become successful. We’re excited to launch the Welch Home for Success and focus the tools and partnerships we’ve built over two decades toward creating a life skills curriculum that reduces recidivism and increases ex-offenders’ chances of thriving here at home.”

The Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program is administered by Congress and supports projects that improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, prevent or combat juvenile delinquency, and assist crime victims.

Additional information about grants and funding through the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs is available at www.ojp.gov.

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