Maine network helping ex-inmates stay out of jail gets $750K grant

By Callie Ferguson
Bangor Daily News

BANGOR, Maine — A Maine organization that sprang up in recent years to help former prisoners navigate the tough road back to society has won a major federal grant to beef up its efforts.

The $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice reflects the key role the Maine Prisoner Reentry Network now plays in the state’s effort to curb the number of Mainers who eventually return to jail or prison, said Bruce Noddin, who helped found the nonprofit as a volunteer in 2017.

The money will primarily go to hiring more staff, taking on more work and tracking the success of its efforts. In particular, the state doesn’t have a lot of information about people who cycle in and out of jails, compared with prison, Noddin said.

FULL STORY: Network helping ex-inmates stay out of jail gets $750K grant