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On February 22, Congressman Bob Filner will present a ceremonial check for $681,500 in federal funds to Second Chance program for its Prisoner Re-Entry Program (PREP) during the graduation ceremonies for the 116th
STRIVE class. These funds recognize Second Chance's contribution to reducing prisoner recidivism (ex-offenders returning to prison). A recent study by California State University San Marcos showed that the PREP program reduced recidivism
by 70%. Second Chance plans to devote the earmark funds, along with City of San Diego Community Development Block Grant funds, toward building a second classroom and for the employment of additional staff to significantly expand its
services.
STRIVE is a job readiness program originally pioneered in Harlem in the 1980's. Since then, STRIVE has graduated more than 33,000 individuals across 22 cities within the United States and five countries. Second Chance is one of the
largest and most successful STRIVE affiliates, founded in San Diego by Scott H. Silverman in 1993.
The graduation caps a busy week for Second Chance and Silverman. On Tuesday, February 19, City Councilmember Brian Maienschein and the San Diego City Council declared the day "Scott H. Silverman Day" in honor of Silverman's work in the
community through Second Chance. Throughout the week CNN will be filming Silverman's work for a "Heroes Profile" to air later this year. Silverman is one of 18 honored recipients, out of 7,000 entrants worldwide, for his work through
Second Chance.
The graduation ceremony of Second Chance's 116th STRIVE class will take place on Friday, February 22, 2008 at 11am at Second Chance's headquarters located at 6145 Imperial Avenue, San Diego, CA 92114. This will be the second consecutive
largest graduating class in the program's history. The community is invited to attend. The 80 graduates will receive certificates of completion for their hard work during the three-week job readiness course. Second Chance will follow each
graduate to provide mental health services and case management as well as affordable housing and job placement assistance over the next two years. CNN, as well as esteemed community members, will take part in this event.
Second Chance is a non-profit agency established in 1993 to help the homeless and chronically unemployed with jobs, housing and life skills. The agency has developed a national reputation in the field of workforce development with a focus
on the hardest-to-serve unemployed/underemployed population.
"I am extremely honored to provide Second Chance with $681,500 in additional funding this year," says Congressman Filner. "As many of you know, the United States is faced with an enormous and ever rising prison population; many of whom
serve their sentences and are released only to be re-incarcerated within weeks or even days for another offense. Second Chance serves the vital and commendable task of giving these people hope, training and job finding skills, as well as
pride and self-worth. I will continue to fight for reentry services and to support your efforts, because every single one of us deserves a second chance!"
Second Chance programs offer many community benefits including direct government cost savings and hard dollar returns to the community. One way of calculating the economic benefits of the program is to determine how much money Second
Chance graduates contribute to the community through the taxes they pay. In addition, many Second Chance graduates have recently been released from prison. Recidivism prevention has been found to be of real benefit to the community. The
estimated income and payroll taxes paid over one year by Second Chance graduates and the avoided costs of imprisonment combined equal approximately $8.5 million. The annual cost of the Second Chance STRIVE program is $1.9 million. This
represents a "Return on Investment" of 500%, showing that Second Chance returns to the community five times what it spends in one year of operation.
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