For over 50 years, Jubilee Housing has worked to foster access to resources and opportunities, reduce the equity gap, and bring about justice through housing — Justice Housing. During this Jubilee Year, we have recommitted ourselves to some of our founding principles that are part of this biblical tradition: Filling Gaps, Breaking Down Boundaries, and Resetting the System. There is no better example of these values than Jubilee’s Reentry Housing and Services program and our advocacy for returning citizens through public policy and funding, a testament to our unwavering commitment to Justice Housing.
Jubilee has provided a supportive reentry housing program in the Adams Morgan area for twelve years, serving over 600 returning citizens without a single disruption to the neighborhood. The Reentry Housing Initiative provides transitional housing and wrap-around services for men and women who are looking to rebuild their lives in a supportive, drug- and alcohol-free environment. Jubilee currently operates two reentry homes, which serve up to ten women and ten men at a time, and a floor in another building dedicated to long-term housing. This month, we detail the founding of this program and talk to staff and program participants to get their perspectives.
50th Anniversary Stories
A Path Forward Through Reentry
Q&A with Anthony
Meet Anthony, a current participant in Jubilee’s Reentry Housing Initiative. Through his reentry journey, Anthony reframes traditional narratives by demonstrating how incarceration can serve as a period of reflection and genuine rehabilitation. In a candid conversation, he shares how he used this time to focus on self-improvement and better his life. Despite life’s challenges, Anthony’s determination to find employment, secure a brighter future, and reclaim his potential has led him to his own level of success. His story highlights the profound impact of a support system while navigating reentry and achieving long-term stability.
Tell us about yourself, your reentry journey so far, and how Jubilee became part of your journey.
I was born in Washington, DC but then I moved to Maryland when I was like 15 years old and lived there until I found my way back in DC.
For the most part I think life has been good, but life hasn’t always been easy for me. I have not given up despite what I’ve gone through. I’ve tried and I think I’ve done a good job with not allowing the difficulties to define me. I am resilient. But sometimes when people go through things, it can make them cold hearted. I have been through moments where I was tempted to want to be cold hearted, but it just wasn’t and isn’t me. I cling to my faith in God and try to do my best to be a good person and overcome the many challenges that life brings.
However, unfortunately, I reached a point in my life that led me to incarceration. That was tough; a really tough time for me. It was my first time being incarcerated. I had to confront challenges that I would have normally avoided. Going through that experience brought a major shift in my life. I had to learn how to navigate and interact with a wide range of people, each with their own issues, and figure out how to handle those situations in the right way.
No one wants to go to prison. But for me, it was truly a learning experience. It was a time of being able to detox myself or guess I should use the word rehabilitate myself from the things I got myself into. So, it was a time for me to grow. While I was locked up, I learned how to better manage stress, become more independent, and discover strengths I didn’t know I had. I realized I could practice self-control. I came out stronger spiritually, mentally, and physically. Ultimately, I believe that it was good for me. I wish that I could have learned without going to prison. At the end of the day, I’m glad that I went through that experience since I had to go through it so the Lord could bring something good out of it for me.
When I was released, I didn’t immediately come to Jubilee. I started my reentry process in a halfway house. While I was in a halfway house, my case manager was working with me to look for places to live when I transitioned out of the house. It was about two weeks before I would leave the halfway house, and I still didn’t have anywhere to go. My probation officer called me because she knew I was about to leave the halfway house and took me into her custody. God blessed me with a good probation officer. She’s serious, but she’s professional and caring and concerned about my well-being. She’s more than just a probation officer. She has become another support specialist for me, making sure that I’m successful in my reentry journey. So, she worked with me to call different places and she recommended that I contact Jubilee Housing. I did and everything went well. They called me and told me that I was accepted into the program and that I can move on Monday. I definitely felt joy when I got into the program because I saw it as a step forward, allowing me to start working on other goals, such as securing employment and getting the health and mental health services I needed.
There was a period between when I was supposed to leave the halfway house and when I could move into Jubilee. After leaving the house, I was on the street for a week. I didn’t have any money, food stamps, or anything. Voices For a Second Chance helped me out with gift cards so I was able to buy food and hygiene things. At the end of that weeklong period, I joined and moved into Jubilee’s program. Jubilee set me up with Catholic Charities. Catholic Charities helped me obtain transportation funds to travel to places as I was searching for jobs and gave me gift cards for hygiene, food, job interview clothes, and other things I needed to get started. I’m grateful for people who I’ve met, including my case managers, Jubilee, and everyone who understands that people make mistakes. People are human. I appreciate the support that’s out here. I’ve made a lot of accomplishments throughout my journey. While other people might perceive them as small, they’re big accomplishments for me. I have become mature, learned how to communicate better with people, learned how to handle my emotions in times of difficulties and stress.
I also got a job in well-known restaurant since I’ve been in Jubilee’s reentry program. I am working and I’m doing well. I feel very confident. One of my major goals was getting employed. I thought about this while I was incarcerated. I thought about the difference I wanted to make. I want to stay in this job long term. In the past I could have done better. I was not able to tolerate stress as I can now, so it was more difficult to maintain a job. But now I have more strength mentally and spiritually to be able to do well. My managers at my job like me a lot. They like my work ethic. I’m a hard worker and they see that, and everyone is respectful there. I’m happy that I am no longer in prison, able to reenter society, and do my best to participate positively in the community. That’s going well for me, especially work wise. I plan to stay committed and finally have something solid to put on my resume as I build it up.
What does being a part of the Jubilee community mean to you?
It means having the chance to reenter society. There are opportunities here — to get to know people better, build connections, and establish healthy relationships, both professional and personal. In my experience with the reentry program, I’ve received all kinds of support. I’ve connected with mental health services and taken advantage of programs like SUCCEED. Jubilee offers so many resources that have helped me along the way. Being part of the Jubilee community is a good way to become healthy.
What message would you give to someone who is just starting or currently in their reentry journey?
I would just say, don’t give up. You know, do your best to stay positive. Sometimes, the circumstances might not feel great, but there are a lot of good things you can focus on. Life is a balance. When we go through tough situations, we often only see one side, but if we push ourselves to see the other side, we’ll find plenty of things to be grateful for and happy about.
Reentering can be overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to get a lot done—whether it’s restoring family relationships, looking for jobs, or finding a place to live after leaving prison. It’s also tough dealing with any traumas you might have from your past experiences. But you can reset your mind and see the good things. If every day you just focus on the bad things, you are going to stress yourself out and that’s not good.
The goal is to avoid getting overwhelmed by the hardships and struggles because some things are just out of our control. We’re going to face situations that don’t feel good. But what I’ve done is take it one day at a time. Even when circumstances look bad or seem like no good can come from them, keep going.