Welcome Home is Brooklyn Public Library's FREE program for formerly incarcerated New Yorkers, offering practical and emotional support from people who’ve been there and know firsthand what reentry is like.
Coming home from an incarceration can be overwhelming and there are many barriers to navigate. You don’t have to figure it all out alone. The Welcome Home staff can help you with:
- one-on-one appointments to help you identify your needs and goals and map out your journey
- guidance on housing, health, reconnecting with loved ones and more
- monthly dinners where you can join a supportive community of peers and share resources
- connections to free library services, local groups and the compassionate, dignified help you deserve
Call or text 929.561.9789 for more information and to schedule a one-on-one appointment. Our Reentry Navigators have regular hours at the following BPL branches:
- Bushwick Library | Tuesdays, 6–8 pm
- Canarsie Library | Tuesdays, 6–8 pm
- Crown Heights Library | Fridays, 10–12 pm
- Marcy Library | Thursdays, 12–2 pm
- New Lots Library | Thursdays, 6–8 pm
- Saratoga Library | Mondays, 4–6 pm
MEET THE STAFF
Paul Rivera, Reentry Navigator
Born in New York City, Paul grew up in California, returning to the city in the 1980s. Paul has strong ties to the reentry community and has worked to build networks from the time he was incarcerated. Since coming home, he has dedicated himself to amplifying the voices of the formerly incarcerated. Welcome Home is not only “a main support program but a way to restore their humanity and bring them back into society,” says Paul. “It helps by making individuals understand that they are not alone in the process and to give them a one-on-one personal approach to help navigate the system that has separated them for so long.”
Donald Washington, Reentry Navigator
A native Brooklynite and a lifelong Library supporter, Donald has been involved in reentry support and journalism around the issues facing formerly incarcerated people since coming home. “What makes Welcome Home special,” Donald notes, “is our focus on supporting patrons to achieve their goals. This is our primary focus. Our hope is that patrons walk away feeling empowered and capable.”
Library Resources for Reentry
BPL can help you with everything from using a computer to finding a job, filling out immigration papers, learning a language, getting books and information—and much more.
Immigrant Services
- Citizenship preparation classes (registration only) and group meetings (drop-in)
- Weekly English conversation groups
Immigration legal consultations; Information and advice about forms of immigration relief available; Green Card renewals, DACA, TPS and more.
Apply for a U.S. passport and/or passport card; appointments required.
Education
Use computers, internet and Wi-Fi; Print, copy, scan and fax from Central Library; Take computer classes and technology training; Free online newspapers, journals and databases.
- Improve reading, writing, math & technology skills
- Earn High School Equivalency Diploma (HSE) (prepares you for the GED exam in English or Spanish)
- Enroll in National External Diploma Program (NEDP)
- Learn languages
- Get a certification
- Free laptops and wi-fi hotspots
- Case management services
- Test prep study guides, practice exams and more
- Bard Microcollege at BPL
- Free Associate of Arts degree in liberal studies
- Join community of ambitious students earning Bard College credits by participating in small, seminar-style classes with world-class faculty
- High school diploma or HS equivalent is required
Arts & Culture
Culture Pass gets you free passes to museums, music events, films and more. Reserve your passes online with your library card at culturepass.nyc
Work & Finances
- One-on-one help with resumes, cover letters, job searching and taxes
- Programs on starting a business, saving money, preparing for interviews and getting certifications needed in your industry
Health & Elders Services
Mental health and wellness resources, referrals and workshops
- Events, workshops & classes for adults ages 55+
- Free library services for homebound patrons and senior centers
Support for Families
- Free video calls to loved ones who are incarcerated in NY prisons
- Support finding employment, housing, mental health care, education, childcare and more
- Find books, eBooks, eAudio
- Fun, educational programs for caregivers and teens
- Storytimes, singalongs, author talks
- Homework help
- Art activities
Services and programs for children and teens with and without disabilities, their families, educators and other caring adults.
Upcoming Events
CBH Talk | David Campbell and Jarrod Shanahan Discuss “City Time: On Being Sentenced to Rikers Island”
David Campbell and Jarrod Shanahan both served sentences at Rikers. In their book City Time they offer an unvarnished account of the banality and brutality of incarceration at New York City’s notorious jail.
Campbell and Shanahan reconstruct the daily realities…
Welcome Home Monthly Dinner
Welcome Home is Brooklyn Public Library's program to support formerly incarcerated patrons. Our monthly dinners are open to all formerly incarcerated people. They provide a safe place to share a meal, resources, and a conversation facilitated by Brooklyn Public Library’s Reentry…
