"The ability to gain employment and the ability to retain employment are two very different skill sets the offender must acquire to be successful in the workplace" - National Institute of Corrections

DLF has worked with incarcerated men on the Hutchins Unit since 2002. In recent months, DLF’s reentry team noticed that while participants in the Faith Based Dorm where able to find employment upon release, their ability to stay employed was becoming an issue. As a part of many reentry programs, finding employment is one of the initial requirements. However, the educational tools and resources to both find job opportunities and maintain them is lacking. 

"I hope to prepare the offenders professionally, mentally and spiritually to be successful in the workplace so that they can become financially stable" - Ashton Galloway, Employment Case Manager 

DLF's WIN! program launched in April as a solution to equip incarcerated men with soft skills and other tools for employment prior to their release. Ashton Galloway, Employment Case Manager for DLF, has been integral to the program's curriculum which spans across six modules on topics like conflict management, resume writing, and financial literacy.

In addition to these skills, program participants will also have an opportunity to participate in mock interviews and will receive access to job leads and referrals upon release. Upon the start of the program, initial assessments showed 60% of participants not being ready to enter the workforce despite feeling able to find and maintain a job. In fact, Ashton notes that one of the biggest challenges was “getting into the mind of the inmates and helping them see why they need the program”. As the first 30 WIN! program participants have wrapped up their training, 90% show a stronger understanding of soft skills which will greatly improve their employability.

Interested in supporting the WIN! program? Check out how ways to get involved:

Volunteer to conduct mock interviews. Contact Ashton Galloway at agalloway@dlftx.org to set up a time.

Donate supplies. Make a gift to DLF Reentry to provide folders, writing utensils, and more to the men in the Hutchins Unit.