Programs & Services
Changing Perceptions is built on a simple belief: second chances create stronger communities. Our programs are intentionally designed to remove barriers, build self-sufficiency, and restore dignity for D.C.’s returning citizens. Each service is informed by lived experience and shaped by real community need.
Workforce Development & Job Readiness
Equipping returning citizens with the tools to thrive in the workforce.
Our intensive Job Readiness Cohort prepares participants for today’s job market with hands-on training in resume and cover letter writing, time management, financial literacy, workplace etiquette, digital literacy, and mock interviews. Each participant receives 1-on-1 coaching, completes a professional resume, and learns to navigate job platforms and retention strategies. We serve individuals at any point in their reentry journey who are committed to building a career—not just getting a job.
Success Story
“After serving 25 years of incarceration since he was 17 years of age, Clyde didn’t know where to start. He’d never held a steady job and lacked confidence. Through our program, he gained the skills and support needed to secure full-time work with benefits. Today, he’s a supervisor at a local retail store and credits Changing Perceptions with helping him find purpose.”
Peer Mentorship & NavigatioN
Lived experience. Real support. Life-changing results.
Our Peer Mentorship & Navigation program trains returning citizens to become paid mentors and navigators who guide others through the complex reentry process. Mentors provide court support, emotional coaching, systems navigation, and personal development guidance. Because they’ve walked the same path, they build trust where traditional systems fall short. This model not only uplifts participants, but also empowers mentors to lead and give back.
Success Story
“After serving 29 years, Kareem returned home overwhelmed. He was paired with a peer mentor who had also served time and successfully rebuilt his life. That connection made all the difference. Kareem now serves as a paid mentor himself.”
financial assistance & wellness Support
Stability starts with support.
Changing Perceptions’ Flex Funds program provides short-term, trauma-informed financial assistance to help returning citizens stabilize during moments of acute financial stress. This support addresses urgent needs such as rent arrears, security deposits, utilities, transportation, food, medical expenses, and other critical costs that, if unmet, could lead to housing instability, job loss, or emotional crisis.
Financial Wellness Support grounded in the Financial Social Work (FSW) model, which recognizes that financial hardship is shaped not only by income, but also by trauma, behavior, and systemic barriers. Participants receiving financial assistance engage in a structured Financial Wellness Workshop designed to build awareness, strengthen financial decision-making, and support long-term stability.
Success Story
“Tasha, a returning mother of two, was facing eviction just months after securing a job. Our Flex Fund paid her back rent and helped her transition to a more affordable apartment. Today, she’s working full-time and saving for a home of her own.”
Case Management & social work support
Changing Perceptions provides individualized, trauma-informed support to people returning from incarceration. Each participant works with experienced case managers and licensed social workers to develop a personalized Individualized Service Plan (ISP) informed by the Self-Sufficiency Matrix (SSM). Our services address critical needs such as housing stability, access to education and employment, connections to behavioral health care, legal system navigation, and short-term crisis stabilization. We believe lasting change happens through trust, consistency, and dignity—so we meet participants where they are and walk alongside them as they build safer, more stable futures.
Success Story
“Antonio was cycling through emergency rooms and shelters after release. Our team coordinated housing, secured mental health services, and provided ongoing coaching. Six months later, he’s stable, sober, and attending community college.”
We’re Not Just Changing Lives
We Are Changing Perceptions
Join us or refer someone in need of reentry support.