BIO OF MICHAEL AUSTIN

      After completing several years in corrections, I found it to be very difficult to reintegrate back into the community.  Prior to my release, I sat down with a case worker who offered me release info that was over five years old. This info was of no use, several of the resource agencies were closed, or had their office phone numbers changed. While temporarily living at a community shelter, the case works were of no use. Each time I requested info, they’d tell me to come back later.  One of the residents told me about a local reentry program in Jamaica Plain Mass called “New Start Program.”

      I decided to check out the program one early Saturday morning. To my surprise, I met several people from the shelter I was staying at. I was offered a cup of hot coffee and a donut.  After attending  several meetings, I had come to learn that the organization was closing, due to financial issues.  I had no idea where to turn to.  A friend from corrections (Steven Provost), called me.  We met at a local library, and put ideas together to reestablish a new reintegration program that would pick up where the old program left off.  Steven contacted a program associate (Dan) a local businessman who was affiliated with the old program.  He guided us with all the necessary paperwork to register our new organization.  “Boston Project Rebound Reentry Services” was now the “Phoenix out of the fire.” 

It has been five full years that our organization has been in operation. We are a 501C3 non-profit corporation.  We have a total of eleven partnerships that offer varied forms of needed resources to those being released to the community. At this time, we have thirty clients who are all doing well in the community. With our dedication to helping both men and women strive to reintegrate successfully, we are giving back to the community.

     

Thank you for listening,

Michael Austin

Director of Reentry Services

Boston Project Rebound Reentry Services