With the arrival of spring comes the willingness of community corrections center reentrants to give back to society through a new initiative called "Community Action Teams" or CAT.
CATs are made up of individuals who reside at a state-run community corrections center. They are ready to perform community service by preparing and maintaining ballfields for softball and baseball, or by cleaning up parks which soon will be used by citizens as they come out of winter hibernation. CAT also is available to clean streets, collect garbage, assist churches and other non-profits with work they may need done. All of this work is provided FREE through volunteer efforts.
Wearing newly-purchased bright yellow vests, reentrants across the state have been responsible for thousands of hours of community service, allowing them to experience a sense of accomplishment and the pride in improving communities.
Ninety percent of incarcerated individuals will one-day return home, and while they are transitioning back into society, their performance of community service helps them to understand the positive impact such work can have on local communities – allowing them to give back to society.
If you are a local non-profit or government organization that needs volunteer work performed, consider reaching out to your local DOC-run community corrections center.