2024 IMPACT REPORT
REBUILDING LIVES AND MAKING COMMUNITIES SAFER
SCROLL TO VIEW
Sam Lewis
Executive Director
Compassion creates pathways
Dear Friends,
This year was a testament to the power of creating pathways to opportunity for people impacted by incarceration. At the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, we witnessed extraordinary progress in 2024: from expanding workforce programming to Sacramento County and the Inland Empire to introducing rehabilitative programming for people joining the general prison population while on condemned row. These initiatives are not just programs; they are lifelines, opening doors to hope and change for so many.
One of the most humbling moments for me this year came through witnessing the journeys of those we serve—people who, despite facing unimaginable challenges, are choosing to transform their lives. Whether it’s a young man finding his way through the apprenticeship opportunities inside to becoming a carpenter after incarceration or our youth in housing achieving 100% participation in therapy for the first time, these successes remind us of the power of investing in people. ARC creates pathways by providing support, resources, and compassion, opening the door to opportunities for people to become the best versions of themselves, ready to lead their families and communities into brighter futures.
This year also marked five years of my leadership at ARC, and I couldn’t be prouder of how far we’ve come. Our work in 2024 reaffirmed our commitment to justice and redemption, emphasizing that accountability and kindness can—and must—coexist.
As I write this message in early 2025, I am reflecting on the nearly 400 incarcerated firefighters who helped fight the devastating fires raging in our hometown of Los Angeles. As part of a voluntary program, these people make less than $11 a day and make up 30% of California’s firefighters. Until recently, they had no path to becoming professional firefighters upon their reentry to society after incarceration. In 2018, ARC helped launch a program to fix this – and today, our firefighting program has enrolled nearly 450 formerly incarcerated people, providing them with firefighter certifications, record expungement, EMT licenses, and jobs in both Cal Wildlands firefighters municipal fire departments. Many of them stood alongside their incarcerated peers to fight the fires, setting a powerful example of what is possible through sustained work for systemic change. We’re proud to share that in 2024, we enrolled 99 new participants and opened a second site, the Los Angeles Training Center (LATC), where we’ve completed our first cohort and are preparing to launch an all women’s cohort, further expanding pathways to firefighting careers.
As I prepare to step down from my role as ARC’s Executive Director, I couldn’t be more proud of all we’ve accomplished. This role has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I’ve witnessed dreams realized, lives transformed, and a movement built on love, redemption, and resilience. ARC is stronger than ever, and I have every confidence in the team that will carry this vision forward.
With gratitude and love,
Sam Lewis
Executive Director
MISSION & VALUES
ARC empowers formerly and currently incarcerated people to thrive by providing a support network, comprehensive reentry services, and opportunities to advocate for policy change. The long-lasting and resulting impact is making our communities safe, healthy, and whole.
ARC BY THE NUMBERS
Higher rates of successful reentry define our impact—but they don’t happen by chance. In 2024, ARC grew and transformed in powerful ways. These are the numbers that tell the story.
MEMBER SERVICES
INSIDE PROGRAMS
REENTRY PROGRAMS
ARC’S 2024 IMPACT!
In 2024, ARC expanded mentorship, housing, career training, and secured a new LA HQ.
CHANGING HEARTS & MINDS
In 2024, we fully embraced social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, meeting people where they are to share our message and stories. By leveraging humor, trending audio, and compelling testimonials, we’ve found innovative ways to humanize conversations about reentry and justice reform—without losing sight of the gravity of our mission.
Each post, whether a lighthearted reel or a policy explainer, serves a deeper purpose: shifting public perception, highlighting the resilience of formerly incarcerated people, and reinforcing the transformative power of second chances.
Programs
REENTRY SERVICES
Member Services
Members have access to supportive services including case management, trauma-informed counseling, housing, education, employment training, and mentorship. At its core, ARC members form a support network for each other as they make their way in the world.
Ride Home
Housing
Ventura Training Center (VTC)
Workforce & Education
Connects participants to leading businesses through internships, full-time roles, and union apprenticeship programs, while the new education initiative bridges ARC members to academic opportunities like college tours and enrollment.
INSIDE WORK
The Hope and Redemption Team (HART)
A team of formerly incarcerated staff members who lead rehabilitative programming and reentry support in every prison in California.
Credible Messengers
Helps ease the transition for people returning home from incarceration by providing a ride home from prison, and meeting them at the gate the moment they walk free.
POLICY & ADVOCACY
Policy Change
Formerly incarcerated advocates work with state and national legislators and politicians to advance real change, bringing hope to hundreds of thousands of system-impacted people.
Advocacy
Engages communities and policymakers in grassroots campaigns to transform the criminal legal system into one that prioritizes justice and equity for all.
WHERE WE WORK
Over the past 11 years, ARC has expanded its footprint across California, bringing critical support services to communities statewide.
Our Hope and Redemption Team (HART) operates in twenty-five prisons, reaching both men’s and women’s facilities. Through Credible Messengers, we provide mentoring, rehabilitation, and reentry services for incarcerated Transitional-Aged Youth (TAY) in four Division of Juvenile Justice facilities and county juvenile detention centers.
While this map highlights ARC’s physical presence, our true impact extends far beyond these locations—reflected in the lives we’ve changed and the growing recognition of our work.
SPOTLIGHT
Workforce Development and Education Program
Launching Programs For Brighter Futures
2024 was a transformative year for the Workforce Development and Education program, marked by groundbreaking new initiatives. The department officially launched its education initiative, facilitating campus tours to inspire ARC members and enrolling participants in school programs.
The Apprenticeship Readiness Program celebrated its 22nd cohort in Los Angeles and expanded to San Bernardino and Sacramento, thanks to support from Blue Meridian Partners.
A standout achievement is the development of the Electric Vehicle Technician Training program, set to launch in 2025 with funding from the Broad Foundation and job opportunities through In Charge.
A staple collaboration we’ve built with DreamWorks and NBC continues to open doors for ARC members, underscoring the program’s commitment to building brighter futures.
SPOTLIGHT
Advocacy
In 2024, ARC’s Advocacy Department drove significant impact through strategic legislative efforts, coalition building, and direct community engagement.
From advancing key policy reforms at the state and county levels to mobilizing hundreds of ARC members in advocacy actions, the team played a crucial role in shaping youth and adult justice policies.
Here’s how our Advocacy Program remains a powerful and resilient force for systemic change.
In collaboration with the Office of Youth and Community Restoration (OYCR), we led 2 community listening sessions with stakeholders to discuss the 5-year vision for the OYCR.
We spearheaded 6 lobby days in Sacramento, including 1 Youth Day to advocate for youth justice.
We sponsored/co-sponsored 6 state legislative bills. Our key legislative victory in 2024 was Assembly Bill 2740, which improves healthcare for incarcerated pregnant women and takes effect January 2025.
Worked on and influenced the passage of 14 county level “motions” relating youth and adult justice issues.
We facilitated 9 strategy meetings with the LA County Probation Oversight Commission (POC) Executive Director to advance Youth Justice Re-Imagined and shape the POC’s priorities.
ARC led and influenced 19 meetings with the Department of Youth Development.
ARC engaged 500 ARC members in 116 advocacy-related actions, events, public hearings at the local, state and federal level.
SPOTLIGHT
The Ride Home Program
Driving Change. Literally.
We’ve seen the success of The Ride Home Program firsthand, and our partners with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation haven’t overlooked our efforts. As of 2024, RHP is now officially a court-mandated service, solidifying its crucial role in the California justice system.
“[We solidified] our partnership with the juvenile division currently…all youth that are coming home from the juvenile facilities here in LA County are provided this service, [it’s] court mandate by the judge to provide this service.” – Carlos Cervantes, Ride Home Program Manager
Rosemary’s Story
Drivers are a bridge to freedom and a source of hope for people leaving prison and reentering society. Meet Rosemary, a Ride Home Program Driver since 2022 and an ARC member since 2001. Inspired by her son’s success with ARC programming and transforming his life, she greets passengers with empathy, reassurance, and vital resources for their next chapter.
“You get to be there to greet them to their freedom”
“Being able to share information with someone who is coming home – [that’s] why I love being part of the program”
“As a driver, I get to tell them don’t be afraid – we have people to help you succeed. When they hear this, they feel secure.”
Rosemary shares breakfast with a Ride Home participant, often the first stop on their first day of freedom.
Ride Home Program’s IMPACT
Including 313 rides in 2024, we’ve tracked more than 1,400 number of people we’ve driven home since 2021.
THE ride home program’s reach
“Ride Home is being requested…some of the youth that are coming home, they don’t even want anybody else picking them up.” – Moses Gallegos, RHP Coordinator
SPOTLIGHT
Housing & Mental Health Services
Building Resilience
The Clinical & Wellness Department has evolved into a powerful model of culturally competent, trauma-informed care, supporting over 110 members, in individual and group therapy. Magnolia Youth Transitional Housing Program in Koreatown is where we have seen strong engagement and transformation.
The Clinical and Wellness team’s innovative programs, from career readiness workshops to policy-focused storytelling sessions, equip members with the mental and emotional tools they need for reentry and long-term stability.
The Clinical and Wellness Department has evolved into a powerful model of culturally competent, trauma-informed care, supporting over 110 members, in individual and group therapy. Magnolia Youth Transitional Housing Program in Koreatown is where we have seen strong engagement and transformation.
The Clinical and Wellness team’s innovative programs, from career readiness workshops to policy-focused storytelling sessions, equip members with the mental and emotional tools they need for reentry and long-term stability.
Building on this success, ARC is launching a new location, The Hope and Redemption Center, dedicated to expanding these impactful mental health services for our members.
A heartfelt thank you to Senator Durazo and MacKenzie Scott for their support in helping us create this new space for our ARC community to continue growing.
Building on this success, ARC is launching a new location, The Hope and Redemption Center, dedicated to expanding these impactful mental health services for our members.
SPOTLIGHT
Research & Innovation
Data Driven
At ARC we know that sharing stories of lived experiences is the driving force for changing hearts and minds. We also understand the important role that data collection and dissemination play in grounding ARC’s programming and advocacy impact to continue moving our mission forward. In 2024, our Research & Innovation team focused on two key initiatives advancing our mission:
We revamped our internal database to enhance programming tracking and streamline daily workflows for ARC staff members.
We conducted comprehensive evaluations of our Second Chance Apprenticeship and HART programs to measure their impact and address their unique needs.
With both initiatives set to launch and publish in 2025, we look forward to sharing our findings and continuing to strengthen our data collection which frames the success of our work.
Here’s a look at our new database system, designed to help staff and ARC members streamline services and better track the impact of our work.
Looking Ahead
Our resolve and commitment are stronger than ever – and we continue to push forward in the fight for justice. We are steadily improving our programs and services to maintain the momentum toward making our communities safer, healthier, and more whole:
Growing educational programs and opportunities
Adding more jobs to build long-lasting careers
Increasing access to transitional housing
Grounding our support services in evidence-based mental health practices
Expanding support for our long-time members and Alumni
Building more efficient data collection resources
Advancing our role in research and development to serve as leading experts in the criminal justice field
Creating safer communities
Changing the narrative
Driving legislative changes
ARC In The News
Our belief in second chances drives our work to transform the criminal legal system. Through stories of hope and redemption, we change hearts and minds. Here are some outlets that have amplified our community’s voices this past year.
ARC Financials
Revenue
Expenses
Thank You!
Your support transforms second chances into real opportunities. Together, we’re building a more just and compassionate criminal legal system that benefits everyone.
Among several other generous funders.
Stay Connected. Take Action.
Thank You for Supporting the ARC Firefighter Fund!
Thanks to your incredible generosity, we’ve raised over $1.8 million to support incarcerated firefighters — providing immediate relief, upgrading fire camps, and creating scholarships for those pursuing careers after release.
With your support:
Over 30 meals were provided to nearly 500 incarcerated firefighters at Rose Bowl and Holton Basecamps, thanks to amazing partners like Irv’s Burgers, Jon & Vinny’s, and more.
180 hygiene kits were packed and 40 new pairs of boots were delivered to improve conditions for these heroes.
Two crew members have returned home and received scholarships with five more scholarships in the works for Pine Grove youth.
Subscribe to the ARC newsletter for information, updates, and opportunities to take action.
We are proud of everything we have accomplished with you by our side, and we encourage you to donate if you feel moved to do so.
