Reentry Programs in Virginia

Last Updated on: April 26, 2026

Finding real help after incarceration can be confusing, especially when you need housing, work, documents, food, transportation, treatment, or family Start with the programs closest to your city or county. If one program cannot help, ask them for a referral to another local reentry provider, housing program, workforce center, food pantry, legal aid office, or treatment provider. You can also use our guides on felon friendly jobs, companies that hire felons, and felon friendly apartments and housing while you work through the list below.

Notice: You may also find our “Reentry Survival Guide for Felons” helpful in addition to this page.

Virginia Reentry Program Directory

These are some of the best starting points for reentry help in Virginia. Many help with case management, job readiness, housing referrals, food, clothing, transportation, documents, family support, substance abuse referrals, and basic stabilization after release.

Virginia CARES

Address: 108 Henry Street Northwest, Roanoke, VA 24016

Phone: (540) 342 9344

Best for: Statewide reentry help and referrals for returning citizens.

What it offers: Virginia CARES provides pre release and post release support, including job readiness, counseling, housing referrals, food, clothing, transportation, legal and medical referrals, and rights restoration guidance.

OAR of Richmond

Address: 311 West Clay Street, Richmond, VA 23219

Phone: (804) 643 2746

Best for: Richmond area reentry support.

What it offers: OAR of Richmond helps people and families impacted by incarceration with transition services, pre release support, post release support, case management, and referrals.

OAR of Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church

Address: 1400 North Uhle Street, Suite 704, Arlington, VA 22201

Phone: (703) 745 5441

Best for: Northern Virginia reentry help after jail or prison.

What it offers: OAR offers pre release programming, post release coaching, employment support, housing assistance, transportation help, food, clothing, phones, laptops, and referrals.

OAR NOVA

Address: 10700 Page Avenue, Suite 200, Fairfax, VA 22030

Phone: (703) 246 3033

Best for: Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William area reentry services.

What it offers: OAR NOVA helps with employment preparation, emergency food and clothing, rent and utility related support when available, work uniforms, tools, transportation, job training scholarships, counseling, and referrals.

OAR Jefferson Area Community Corrections

Address: 1218 Harris Street, Charlottesville, VA 22903

Phone: (434) 296 2441

Best for: Charlottesville area reentry, court support, and transition planning.

What it offers: OAR JACC provides help with employment, housing search, court related issues, jail education, pre release classes, post release planning, and family support.

REAL LIFE

Address: 1111 North 25th Street, Richmond, VA 23223

Phone: (804) 406 4111

Best for: Richmond returning citizens who need structured support.

What it offers: REAL LIFE helps people coming home from incarceration work toward stability through reentry support, recovery focused help, and community based services.

FailSafe ERA

Address: 1972 William Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401

Phone: (540) 479 3021

Best for: Fredericksburg area reentry programming.

What it offers: FailSafe ERA provides reentry programming designed to help participants build skills, workplace readiness, personal stability, and community success.

Gemeinschaft Home

Address: 1423 Mount Clinton Pike, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

Phone: (540) 434 1690

Best for: Transitional housing and reentry support for eligible men.

What it offers: Gemeinschaft Home provides a transitional home and rehabilitative program for eligible nonviolent people leaving incarceration.

Friends of Guest House

Address: 1 East Luray Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301

Phone: (703) 549 8072

Best for: Women returning from incarceration.

What it offers: Friends of Guest House offers residential reentry support, workforce and education counseling, job placement, housing placement, individual and group counseling, and recovery support referrals.

Piedmont House

Address: 1800 Monticello Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22902

Phone: (434) 971 3835

Best for: Halfway house support for eligible men.

What it offers: Piedmont House is a halfway house for eligible nonviolent male felons, with shelter, food, counseling, structure, and an employment focus.

The Bridge Ministry

Address: 3054 Dixie Hill Road, Buckingham, VA 23921

Phone: (434) 969 2991

Best for: Men needing a structured residential program connected to addiction recovery and life rebuilding.

What it offers: The Bridge Ministry provides mentoring, vocational skills, education, structure, and support for men working to rebuild their lives after addiction, incarceration, or major life disruption.

Nolef Turns

Address: 3002 Hungary Spring Road, Suite 102, Henrico, VA 23228

Phone: (804) 918 6470

Best for: People in the first few years after incarceration.

What it offers: Nolef Turns focuses on reentry services during the early years after release and helps returning citizens connect with support, advocacy, and community resources.

New River Community Action Virginia CARES

Address: 206 3rd Avenue, Radford, VA 24141

Phone: (540) 392 7819

Best for: New River Valley reentry support.

What it offers: New River Community Action helps newly released people with emergency needs, employment support, food, clothing, transportation, shelter, identification costs, housing referrals, GED expenses, and other stabilization help.

Total Action for Progress Virginia CARES

Address: 302 2nd Street Southwest, Roanoke, VA 24001

Phone: (540) 777 4673

Best for: Roanoke area reentry and community action services.

What it offers: TAP provides Virginia CARES related reentry support and can help connect returning citizens to local employment, housing, transportation, and basic needs resources.

Hampton Roads Community Action Program Virginia CARES

Address: 2708 Chestnut Avenue, Newport News, VA 23607

Phone: (757) 245 2103

Best for: Hampton Roads reentry help.

What it offers: HRCAP Virginia CARES provides one on one counseling for people returning from incarceration and may help with transportation, housing, employment, and family transition needs.

Lynchburg Community Action Group Virginia CARES

Address: 300 12th Street, 2nd Floor, Lynchburg, VA 24504

Phone: (434) 455 1601

Best for: Lynchburg area returning citizens.

What it offers: LYN CAG helps with basic needs, jobs, counseling referrals, housing, transportation, clothing, identification documents, resume help, interview preparation, computer skills, and support groups.

People Incorporated Virginia CARES

Address: 1173 West Main Street, Abingdon, VA 24210

Phone: (276) 274 2514

Best for: Southwest Virginia returning citizens.

What it offers: People Incorporated operates Virginia CARES services that may include referrals for food, clothing, medical care, housing, job readiness workshops, job leads, and peer groups.

People Incorporated Virginia CARES Culpeper

Address: 13230 Lovers Lane, Culpeper, VA 22701

Phone: (540) 317 1439

Best for: Culpeper area reentry support.

What it offers: This Virginia CARES location helps returning citizens connect with emergency resources, employment support, housing related referrals, and community reintegration help.

Pittsylvania County Community Action Virginia CARES

Address: 211 Nor Dan Drive, Suite 1055, Danville, VA 24540

Phone: (434) 250 5876

Best for: Danville and Pittsylvania County reentry support.

What it offers: This program helps people stabilize after incarceration with employment and career counseling, job readiness workshops, support groups, housing related help, transportation, and basic essentials.

Warren Coalition RSW Reentry Services

Address: 538 Villa Avenue, Front Royal, VA 22630

Phone: (703) 344 6207

Best for: People leaving Rappahannock, Shenandoah, Warren Regional Jail.

What it offers: Warren Coalition provides reentry case management, classes, addiction related support, trauma and anxiety support, identification help, Medicaid help, housing referrals, food, clothing, employment support, and treatment referrals.

Louisa Reentry Council

Address: 114 Industrial Drive, Louisa, VA 23093

Phone: (540) 967 1320

Best for: Local reentry coordination in Louisa County.

What it offers: Louisa Reentry Council helps address food, employment, transportation, substance abuse and mental health services, family reintegration, benefits, clothing, housing, transition planning, and medical insurance.

Chesapeake Department of Human Services Community Outreach

Address: 100 Outlaw Street, Chesapeake, VA 23320

Phone: (757) 382 2489

Best for: Chesapeake residents needing outreach, homeless services, or reentry help.

What it offers: Community Outreach includes single homeless assistance, referrals, and reentry services for people who need local support after incarceration.

Petersburg Sheriff Reentry Program

Address: 8 Courthouse Avenue, Petersburg, VA 23803

Phone: (804) 733 2369

Best for: Petersburg area reentry connections.

What it offers: The program connects people leaving incarceration with resources and services intended to make the transition back into the community smoother.

Blue Ridge Court Services

Address: 125 South New Street, Staunton, VA 24401

Phone: (540) 886 1008

Best for: Staunton area reentry and local offender services.

What it offers: Blue Ridge Court Services provides reentry services, emergency support referrals for food, clothing, housing, transportation, identification, financial assistance, education programs, resume help, and job placement support.

Interfaith Outreach Association Life Skills and Job Readiness

Address: 701 Clay Street, Lynchburg, VA 24504

Phone: (434) 846 6098

Best for: Lynchburg area job readiness after incarceration.

What it offers: Interfaith Outreach helps people returning from incarceration with job search skills, interview skills, job retention, soft skills, resumes, cover letters, and other basic needs.

Kingsway Prison and Family Outreach

Address: 2217 South Main Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Phone: (540) 433 5658

Best for: Incarcerated people, returning citizens, and families.

What it offers: Kingsway helps connect people to community resources for food, clothing, housing, employment, correspondence Bible studies, pen pals, and support for families impacted by incarceration.

StepUp Inc.

Address: 5900 East Virginia Beach Boulevard, Norfolk, VA 23502

Phone: (757) 588 3151

Best for: Norfolk area people who need life skills and community support.

What it offers: StepUp Inc. provides community based support that may help with stability, counseling, life skills, family needs, and referrals.

Peer Recovery Connection

Address: 416 Starling Avenue, Martinsville, VA 24112

Phone: (276) 634 0300

Best for: Recovery support for people dealing with substance use barriers.

What it offers: Peer Recovery Connection offers peer support, recovery focused help, and community connection for people working to stay stable and sober.

Virginia Association of Recovery Residences

Address: Richmond, VA

Phone: (804) 593 1360

Best for: Finding certified recovery residences in Virginia.

What it offers: VARR is a good starting point for people who need recovery housing connected to sobriety, accountability, and peer support.

PAPIS Virginia Prisoner Reentry Program

Address: 1100 Bank Street, Richmond, VA 23219

Phone: (804) 786 4000

Best for: Understanding state supported reentry programs in Virginia.

What it offers: PAPIS supports pre release and post incarceration services through funded programs that focus on transition planning, employment readiness, counseling, mentoring, referrals, food, clothing, transportation, and shelter related support.

Virginia Department of Corrections Reentry Resources

Address: P.O. Box 26963, Richmond, VA 23261

Phone: (804) 674 3000

Best for: Official statewide reentry information.

What it offers: VADOC provides reentry resources, reentry council information, peer recovery information, family resources, 211 referral information, and restoration of rights guidance.

Virginia Registered Apprenticeship

Address: Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement, Richmond, VA

Phone: (804) 786 2382

Best for: Paid career training in skilled trades and other industries.

What it offers: Registered apprenticeship can help people earn wages while learning a trade. This can be useful for returning citizens who need a real career path instead of short term work only.

Halfway Houses and Transitional Housing in Virginia

If housing is your biggest problem, work on that first. A stable place to sleep makes it easier to keep probation appointments, go to work, attend treatment, and stay out of crisis. You may also want to read our guide to felon friendly apartments and housing before you pay application fees.

Gemeinschaft Home

Address: 1423 Mount Clinton Pike, Harrisonburg, VA 22802

Phone: (540) 434 1690

Best for: Transitional reentry housing for eligible men.

What it offers: Gemeinschaft Home provides structured transitional housing and rehabilitative support for eligible nonviolent people leaving incarceration.

Friends of Guest House

Address: 1 East Luray Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22301

Phone: (703) 549 8072

Best for: Women who need residential support after incarceration.

What it offers: Friends of Guest House provides a residential program, case management, counseling, job support, housing placement, recovery support, and outreach services.

Piedmont House

Address: 1800 Monticello Avenue, Charlottesville, VA 22902

Phone: (434) 971 3835

Best for: Eligible men who need a halfway house setting.

What it offers: Piedmont House provides shelter, food, counseling, structure, and employment focused support in a halfway house setting.

The Bridge Ministry

Address: 3054 Dixie Hill Road, Buckingham, VA 23921

Phone: (434) 969 2991

Best for: Men needing long term structure, mentoring, and recovery support.

What it offers: The Bridge Ministry provides a residential style program with mentoring, vocational skills, education, and recovery focused support.

Virginia Association of Recovery Residences

Address: Richmond, VA

Phone: (804) 593 1360

Best for: People who need recovery housing rather than standard rental housing.

What it offers: VARR can help you look for recovery residences that follow standards for sober living and peer support.

Housing Solutions

Virginia does not have one single housing program that solves everything for people with felony records. The best approach is to combine local reentry help, 211 referrals, community action agencies, shelters, recovery housing, and private landlords who review applicants individually.

If you are being denied because of your record, read our page on housing for felons and our guide to apartments that accept felons. Always ask whether a felony is an automatic denial or reviewed case by case before paying an application fee.

211 Virginia

Address: Statewide phone and online referral service

Phone: Dial 211

Best for: Finding local shelter, housing, rent help, food, utilities help, and community services.

What it offers: 211 Virginia connects callers with local housing, food, healthcare, employment, childcare, and emergency resources throughout the state.

Homeward Homeless Connection Line

Address: Richmond area coordinated homeless services

Phone: (804) 972 0813

Best for: People in the Richmond region who are homeless or close to losing housing.

What it offers: Homeward connects people to shelter alternatives, housing resources, and local homeless response services in the Richmond area.

211 Virginia Shelter and Homeless Services Search

Address: Online statewide directory

Phone: Dial 211

Best for: Finding shelter, homeless prevention, rapid rehousing, and rent help near your city.

What it offers: The 211 housing search can help locate local shelters, rental assistance, deposit help, homeless prevention, and rehousing programs.

Emergency Food, Clothing, and Shelter

If you are newly released and do not have food, clothes, identification, transportation, or a safe place to sleep, contact a reentry program and 211 as soon as possible. You can also use our emergency financial help for felons page for more ideas.

211 Virginia

Address: Statewide phone and online referral service

Phone: Dial 211

Best for: Emergency local referrals.

What it offers: 211 can help locate food pantries, clothing closets, shelters, utility help, healthcare, transportation, and other community resources near you.

Virginia CommonHelp

Address: Online benefits portal

Phone: Use the website or contact your local department of social services.

Best for: Applying for SNAP, health coverage, energy assistance, cash assistance, and child care help.

What it offers: CommonHelp lets Virginia residents screen and apply for food assistance, medical coverage, cash assistance, child care assistance, and energy assistance.

Virginia SNAP

Address: Virginia Department of Social Services

Phone: Apply through CommonHelp or contact your local department of social services.

Best for: Monthly food benefits.

What it offers: SNAP helps eligible low income households buy food. A felony record by itself should not stop someone from checking eligibility.

Free or Low Cost Healthcare

Healthcare can be one of the biggest gaps after incarceration, especially if you need medication, mental health care, substance abuse treatment, disability care, or follow up appointments. Start with Medicaid, local community health centers, 211, and reentry case managers. You can also read our guide on health insurance for felons.

Virginia CommonHelp Health Coverage

Address: Online benefits portal

Phone: Use the website or contact your local department of social services.

Best for: Medicaid and health coverage applications.

What it offers: CommonHelp lets eligible Virginians apply for health care coverage along with SNAP, cash assistance, child care, and energy assistance.

Curb The Crisis

Address: Statewide online resource

Phone: Use the website to find treatment and recovery resources.

Best for: Opioid use, overdose prevention, Naloxone education, treatment, and recovery resources.

What it offers: Curb The Crisis provides information about opioid use, treatment resources, recovery services, Naloxone, and overdose prevention in Virginia.

Region Ten Community Services Board

Address: 500 Old Lynchburg Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903

Phone: (434) 972 1800

Best for: Mental health, substance use, crisis, and disability services in the Charlottesville region.

What it offers: Region Ten serves Charlottesville, Albemarle, Greene, Fluvanna, Louisa, and Nelson with mental health, substance use, intellectual disability, and crisis services.

Legal Documents, Identification, and Rights Restoration

Many people come home without a valid ID, birth certificate, Social Security card, driver license, voting rights, or a clear understanding of what can and cannot be fixed on their record. Reentry programs can often help you start this process. For broader legal cleanup, read our guide on expungement and record sealing.

Secretary of the Commonwealth Restoration of Rights

Address: Richmond, VA

Phone: Use the contact options on the official website.

Best for: Civil rights restoration after a Virginia felony conviction.

What it offers: The Secretary of the Commonwealth handles restoration of civil rights in Virginia. This can include voting rights, the right to serve on a jury, run for office, and become a notary, but does not include firearm rights.

Virginia Legal Aid

Address: Statewide online legal help directory

Phone: Use the website to find the legal aid office serving your area.

Best for: Civil legal help, benefits issues, housing problems, family law, debt, and other noncriminal legal problems.

What it offers: Virginia Legal Aid helps low income residents find legal information and local legal aid offices that may be able to assist with civil legal problems.

Virginia DMV

Address: Statewide DMV offices and online services

Phone: Use the official website to find your local DMV customer service center.

Best for: State ID, driver license, and license reinstatement questions.

What it offers: Virginia DMV handles identification cards, driver licenses, driving records, and reinstatement steps. If you are newly released, ask your reentry case manager whether they can help with document fees or transportation.

Financial Help

Financial help is usually limited, but there are still places to start. Look for help with food, housing, transportation, work clothes, utility bills, document fees, and job training. For more options, visit our guide on financial help for felons and our page on grants for felons.

Virginia CommonHelp

Address: Online benefits portal

Phone: Use the website or local department of social services.

Best for: Applying for public benefits.

What it offers: CommonHelp can screen for and help apply for SNAP, health coverage, cash assistance, child care assistance, and energy assistance.

OAR Reentry Services

Address: 1400 North Uhle Street, Suite 704, Arlington, VA 22201

Phone: (703) 745 5441

Best for: Emergency reentry assistance in the Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church area.

What it offers: OAR may help eligible participants with emergency shelter, transportation, clothing, food, identification, medication, medical care, and social service referrals.

OAR NOVA Emergency Assistance

Address: 10700 Page Avenue, Suite 200, Fairfax, VA 22030

Phone: (703) 246 3033

Best for: Northern Virginia emergency needs after release.

What it offers: OAR NOVA may help eligible clients with food, clothing, rent, utilities, work uniforms, tools, transportation, job training scholarships, and referrals.

Employment Help

A felony record can make job hunting harder, but it does not make work impossible. Start with reentry programs that know local second chance employers. Then use workforce centers, temp agencies, apprenticeship programs, and companies that review applicants individually. Also use our lists of companies that hire felons and jobs for felons.

Virginia CARES Employment Support

Address: 108 Henry Street Northwest, Roanoke, VA 24016

Phone: (540) 342 9344

Best for: Job readiness and employment referrals for returning citizens.

What it offers: Virginia CARES provides job readiness, career counseling, workshops, employment referrals, and local support through its statewide network.

Virginia Registered Apprenticeship

Address: Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement, Richmond, VA

Phone: (804) 786 2382

Best for: Paid skill training and long term career paths.

What it offers: Apprenticeship programs combine paid work with training. This can be a strong option for people who want a trade, credential, and better long term wages.

Virginia Career Works

Address: Statewide workforce center network

Phone: Use the website to find a local center.

Best for: Job search, training, resumes, workforce services, and local labor market help.

What it offers: Virginia Career Works connects job seekers to workforce centers, training options, job search help, and employer resources across Virginia.

Interfaith Outreach Association Job Readiness

Address: 701 Clay Street, Lynchburg, VA 24504

Phone: (434) 846 6098

Best for: Resume help and job search skills in Lynchburg.

What it offers: Interfaith Outreach helps people returning from incarceration with resumes, cover letters, interview skills, job retention, and soft skills.

Substance Abuse Help

If substance use is part of your reentry situation, get help early. Treatment and recovery support can make the difference between staying stable and falling back into old patterns. You can also use reentry programs, 211, Medicaid, community services boards, and recovery residences.

Curb The Crisis

Address: Statewide online resource

Phone: Use the website for treatment and recovery resources.

Best for: Opioid treatment, recovery help, and Naloxone information.

What it offers: Curb The Crisis helps Virginians find opioid use, treatment, recovery, and overdose prevention resources.

Virginia Association of Recovery Residences

Address: Richmond, VA

Phone: (804) 593 1360

Best for: Recovery housing options.

What it offers: VARR helps people locate recovery residences that support sobriety, structure, and peer accountability.

Peer Recovery Connection

Address: 416 Starling Avenue, Martinsville, VA 24112

Phone: (276) 634 0300

Best for: Peer recovery support.

What it offers: Peer Recovery Connection provides recovery focused support and community connection for people working through substance use barriers.

Region Ten Community Services Board

Address: 500 Old Lynchburg Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903

Phone: (434) 972 1800

Best for: Substance use, mental health, crisis, and disability services in the Charlottesville region.

What it offers: Region Ten provides behavioral health, substance use, crisis, and disability related services for Charlottesville and surrounding counties.

Other Helpful Resources

If you need more than reentry programs, these guides may help:

Notice: You may also find our “Reentry Survival Guide for Felons” helpful in addition to this page.

What Makes a Good Reentry Program

A good reentry program does more than hand someone a flyer and send them away. The best programs help with the real problems that usually hit first after release, like housing, ID, transportation, job search, food, clothing, recovery support, and staying on track with parole or probation. A strong program should feel practical. It should help you solve immediate problems while also helping you build toward long term stability.

Good reentry programs also have structure and real follow through. That usually means staff who return calls, clear intake steps, honest answers about what they can and cannot do, and connections to other services when they cannot help directly. The strongest programs often combine several things at once, like case management, mentoring, job readiness, housing help, recovery support, and community referrals. Programs that only offer one small service can still be useful, but the best ones usually help you build an actual plan.

Tips for Choosing a Reentry Program

Call before you go if you can. Ask what services they actually offer, who qualifies, what documents you need, whether they help people right after release, and whether they have waiting lists. This can save time and avoid wasted trips.

Ask specific questions. Do not just ask if they help with reentry. Ask if they help with housing, jobs, IDs, clothing, transportation, recovery, legal referrals, or case management. A lot of places sound helpful until you find out they only offer one narrow service.

Look for programs that connect you to other help. Even if one program cannot solve everything, a good one should know where to send you next. That matters a lot in reentry because most people need more than one kind of support.

Do not judge a program only by its website. Some very helpful programs have weak websites. Some polished websites do not actually provide much real help. What matters most is whether they answer the phone, explain the process clearly, and help people solve real problems.

If a program is full, ask what to do next. Ask if they know another program, another shelter, a workforce office, a church ministry, or a local county resource that may help sooner. One good referral can make a big difference.

Keep your paperwork together. If possible, carry your ID, release paperwork, Social Security card, birth certificate copies, parole or probation paperwork, resume, and any referral forms in one folder. That makes it easier to apply for multiple programs fast.

Follow up. A lot of people call once and stop. Reentry services can be overloaded. Sometimes the difference between getting help and not getting help is calling back, showing up on time, and staying on their radar.

Disclaimer

This page is for general informational purposes only. Programs, addresses, phone numbers, services, and eligibility rules can change. Always verify details directly with the organization before relying on them. Nothing on this page should be considered legal advice.