Last Updated on: May 14, 2026
Finding real help after jail or prison can be frustrating, especially when you need housing, food, work, identification, treatment, legal help, or someone who will actually answer the phone. This guide lists reentry programs and support services in the Lakeland, Florida metro area, including nearby Polk County resources in Bartow, Winter Haven, and surrounding communities.
For statewide help, visit our guide to Reentry Programs in Florida.
List of Reentry Programs in Lakeland, Florida
Tampa Bay Academy of Hope
Address: 711 N Kentucky Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 813 620 4029
Best For: Returning citizens, justice impacted adults, job readiness, case management, mentoring, and workforce support
What It Offers: Tampa Bay Academy of Hope provides support programs for youth, adults, veterans, families, and justice impacted people. Its Lakeland office is especially useful for people who need help with case management, job readiness, employment support, mentoring, and community based reentry services.
CareerSource Polk
Address: 309 N Ingraham Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 863 508 1100
Best For: Job search help, resumes, career planning, training referrals, and workforce services
What It Offers: CareerSource Polk helps job seekers with employment searches, resume support, career guidance, hiring events, training connections, and workforce programs. This is one of the best first stops in Lakeland for someone who needs legal income after release.
Talbot House Ministries
Address: 814 N Kentucky Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 863 687 8475
Best For: Homeless adults, shelter, meals, recovery support, basic needs, and stabilization
What It Offers: Talbot House Ministries provides emergency shelter, meals, case management, recovery support, medical care connections, and help for people facing homelessness. This can be a strong resource for someone leaving jail or prison without stable housing.
Lighthouse Ministries
Address: 215 E Magnolia Street, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 863 687 4076
Best For: Shelter, meals, residential recovery, faith based support, and basic needs
What It Offers: Lighthouse Ministries provides shelter, meals, addiction recovery support, life skills, spiritual support, and programs for people trying to rebuild after homelessness, addiction, incarceration, or crisis.
The Salvation Army Lakeland
Address: 830 N Massachusetts Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 863 682 8179
Best For: Emergency help, shelter referrals, food, clothing, financial assistance, and basic needs
What It Offers: The Salvation Army in Lakeland provides emergency assistance, basic needs help, food support, clothing assistance, and referrals. It can be useful for people coming home with no money, no supplies, and no stable support system.
Dream Center of Lakeland
Address: 635 W 5th Street, Lakeland, FL 33805
Phone: 863 413 0088
Best For: Food, clothing, neighborhood outreach, community support, and family help
What It Offers: Dream Center of Lakeland provides practical community support through food assistance, clothing help, outreach, mentoring, and neighborhood based services. It is a good resource for people who need basic help while trying to stabilize.
United Way of Central Florida 211
Address: 5605 US Highway 98 S, Lakeland, FL 33812
Phone: Dial 211 or 888 370 7188
Best For: Referrals for housing, food, utilities, mental health, treatment, transportation, and emergency services
What It Offers: United Way 211 connects people in Polk County with local services. Returning citizens can use 211 to find food pantries, shelters, rent help, utility help, counseling, transportation resources, and crisis services.
Florida Rural Legal Services, Lakeland Office
Address: 1321 E Memorial Boulevard, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 863 688 7376
Best For: Free civil legal help, benefits issues, housing problems, consumer issues, family law, and legal barriers after release
What It Offers: Florida Rural Legal Services provides free civil legal help to eligible low income residents in Polk County and other Florida counties. It may help with housing, benefits, consumer problems, family law, and other civil legal issues that can block reentry.
Heart of Florida Legal Aid Society
Address: 550 E Davidson Street, Bartow, FL 33830
Phone: 863 519 5663
Best For: Family law, domestic violence, immigration, and civil legal help for eligible low income residents
What It Offers: Heart of Florida Legal Aid Society serves Polk, Hardee, and Highlands counties. It can be useful for people dealing with family law problems, domestic violence issues, immigration concerns, and civil legal barriers.
Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine
Address: 600 W Peachtree Street, Lakeland, FL 33815
Phone: 863 688 5846
Best For: Free medical care for eligible uninsured adults
What It Offers: Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine provides free health care services for eligible uninsured residents. This can be important for people leaving incarceration who need medication, primary care, chronic condition management, or help getting connected to medical services.
Peace River Center
Address: 1835 Gilmore Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33805
Phone: 863 519 0575
Best For: Mental health care, crisis support, counseling, and behavioral health services
What It Offers: Peace River Center provides mental health and behavioral health services in Polk County. It can help people who need counseling, crisis support, psychiatric care, trauma support, or ongoing behavioral health treatment after release.
Tri County Human Services
Address: 5421 US Highway 98 S, Lakeland, FL 33812
Phone: 863 701 7373
Best For: Substance abuse treatment, outpatient services, counseling, recovery support, and behavioral health help
What It Offers: Tri County Human Services provides substance abuse and behavioral health services in Central Florida. It can help with assessments, outpatient treatment, counseling, recovery planning, and support for people dealing with addiction after incarceration.
Lakeland Housing Authority
Address: 430 Hartsell Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33815
Phone: 863 687 2911
Best For: Public housing, housing choice vouchers, affordable housing information, and housing applications
What It Offers: Lakeland Housing Authority manages affordable housing programs and housing assistance in Lakeland. People with a criminal record should ask directly about eligibility rules, waiting lists, documentation, and whether any lookback rules apply.
Polk County Housing and Neighborhood Development
Address: 1290 Golfview Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830
Phone: 863 534 5240
Best For: County housing programs, housing assistance information, neighborhood services, and affordable housing referrals
What It Offers: Polk County Housing and Neighborhood Development can help residents find information about county housing programs, housing assistance, and local housing resources. This is useful for people who need options outside the city of Lakeland.
Project 180
Address: PO Box 25684, Sarasota, FL 34277
Phone: 941 677 2281
Best For: Florida reentry information, structured reentry housing referrals, education, employment guidance, and men in recovery
What It Offers: Project 180 is a Florida reentry organization focused on helping formerly incarcerated people reintegrate into community life. Its residential program is based outside Lakeland, but it may still be useful for people in Central Florida looking for structured reentry information and referrals.
Operation New Hope Ready4Work
Address: 1830 N Main Street, Jacksonville, FL 32206
Phone: 904 354 4673
Best For: Statewide reentry network information, job readiness, case management, and prison to community transition support
What It Offers: Operation New Hope runs Ready4Work and Ready4Release reentry services in Florida. Its closest program location may not be in Lakeland, but it is still a strong statewide reentry resource for employment, case management, training, and transition support.
Halfway Houses and Transitional Housing
Stable housing is one of the hardest parts of reentry. Some programs below offer emergency shelter, residential recovery, or housing related support. For more housing guidance, see Felon Friendly Apartments & Housing: How to Find Housing With a Criminal Record.
Talbot House Ministries
Address: 814 N Kentucky Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 863 687 8475
Best For: Emergency shelter, homelessness, meals, case management, and recovery support
What It Offers: Talbot House Ministries helps homeless adults with shelter, meals, case management, recovery support, and stabilization services. People leaving incarceration without housing should call as early as possible to ask about availability and intake.
Lighthouse Ministries
Address: 215 E Magnolia Street, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 863 687 4076
Best For: Shelter, residential recovery, meals, faith based support, and life rebuilding
What It Offers: Lighthouse Ministries offers shelter, meals, recovery programming, spiritual support, and longer term help for people trying to rebuild their lives after homelessness, addiction, incarceration, or major crisis.
The Salvation Army Lakeland
Address: 830 N Massachusetts Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 863 682 8179
Best For: Emergency shelter referrals, crisis help, food, clothing, and basic needs
What It Offers: The Salvation Army may help with emergency support and referrals for people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or coming home without basic supplies.
Project 180
Address: PO Box 25684, Sarasota, FL 34277
Phone: 941 677 2281
Best For: Structured reentry housing information and long term residential reentry support for eligible men
What It Offers: Project 180 operates outside Lakeland, but its reentry focus and residential model may be helpful for men who need structured support, recovery, employment help, and referrals after incarceration.
Housing Solutions
If you have a felony record, do not rely on one housing application. Apply broadly, ask about written screening criteria, get proof of income, gather references, and consider smaller private landlords. Also read Felon Friendly Apartments & Housing: How to Find Housing With a Criminal Record.
Lakeland Housing Authority
Address: 430 Hartsell Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33815
Phone: 863 687 2911
Best For: Affordable housing, public housing, voucher information, and housing applications
What It Offers: Lakeland Housing Authority is the main public housing resource for the city. Applicants with records should ask about eligibility, waiting lists, documentation, and how criminal history is reviewed.
Polk County Housing and Neighborhood Development
Address: 1290 Golfview Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830
Phone: 863 534 5240
Best For: County housing programs, housing resource information, and affordable housing referrals
What It Offers: Polk County Housing and Neighborhood Development can help residents understand county housing programs and referrals beyond Lakeland city limits.
United Way of Central Florida 211
Address: 5605 US Highway 98 S, Lakeland, FL 33812
Phone: Dial 211 or 888 370 7188
Best For: Housing referrals, shelter referrals, rent help, utility help, and emergency support
What It Offers: United Way 211 is useful when you need quick referrals to shelters, rent assistance, utility help, food pantries, and housing related programs in Polk County.
Talbot House Ministries
Address: 814 N Kentucky Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 863 687 8475
Best For: Homeless adults, shelter, case management, and housing stabilization
What It Offers: Talbot House can help people who are currently homeless or very close to homelessness. Call first to ask about intake, shelter availability, and whether case management is available.
Emergency Food, Clothing, and Basic Needs
Food, clothing, hygiene items, and emergency help can keep you stable while you work on employment and housing. For additional help, see Emergency Financial Help for Felons.
Lighthouse Ministries
Address: 215 E Magnolia Street, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 863 687 4076
Best For: Meals, shelter, basic needs, clothing, and recovery support
What It Offers: Lighthouse Ministries provides meals, shelter related services, recovery support, and basic needs help for people in crisis.
Talbot House Ministries
Address: 814 N Kentucky Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 863 687 8475
Best For: Meals, shelter, clothing, hygiene, case management, and medical connections
What It Offers: Talbot House is one of the most important emergency resources in Lakeland for adults who need food, shelter, hygiene items, case management, and stabilization.
The Salvation Army Lakeland
Address: 830 N Massachusetts Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 863 682 8179
Best For: Emergency assistance, food, clothing, and crisis support
What It Offers: The Salvation Army helps people in crisis with practical needs and referrals. Ask about current food, clothing, shelter, and financial assistance availability.
Dream Center of Lakeland
Address: 635 W 5th Street, Lakeland, FL 33805
Phone: 863 413 0088
Best For: Food assistance, clothing, neighborhood support, outreach, and family help
What It Offers: Dream Center of Lakeland provides direct community support, including food and clothing help, outreach services, and practical assistance for people trying to stabilize.
United Way of Central Florida 211
Address: 5605 US Highway 98 S, Lakeland, FL 33812
Phone: Dial 211 or 888 370 7188
Best For: Food pantry referrals, utility help, emergency shelter referrals, transportation help, and crisis resources
What It Offers: United Way 211 is one of the fastest ways to locate current food pantries, clothing closets, rent help, utility help, and emergency resources near your ZIP code.
One More Child
Address: 1015 Sikes Boulevard, Lakeland, FL 33815
Phone: 863 687 8811
Best For: Families, children, food support, anti trafficking support, foster care support, and family stabilization
What It Offers: One More Child provides programs for children, families, single mothers, foster families, and vulnerable people. It can be a useful family support resource for parents rebuilding after incarceration.
Free or Low Cost Healthcare and Mental Health Help
Healthcare matters after release, especially if you need medication, addiction treatment, mental health care, chronic condition care, or help staying stable.
Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine
Address: 600 W Peachtree Street, Lakeland, FL 33815
Phone: 863 688 5846
Best For: Free medical care for eligible uninsured adults
What It Offers: Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine provides free health care to eligible uninsured people. This can help with primary care, chronic health needs, prescriptions, and follow up care.
Peace River Center
Address: 1835 Gilmore Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33805
Phone: 863 519 0575
Best For: Mental health, counseling, crisis support, psychiatric services, and behavioral health care
What It Offers: Peace River Center provides behavioral health and crisis services in Polk County. This is a key resource for people dealing with depression, anxiety, trauma, mental illness, or crisis after release.
Tri County Human Services
Address: 5421 US Highway 98 S, Lakeland, FL 33812
Phone: 863 701 7373
Best For: Substance abuse treatment, outpatient care, counseling, recovery support, and behavioral health services
What It Offers: Tri County Human Services helps people with addiction and behavioral health needs through assessments, treatment planning, outpatient services, and recovery support.
Lakeland Regional Health Behavioral Health
Address: 1324 Lakeland Hills Boulevard, Lakeland, FL 33805
Phone: 863 687 1100
Best For: Hospital based behavioral health, psychiatric care, crisis stabilization, and medical referrals
What It Offers: Lakeland Regional Health provides behavioral health services and medical care connections. This can be important if someone needs psychiatric support, crisis care, or hospital based treatment.
Legal Help, Expungement, and Documents
Legal issues can block housing, jobs, benefits, licenses, custody, and stability. Florida expungement and sealing rules are specific, so speak with a qualified legal aid office or attorney before assuming you qualify.
Florida Rural Legal Services, Lakeland Office
Address: 1321 E Memorial Boulevard, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 863 688 7376
Best For: Civil legal help, housing issues, benefits issues, family law, and legal barriers to stability
What It Offers: Florida Rural Legal Services provides free civil legal assistance to eligible clients in Polk County. It may help with legal issues that interfere with housing, employment, benefits, family stability, and reentry.
Heart of Florida Legal Aid Society
Address: 550 E Davidson Street, Bartow, FL 33830
Phone: 863 519 5663
Best For: Family law, domestic violence, immigration, and legal help for eligible low income residents
What It Offers: Heart of Florida Legal Aid Society serves Polk County and can help eligible residents with family law, domestic violence, immigration, and other civil legal needs.
Polk County Clerk of Courts
Address: 255 N Broadway Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830
Phone: 863 534 4000
Best For: Court records, criminal case records, filing information, fees, payment information, and document access
What It Offers: The Polk County Clerk of Courts is where many court records and filings are handled. People working on record review, fines, court documents, or expungement paperwork may need to contact the clerk.
Office of the Public Defender, Tenth Judicial Circuit
Address: 255 N Broadway Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830
Phone: 863 534 4200
Best For: Criminal defense for eligible people, case information, and public defender services
What It Offers: The Public Defender handles criminal defense for eligible people in the Tenth Judicial Circuit. This office may be relevant for open cases, violations, pending criminal matters, or questions about representation.
Florida Courts Self Help
Address: 500 S Duval Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399
Phone: 850 922 5081
Best For: Court forms, self help information, family court forms, and general legal information
What It Offers: Florida Courts provides statewide self help information and court forms. It is not a substitute for legal advice, but it can help people understand court procedures and locate forms.
Employment Help
Getting hired with a record usually takes more applications, more follow up, and a realistic job strategy. Start with employers that need workers, be honest when required, and focus on jobs where your record is less directly related to the work. For more options, see Jobs For Felons & Companies.
CareerSource Polk
Address: 309 N Ingraham Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 863 508 1100
Best For: Job search help, resumes, hiring events, training referrals, and workforce programs
What It Offers: CareerSource Polk is one of the best employment resources in Lakeland. It can help with resumes, job leads, career planning, interviews, hiring events, and training connections.
Tampa Bay Academy of Hope
Address: 711 N Kentucky Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 813 620 4029
Best For: Justice impacted adults, job readiness, case management, mentoring, and employment support
What It Offers: Tampa Bay Academy of Hope provides workforce related support and reentry help for justice impacted people. It is a strong local contact for people who need employment guidance and structured support.
Polk State College Continuing Education
Address: 3425 Winter Lake Road, Lakeland, FL 33803
Phone: 863 297 1000
Best For: Short term training, certificates, workforce education, and skill building
What It Offers: Polk State College offers continuing education and workforce training options. This can help people build skills for better jobs, especially if they need a new career path after incarceration.
Goodwill Industries Suncoast Job Connection
Address: 10596 Gandy Boulevard N, St. Petersburg, FL 33702
Phone: 727 523 1512
Best For: Resume help, job search assistance, interview preparation, and employment support
What It Offers: Goodwill Suncoast Job Connection Centers provide free job search support, resume help, career navigation, and interview preparation. Lakeland residents should call first to confirm the nearest current service location or virtual support options.
Operation New Hope Ready4Work
Address: 1830 N Main Street, Jacksonville, FL 32206
Phone: 904 354 4673
Best For: Reentry employment support, job readiness, case management, training, and statewide reentry referrals
What It Offers: Operation New Hope provides reentry employment programming in Florida. Even if the nearest site is outside Lakeland, it can still be useful for information about Ready4Work and statewide reentry support.
Substance Abuse Help
A lot of people coming home need treatment, recovery support, counseling, or a sober living plan. If addiction is part of your background, do not wait until things fall apart. Call treatment providers early and ask about intake, insurance, Medicaid, sliding fees, and waiting lists.
Tri County Human Services
Address: 5421 US Highway 98 S, Lakeland, FL 33812
Phone: 863 701 7373
Best For: Substance abuse treatment, outpatient counseling, recovery support, and behavioral health services
What It Offers: Tri County Human Services provides addiction treatment and behavioral health support. This can be a strong starting point for people who need outpatient treatment, counseling, recovery planning, or court related substance abuse help.
Lighthouse Ministries
Address: 215 E Magnolia Street, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 863 687 4076
Best For: Faith based recovery, shelter, residential support, meals, and life rebuilding
What It Offers: Lighthouse Ministries offers recovery focused support, shelter, meals, and faith based programming for people dealing with homelessness, addiction, and life instability.
Talbot House Ministries
Address: 814 N Kentucky Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 863 687 8475
Best For: Homeless adults, recovery support, shelter, meals, and case management
What It Offers: Talbot House helps people stabilize through shelter, food, case management, and recovery related support. It is especially useful for people who are homeless and trying to get sober or remain stable.
Peace River Center
Address: 1835 Gilmore Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33805
Phone: 863 519 0575
Best For: Mental health care, crisis services, counseling, and co occurring behavioral health needs
What It Offers: Peace River Center can help with mental health and behavioral health needs that often overlap with addiction, trauma, homelessness, and reentry stress.
Project 180
Address: PO Box 25684, Sarasota, FL 34277
Phone: 941 677 2281
Best For: Reentry support, structured recovery oriented housing information, and formerly incarcerated men in recovery
What It Offers: Project 180 focuses on reentry and long term stability for formerly incarcerated people. It may be useful for men who need a structured program with recovery, work, and life rebuilding support.
Family, Youth, and Community Support
Reentry affects the whole family. These resources may help with parenting, children, mentoring, family support, youth services, and community stability.
One More Child
Address: 1015 Sikes Boulevard, Lakeland, FL 33815
Phone: 863 687 8811
Best For: Families, children, single mothers, foster families, food support, and family stabilization
What It Offers: One More Child provides support for children and families, including services connected to foster care, single mothers, anti trafficking support, family stability, and child focused help.
Tampa Bay Academy of Hope
Address: 711 N Kentucky Avenue, Lakeland, FL 33801
Phone: 813 620 4029
Best For: Youth mentoring, adult mentoring, families, veterans, justice impacted adults, and workforce support
What It Offers: Tampa Bay Academy of Hope supports youth, adults, veterans, families, and justice impacted people through mentoring, education, job readiness, and support services.
Dream Center of Lakeland
Address: 635 W 5th Street, Lakeland, FL 33805
Phone: 863 413 0088
Best For: Neighborhood outreach, food, clothing, family support, mentoring, and community connection
What It Offers: Dream Center of Lakeland helps families and individuals with practical support, community outreach, food, clothing, and neighborhood based assistance.
AMIkids Polk
2145 Bob Phillips Road
Bartow, FL 33830
Phone: 863 204 177
Best For: At risk youth (10 to 16), justice involved youth, education support, behavior support, and family stabilization
What It Offers: AMIkids Polk works with youth who need education, behavior support, intervention, and structure. It may be helpful for families trying to keep young people from deeper justice system involvement.
Other Helpful Resources
These HelpForFelons.org guides may also help if you are rebuilding your life in Lakeland or anywhere in Florida.
Reentry Programs in Florida
Address: Online resource
Phone: Not applicable
Best For: Statewide reentry program listings and Florida based support
What It Offers: A statewide guide to reentry programs, housing help, employment support, emergency services, and legal resources in Florida.
Jobs For Felons & Companies
Address: Online resource
Phone: Not applicable
Best For: Job seekers with felony records
What It Offers: A large employer resource for people with records who need realistic job options and companies to apply to.
Temp Agencies That Hire Felons
Address: Online resource
Phone: Not applicable
Best For: Fast employment, warehouse work, labor jobs, production jobs, and temporary placements
What It Offers: A guide to staffing agencies and temp work options that may be more open to applicants with criminal records.
How to Explain a Felony to an Employer
Address: Online resource
Phone: Not applicable
Best For: Interview preparation and job applications
What It Offers: Practical advice for explaining a record without oversharing, making excuses, or damaging your chances of getting hired.
Felon Friendly Apartments & Housing: How to Find Housing With a Criminal Record
Address: Online resource
Phone: Not applicable
Best For: People with records who need housing
What It Offers: A housing guide that explains how to search for apartments, deal with background checks, talk to landlords, and improve your chances.
Emergency Financial Help for Felons
Address: Online resource
Phone: Not applicable
Best For: Emergency money, bills, rent help, food, and crisis support
What It Offers: A practical guide to emergency financial help and basic needs resources for people with criminal records.
Financial Help for Felons
Address: Online resource
Phone: Not applicable
Best For: Longer term financial support and assistance programs
What It Offers: A guide to financial assistance, government programs, and nonprofit help for people rebuilding after incarceration.
Can a Felony Be Expunged?
Address: Online resource
Phone: Not applicable
Best For: Record sealing and expungement basics
What It Offers: A general guide to expungement and record clearing options. Always verify Florida rules with a qualified legal aid office or attorney.
Background Check Laws Overview
Address: Online resource
Phone: Not applicable
Best For: Understanding background checks for jobs and housing
What It Offers: A plain language overview of background check rules, reporting limits, and why results can vary by state, employer, and screening company.
What Makes a Good Reentry Program
A good reentry program should help with real barriers, not just hand out a phone number. Look for programs that offer case management, job help, housing support, treatment referrals, identification help, legal referrals, transportation support, food assistance, and follow up.
The best programs are honest about what they can and cannot do. If a program cannot help directly, it should still be able to point you toward the right local service.
Tips for Choosing a Reentry Program in Lakeland
Call before you go because hours, intake rules, funding, and eligibility can change.
Ask what documents you need before showing up. Common documents include photo ID, Social Security card, release paperwork, proof of income, proof of homelessness, court papers, or proof of Polk County residency.
Be honest about your situation. If you need housing, addiction treatment, mental health help, food, or legal help, say that clearly.
Apply to more than one resource. One program may be full, but another may be able to help sooner.
Keep a notebook with names, dates, phone numbers, and what each person told you. This helps when you need to follow up.
Disclaimer
This page is for general information only. Program details, phone numbers, addresses, funding, eligibility rules, background check policies, and service availability can change at any time. Always contact the organization directly before visiting or applying. This page is not legal advice, and it does not guarantee housing, employment, benefits, treatment, legal help, or acceptance into any program.
