Last Updated on: April 23, 2026
Illinois has real reentry help, but it is spread across nonprofit programs, faith based organizations, transitional housing providers, county level services, and statewide resource hubs. For most people, the best place to start is one strong local program, the Illinois Reentry Resource Hub, 211 Illinois for urgent needs, and a legal record clearing resource if your record is blocking work or housing.
Notice: You may also find our Reentry Survival Guide for Felons helpful in addition to this page.
List of Reentry Programs in Illinois
Safer Foundation
Address: 571 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60661
Phone: (312) 922-2200
Best for: People in Chicago who want one of the biggest and best known reentry organizations in Illinois
What it offers: Job placement, training, education support, reentry wellness services, and practical help for people with arrest and conviction records.
Saint Leonard’s Ministries
Address: 2100 W. Warren Blvd., Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: (312) 738-1414
Best for: People who need a full reentry program with housing, employment, and education support
What it offers: Residential programs, education, job readiness, counseling support, and long term reentry help.
Bridge to Freedom
Address: 3700 S. Iron St., Chicago, IL 60609
Phone: (877) 359-1735
Best for: People who want housing based reentry support with mentoring and life rebuilding help
What it offers: Transitional housing, mentoring, life skills, job readiness, trauma support, and substance recovery support.
Legacy Reentry Foundation
Address: 420 W. Clayton St., Waukegan, IL 60085
Phone: (800) 573-8538
Best for: People in Lake County who want holistic reentry support and second chance guidance
What it offers: Reentry support, job readiness, education guidance, life skills help, housing connections, and community reintegration services.
First Followers
Address: 314 Cottage Ct., Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: (217) 607-1131
Best for: People in the Champaign area who want peer based reentry help from people with lived experience
What it offers: Peer support, mentoring, advocacy, community support, and reentry guidance.
Teamwork Englewood
Address: 815 W. 63rd St., 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60621
Phone: (773) 488-6600
Best for: Returning residents on the South Side of Chicago who need practical support and job focused help
What it offers: Reentry services, legal support, job training, hiring events, and community based support.
Transforming Reentry Services / MWIPM
Address: Chicago, IL
Phone: (312) 328-9610
Best for: People who want direct reentry help through a long running community organization
What it offers: Comprehensive reentry services, support with basic needs, and culturally competent client centered support.
LifeHouse Group
Address: 14127 Leavitt Ave., Blue Island, IL 60406
Phone: (708) 897-8581
Best for: Men who need recovery focused reentry structure and longer term stability
What it offers: Transitional housing, recovery support, life structure, and reentry focused services.
JUST of DuPage
Address: DuPage County Correctional Facility, 501 N. County Farm Rd., Wheaton, IL 60187
Phone: (630) 407-2201
Best for: People in or leaving the DuPage County system who need support and encouragement
What it offers: Reentry programming, support services, classes, and community connections.
Fox Valley Adult Transition Center
Address: 1329 N. Lake St., Aurora, IL 60506
Phone: (630) 897-5610
Best for: People eligible for structured work release and transition support
What it offers: Adult transition center placement, work release structure, and supervised reentry support.
North Lawndale Adult Transition Center
Address: 2839 W. Fillmore St., Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: (773) 638-8480
Best for: People who need structured reentry housing and work release support in Chicago
What it offers: Work release, transitional housing, and supervised reintegration support.
Safer Foundation, Danny K. Davis Second Chance Center
Address: 808 S. Kedzie Ave., Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: (773) 265-0423
Best for: People on Chicago’s West Side who need reentry support tied to jobs, housing, and counseling
What it offers: Job training, counseling, education support, and social support connections for returning residents.
Safer Foundation Southside Office
Address: 5517 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60637
Phone: (872) 298-1617
Best for: People returning to the South Side who want a Safer Foundation location closer to home
What it offers: Reentry support, job help, and community based services.
Association House of Chicago
Address: 1116 N. Kedzie Ave., Chicago, IL 60651
Phone: (773) 772-7170
Best for: People who need a broad community organization that can connect them to multiple services
What it offers: Employment support, behavioral health support, and community service connections.
Hand N Hand Outreach NFP
Address: Chicago, IL
Phone: (773) 723-1312
Best for: People who need reentry help tied to addiction recovery and housing support
What it offers: Reentry support, housing related help, and community based recovery support.
Our Brothers’ Keepers of Southern Illinois
Address: East St. Louis, IL
Phone: (618) 271-7821
Best for: People in southern Illinois who need faith based support and basic reentry guidance
What it offers: Community support, mentoring, and practical assistance.
Women’s Justice Institute
Address: Chicago, IL
Phone: Not listed on website
Best for: Women and gender responsive reentry support
What it offers: Support, advocacy, and programs focused on improving outcomes for women impacted by incarceration.
TASC
Address: Chicago, IL
Phone: (312) 787-0208
Best for: People whose reentry needs overlap with substance use, mental health, or justice system supervision
What it offers: Care coordination, treatment support, case management, and justice linked services.
RITAS Ministry
Address: 160 S. River St., Suite 108, Aurora, IL 60506
Phone: (630) 966-0252
Best for: People who want faith based reentry help in the Aurora area
What it offers: Reentry services, support for justice involved people, and family support.
Need a Simple Plan for Starting Over?
Our survival guide walks through the basics of what to do first after release, including housing, work, documents, and staying on track.
Halfway Houses and Transitional Housing in Illinois
Saint Leonard’s House
Address: 2100 and 2110 W. Warren Blvd., Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: (312) 738-1414
Best for: Men returning from prison who need structured housing and supportive services
What it offers: Interim housing, case management, counseling, meals, employment help, and housing placement support.
Grace House
Address: 1801 W. Adams St., Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: (312) 226-6200
Best for: Women leaving prison who need structured transitional housing
What it offers: Interim housing, counseling, goal planning, and supportive reentry services.
Bridge to Freedom
Address: 3700 S. Iron St., Chicago, IL 60609
Phone: (877) 359-1735
Best for: People who want longer term transitional support after release
What it offers: Transitional housing, mentoring, recovery support, and job readiness help.
LifeHouse Group
Address: 14127 Leavitt Ave., Blue Island, IL 60406
Phone: (708) 897-8581
Best for: Men who need sober, structured, recovery oriented housing
What it offers: Long term transitional housing, accountability, and recovery based reentry support.
North Lawndale Adult Transition Center
Address: 2839 W. Fillmore St., Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: (773) 638-8480
Best for: People approved for work release style transition support
What it offers: Reentry housing and structured work release support.
Crossroads Adult Transition Center
Address: 3210 W. Arthington St., Chicago, IL 60624
Phone: (773) 533-5000
Best for: People who need structured reentry housing in Chicago
What it offers: Work release housing, supervised transition, and reentry support.
If housing is your biggest problem, start with a place that can stabilize you fast, then work on everything else. You may also want to read our housing guide for felons and our page on public housing rules for felons.
Housing Solutions and Information
Illinois Reentry Resource Hub
Address: Statewide resource hub
Phone: Not listed on website
Best for: Anyone who needs a statewide starting point
What it offers: Reentry information tied to housing, employment, healthcare, mental health, and legal assistance.
Reentry Illinois Resource Directory
Address: Statewide online directory
Phone: Not listed on website
Best for: People who want searchable county by county resources
What it offers: A statewide database for housing, jobs, benefits, education, and support services.
211 Illinois
Address: Statewide
Phone: 211
Best for: Anyone who needs immediate local help
What it offers: Referrals for housing, rent help, shelters, food, healthcare, mental health care, and urgent needs.
Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness Reentry Project
Address: Chicago, IL
Phone: Not listed on website
Best for: People dealing with homelessness or housing barriers tied to a record
What it offers: Advocacy, housing related reentry support, and information for justice involved people.
Illinois State Appellate Defender Returning Citizen Resources
Address: Statewide
Phone: Not listed on website
Best for: People who want one page with many Illinois resources by region
What it offers: Regional listings for housing, employment, legal help, and support services.
Emergency Food, Clothing, and Shelter
211 Illinois
Address: Statewide
Phone: 211
Best for: People who need emergency help right now
What it offers: Shelter referrals, food help, clothing resources, utility help, and crisis support.
Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness
Address: 70 E. Lake St., Suite 720, Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 641-4140
Best for: People dealing with homelessness or unstable housing in Chicago
What it offers: Housing related advocacy, resources, and guidance.
Teamwork Englewood
Address: 815 W. 63rd St., 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60621
Phone: (773) 488-6600
Best for: Returning residents who need local support and service connections
What it offers: Reentry support, referrals, community help, and employment focused services.
Our Brothers’ Keepers of Southern Illinois
Address: East St. Louis, IL
Phone: (618) 271-7821
Best for: People in southern Illinois who need immediate community support
What it offers: Faith based support and practical help.
If your basic needs are unstable, use this section first. Then work through our broader resources for felons page for more help.
Free or Low Cost Healthcare
211 Illinois
Address: Statewide
Phone: 211
Best for: People who need local clinic or mental health referrals
What it offers: Referrals for clinics, counseling, crisis support, and healthcare access.
TASC
Address: Chicago, IL
Phone: (312) 787-0208
Best for: People who need support tied to substance use, mental health, or case management
What it offers: Care coordination, treatment support, and justice linked behavioral health services.
Illinois Medicaid Community Behavioral Health Services
Address: Statewide
Phone: Not listed on website
Best for: People trying to understand behavioral health services covered by Medicaid
What it offers: Information on behavioral health benefits and provider access for Medicaid recipients.
Illinois Reentry Resource Hub
Address: Statewide resource hub
Phone: Not listed on website
Best for: People who need healthcare, mental health, or broader reentry support information
What it offers: Health related resource connections along with other reentry supports.
Legal Documents and Record Help
CyberDrive Illinois
Address: Statewide driver services
Phone: Not listed on website
Best for: People who need a state ID, driver license, or reinstatement information
What it offers: Illinois ID and driving related services.
Illinois Department of Public Health Birth Records
Address: Statewide vital records
Phone: (217) 782-6554
Best for: People who need a birth certificate for work, housing, or benefits
What it offers: Official birth certificate ordering information.
Cabrini Green Legal Aid
Address: Chicago, IL
Phone: Not listed on website
Best for: People who need legal help related to criminal records and reentry barriers
What it offers: Criminal and civil legal help, social work support, and help with expungement, sealing, and other barriers.
New Leaf Illinois
Address: Statewide
Phone: Not listed on website
Best for: People checking whether they qualify for record clearing help
What it offers: Free record clearing information and help for eligible Illinois cases.
Illinois Legal Aid Online Reentry Resources
Address: Statewide online resource
Phone: Not listed on website
Best for: People who want plain English legal information after release
What it offers: Reentry guidance, record help, and links to useful statewide services.
You may also want to read our felony expungement and record sealing guide and our background check laws overview.
Financial Help and Information
Getting out of jail or prison is expensive. Many people need money for food, transportation, work clothes, phone service, ID fees, and housing. In Illinois, the best first move for immediate help is usually 211 or a strong local reentry program that can connect you to emergency aid, job help, and benefits support.
211 Illinois
Address: Statewide
Phone: 211
Best for: People who need local aid fast
What it offers: Referrals for rent help, food, utility help, and emergency assistance.
Illinois Reentry Resource Hub
Address: Statewide resource hub
Phone: Not listed on website
Best for: People who need a broader starting point for benefits and support
What it offers: Connections to housing, healthcare, legal help, and other support services.
Legacy Reentry Foundation
Address: 420 W. Clayton St., Waukegan, IL 60085
Phone: (800) 573-8538
Best for: People who need practical reentry support that can help stabilize finances and daily life
What it offers: Life skills, employment support, and community reintegration help.
For broader money help, also read our financial help for felons resources and grants for felons pages.
Employment Help
Safer Foundation
Address: 571 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60661
Phone: (312) 922-2200
Best for: People whose top priority is getting back to work
What it offers: Job placement, training, employer connections, and education support.
Illinois Re-Entry Employment Service Program
Address: Statewide
Phone: Not listed on website
Best for: People who want an official state employment related reentry resource
What it offers: Reentry employment guidance and links to partner resources.
Saint Leonard’s Ministries Michael Barlow Center
Address: 2100 W. Warren Blvd., Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: (312) 738-1414
Best for: People who need education and job readiness in the same place
What it offers: Education, literacy help, training, job preparation, and career support.
First Followers
Address: 314 Cottage Ct., Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: (217) 607-1131
Best for: People who want peer support while they rebuild work and life
What it offers: Mentoring, support, and local reentry guidance.
Teamwork Englewood
Address: 815 W. 63rd St., 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60621
Phone: (773) 488-6600
Best for: People who want job focused reentry help in Chicago
What it offers: Job training, hiring events, legal support, and community services.
You may also want to read our Jobs for Felons in Illinois page.
Substance Abuse Help
TASC
Address: Chicago, IL
Phone: (312) 787-0208
Best for: People who need treatment connected to justice system involvement
What it offers: Care coordination, treatment engagement, and support linked to recovery and reentry.
LifeHouse Group
Address: 14127 Leavitt Ave., Blue Island, IL 60406
Phone: (708) 897-8581
Best for: Men who need sober housing and recovery structure
What it offers: Recovery housing, support, and long term accountability.
Bridge to Freedom
Address: 3700 S. Iron St., Chicago, IL 60609
Phone: (877) 359-1735
Best for: People who need substance recovery support as part of a bigger reentry plan
What it offers: Housing, mentoring, recovery support, and life rebuilding help.
Hand N Hand Outreach NFP
Address: Chicago, IL
Phone: (773) 723-1312
Best for: People who need reentry support connected to addiction recovery
What it offers: Outreach, housing related help, and recovery support.
Helpful Illinois Pages on Help For Felons
f you need more than reentry programs, these guides may help:
- Housing for Felons – Find housing options, second chance apartments, and practical tips.
- Companies That Hire Felons – See employers that may be more open to hiring people with records.
- Financial Help and Info – Learn about financial help, grant options, and emergency support.
- Food Stamps for Felons – Find out who qualifies and how to apply.
- Expungement and Record Sealing – Learn whether you may be able to clean up your record.
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.
