- I am right outside of the Hamilton County Jail where there's a reentry program that helps formally incarcerated individuals find work and get their lives on track.

But according to the program director, without housing the efforts of formally incarcerated individuals might get derailed.

Take a look.

- What's up?

Alright, everybody, find a seat.

Got a little thing going on today?

- Inmates enter the Manna program at the Hamilton County Jail in Cincinnati.

Hey man.

Good to see you, brother.

You in here.

Manna stands for Mentoring Against Negative Actions.

It's a prison ministry run by former Bengal Safety.

David Fulcher and his wife Judy.

David started the prison ministry back in 2002 in collaboration with local prisons, GED programs.

He has helped countless individuals get their lives back on track - And most of these guys are really smart.

I think some of these guys are probably smarter than me, but I think that the difference between me and them is the choice.

All I do is try to put 'em on the track of making better choices when they get out.

- Travis Jewel was recently released from the Butler County Jail where he was serving time for a substance abuse related offense.

David said Travis really absorbed the teachings of the Manna program and was eager to give his life a new start.

- Travis text me five minutes after he got out.

Not everybody does that.

They say, yep, I'm walking out my, my girls come to pick me up, man, and I'm on my way home.

But I wanted to let you know I was out and I'm ready to work.

- I've called David, I called him probably twice a day for three months.

He was a big part of my recovery when I was incarcerated as well.

- How long did it take you to get a job after you left jail?

- About two months.

The time I actually got situated.

Got everything under control, my living arrangements and then transportation of where we could work and so forth.

- Since being released from jail in December of 2024, he has remained clean, graduated with his GED works as an equipment operator for a local company, and even plans on marrying his longtime girlfriend this summer.

But there was one essential thing that made his second chance at life possible.

Did you know where you were gonna stay after you left jail?

Yes.

What options did you have?

Either here in the streets, - People that we have worked with that have stable housing, their, their employment history is much longer.

- That's Trina Jackson, director of the Hamilton County Office of Reentry.

The organization helps returning citizens get the essentials they need to thrive.

Trina says one of the core basic elements those individuals need is housing.

- It's very difficult to even move on to something at a little bit higher level like employment if they're not sure where they're gonna lay their head.

- Do you think there is a clear path to housing for formerly incarcerated individuals?

- I don't think there's a clear path because there's the stigma that's associated with incarceration.

You know, when someone runs your background, they're gonna see you, you know, you were incarcerated, then you're denied housing because of your background.

And so that whole stigma just kind of goes along with you're care.

You're carrying it through your lifetime.

- We gotta understand what society is asking these guys to do.

They're asking them to be Superman without a cape.

- Lucky for Travis, his soon-to-be wife supported him and allowed him to come home.

What do you think would've happened if you didn't have a place to stay?

I'd probably be dead - By now - Or back in jail.

The Office of Reentry is looking to create opportunities for those that don't have a solid support system when they are released.

- So we are in the process now of working with one of our housing partners, a landlord.

She actually purchased a property.

Her name is Dr. Hamilton, be Denise Hamilton.

She is in the process of applying for a grant to cover the rehab costs and those units will be available to our clients - And more opportunities like that are needed for individuals such as the ones in Davis Manna program.

- How many of us, when, if we were released a day, have a place to stay?

Okay, very iffy.

- Here's some of the inmates.

Share how having a place to live would help them.

- That's gonna give you more time to focus on getting a job, more time to focus on getting transportation and working in other areas of your life.

- But it gave me stability to the point where I was able to work and get enough money to go back to staying with a family member and eventually getting my own place.

- Because when I, before I got here, I just had my spot loss, everything, you know, and I'm talking about everything.

Job three bedrooms, spending 15, most you guys have, most have, you know what I'm saying?

And, and I'm only 33 and I have a son, six years old.

At the end of the day, like living on your own is, is, is be the best thing for you.

You know what I'm saying?

- But you need somewhere to lay your head at because if you ain't got nowhere to lay at you, running right back to the people, places and the things that you, that got us here in the first place.

God, that solid foundation - And the solid foundation is Hal.

- We all have a past.

Whether it haunts us or not doesn't mean that you have to shun us away from a second chance.

How do you know who I am?

If you don't gimme a chance.

- This is the four unit apartment building that Dr. Bernice Hamilton purchased in the Westwood neighborhood.

It will be opening to the clients being seen in the Office of Reentry who are looking to reestablish their lives.

They're currently waiting for APA funding in order to renovate these four units.

And according to Trina Jackson, these units will be available in the next 30 to 60 days.

For Brick by Brick, I'm Hearns Lagar, Jr.