MEN & WOMEN IN PRISON MINISTRIES

What MEN & WOMEN IN PRISON MINISTRIES does

Transforming Reentry Services (operating as Men & Women In Prison Ministries / MWIPM / TRS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1982 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The organization delivers direct, comprehensive reentry services to formerly incarcerated individuals, substance abusers, and Black women through five operational departments: Health & Wellness, Social Economic Recovery, Advocacy, Capacity Building, and International Programs & Services. Its service-delivery framework — the proprietary "First Step Model" — is a client-centered, culturally competent approach that channels returning citizens through trusted local community and faith-based organizations to access basic needs such as housing, food, and employment, augmented by free HIV/HEP-C screening, PrEP/PEP education, harm reduction, prison advocacy, and a statewide Illinois Community Supportive Services and Referrals Directory mobile app.

The organization is funded entirely through donations, fundraising activities, and grants; 90% of fundraiser proceeds are directed to TRS, and services are provided free of charge to clients. In 2024, the 14-person staff, alongside volunteers and interns, served over 2,500 reentry population individuals across Chicago communities including Bronzeville, Englewood, and Austin. Advocacy is conducted through a coalition of 300 members and member organizations representing incarcerated and formerly incarcerated communities. The organization maintains two physical service locations in Chicago (10 West 35th St., 9th Floor and 609 S. California Ave, 2nd Floor), a mail-based nationwide outreach program (Building Bridges Through The Mail), and a partnership with AIDS Chicago for joint fundraising including AIDS Run & Walk Chicago. Its programmatic portfolio includes the Queens' Care program dedicated to Black women's HIV prevention and care, a Family Reunification Support Group, and a Consumer Advisory Board composed of formerly incarcerated individuals.

Name

MEN & WOMEN IN PRISON MINISTRIES

Legal name

Transforming Reentry Services (MWIPM) 501(c)(3)

Website

https://mwipm.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Transforming Reentry Services (Men & Women In Prison Ministries) is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1982 that delivers free, client-centered reentry services — including HIV screening, housing and employment assistance, harm reduction, and advocacy — to formerly incarcerated individuals, substance abusers, and Black women across Chicago communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reentry and Social Services for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (621420)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services (BPAGAEAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

MHPSS & Trauma-Informed Support for Displaced Populations (BPADAHAJ)

Keywords

• Reentry support services
• Prison ministry programs
• HIV prevention screening
• Harm reduction services
• Community reentry advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit relying on donations and fundraising activities. The website mentions that 90% of fundraiser proceeds go directly to Transforming Reentry Services.
2. Grants and Funding: The organization receives funding from various funders and partners as shown in their funders section, supporting programs like free HIV health screenings, linkage to care, and prevention education around PEP and PrEP.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Transforming Reentry Services (MWIPM) provides direct comprehensive services to the reentry population using the proprietary First Step Model, a client-centered and culturally competent approach. Services span five departments — Health & Wellness (including free HIV/HEP-C screening), Social Economic Recovery, Prison Advocacy, Capacity Building, and International Programs & Services — and include targeted programs such as Queens' Care (HIV prevention for Black women), Harm Reduction, Family Reunification Support Groups, and the Building Bridges Through The Mail (BBM) correspondence program.

Product overview

Transforming Reentry Services/MWIPM operates as a nonprofit organization providing comprehensive reentry services through five interconnected departments: Health & Wellness, Social Economic Recovery, Advocacy, Capacity Building, and International Programs & Services. The organization serves the reentry population using the First Step Model, delivering client-centered and culturally competent services including free HIV/HEP-C screening, prison advocacy through 300 member organizations, and the Illinois Community Supportive Services Directory app. Key programs include Queens' Care (HIV prevention for Black women), Building Bridges Through The Mail Program, Harm Reduction, and the Consumer Advisory Board. In 2024, the organization provided services to over 2,500 individuals in the reentry population across Chicago communities including Bronzeville, Englewood, and Austin since 1982.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Health & Wellness Programs Program addressing the health and well-being of individuals incarcerated, individuals at risk of incarceration or recidivism, and returning citizens; includes free HIV and HEP-C screening services at designated Chicago office locations.
• Social Economic Recovery Programs Programs strengthening and preserving positive family dynamics and quality of life for returning citizens, including support for housing, food, employment, and family reunification.
• Prison Advocacy Advocacy program ensuring the human rights of individuals engaged in the criminal justice system are not violated, delivered through a 300-member and member-organization advocacy network.
• Capacity Building Services Program supporting the development and growth of organizations addressing the medical, social, and economic disparities of underserved or disenfranchised communities.
• International Programs & Services Programs working in partnership with organizations, churches, and government officials to support community efforts empowering returning citizens and promoting health and well-being of underserved populations internationally.
• Queens' Care Program dedicated to supporting Black women by addressing health disparities, especially around HIV prevention and care; provides free testing, linkage to care, education, and community-centered resources.
• Building Bridges Through The Mail Program (BBM) Mail-based program connecting incarcerated individuals with their families and communities through correspondence, supporting nationwide reentry outreach.
• Harm Reduction Program Program focused on reducing harm associated with substance use and supporting individuals at risk, including those in the reentry population and substance abusers.
• Illinois Community Supportive Services and Referrals Directory Statewide digital directory and mobile app providing referrals and community support information for people leaving prison or jail throughout Illinois.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• AIDS ChicagocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for fundraising activities including AIDS Run & Walk Chicago. The organization participates in Team fundraising through action.aidschicago.org with donations supporting essential services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Heartland Alliance: Chicago-based social services nonprofit serving people affected by poverty, including justice-involved individuals. Comparable as a major Chicago social-services provider with overlapping reentry, housing, and health programs.
• Chicago Recovery Alliance: Chicago-based harm reduction organization providing syringe exchange, naloxone, and substance use support. Comparable for harm reduction programming and Chicago-based community service delivery.
• AIDS Foundation of Chicago: Chicago-based nonprofit addressing HIV/AIDS through prevention, care, and advocacy. Comparable for shared Chicago footprint, HIV screening and prevention programs (PEP/PrEP), and existing TRS partnership.
• Osborne Association: New York-based nonprofit offering reentry services, family programs, and advocacy for people affected by the criminal justice system. Comparable for the combination of direct services, family reunification, and advocacy.
• A New Way of Life: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing housing, reentry support, and advocacy led by formerly incarcerated women. Comparable in peer-led, women-centered reentry services and advocacy integration.
• Fortune Society: New York-based nonprofit providing comprehensive reentry services including housing, education, employment, and advocacy for formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable in mission, integrated services-plus-advocacy model, and peer-led leadership approach.
• Safer Foundation: Chicago-based nonprofit providing employment, housing, and reentry support services for formerly incarcerated individuals. Directly comparable given shared Chicago footprint, reentry population focus, and similar service mix.
• Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): National nonprofit providing immediate employment and reentry support for people returning from incarceration. Comparable for its reentry-focused direct services model and outcomes-driven approach.

Broad incumbents

• Volunteers of America Illinois: Large established social services organization operating reentry, housing, and behavioral health programs across Illinois. Comparable as a broader-incumbent peer with overlapping reentry and human services portfolio.

Emerging players

• Thresholds: Chicago-based nonprofit providing mental health and substance use treatment, including programs for justice-involved individuals. Comparable for behavioral health and substance use service overlap, though its primary focus is clinical treatment rather than reentry.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TRS_MWIPM
• Facebookfacebook.com/TRSMWIPM
• Instagraminstagram.com/transformingreentry/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/men-&-women-in-prison-ministries

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MEN & WOMEN IN PRISON MINISTRIES