Voices for a Second Chance

What Voices for a Second Chance does

Voices for a Second Chance (VSC) is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization that provides a four-phase continuum of reentry services to formerly incarcerated individuals (returning citizens) across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Founded in 1969 as the Visitors' Services Center to support families visiting inmates at the D.C. Jail, the organization rebranded in 2015 under its current name to reflect its expanded mission of comprehensive reentry support. Services span pre-release planning (First Responder Services delivered inside correctional facilities and halfway houses), immediate post-release stabilization (The Welcome Home Center, including mobile outreach to neighborhoods and encampments), long-term case management (Moving Toward Stability), and advocacy/empowerment programming (Community of Voices, including the Train Our Voices 33-week civic engagement curriculum and the Solutions From the Yard podcast).

VSC's service portfolio is delivered through human-intensive case management rather than proprietary technology. The organization runs no app, API, or proprietary platform; it relies on standard nonprofit case management, outreach, and communications tools, supplemented by facility-based in-reach and field-based mobile delivery. Specialized programs include H.E.R. (Healing Each Other Respectfully), a peer support group for formerly incarcerated women; Staying On Track, a monthly peer support group; the New Terrain Program, providing life-stabilizer assistance such as transportation, vital documents, and rental/utility support; and the Urgent Wellness Initiative, addressing health disparities through mobile health screenings and behavioral health referrals.

VSC's revenue model is a hybrid of three streams: individual donations (via website with preset tiers of $10/$50/$250 and custom amounts), foundation and corporate grants (from supporters including Bernstein Family Foundation, Eugene M. Lang Foundation, Meyer Foundation, Greater Washington Community Foundation, Impact100 DC, Capital One Impact Initiative, and Uber), and government funding (notably through the D.C. Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants and the D.C. Department of Corrections). All services are free to clients; there is no pricing model and no fee-for-service component. The organization is led by President & CEO Paula C. Thompson and governed by a Board of Directors with legal, financial, and community expertise.

Name

Voices for a Second Chance

Legal name

Voices for a Second Chance

Website

https://vscdc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Voices for a Second Chance is a Washington, D.C. nonprofit founded in 1969 that delivers a four-phase reentry continuum—pre-release in-reach, post-release stabilization, long-term case management, and advocacy training—to formerly incarcerated individuals across the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region, funded by donations, foundation grants, and government contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reentry and Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services (BPAGAEAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Workforce Reentry Programs (Justice-Involved) (EDAAAOAG)

Keywords

• Reentry services
• Criminal justice support
• Returning citizens assistance
• Workforce reentry
• Nonprofit community services

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: VSC accepts donations from individuals through their website, with preset amounts ($10, $50, $250) and custom amounts. These donations support client services, housing assistance, meals, and essentials.
2. Foundation and Corporate Grants: VSC receives support from foundations and corporate partners including Bernstein Family Foundation, Eugene M Lang Foundation, Meyer Foundation, Greater Washington Community Foundation, Impact100 DC, and corporate partners like Capital One Impact Initiative and Uber.
3. Government Contracts and Grants: VSC partners with government agencies including the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants (OVSJG) and collaborates with the D.C. Department of Corrections and other justice system entities to provide reentry services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Voices for a Second Chance (VSC) is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that provides free reentry services to justice-involved individuals returning from incarceration. Its offerings span workforce development, mentorship, housing transition support, behavioral health and wellness resources, and advocacy, delivered from the point of release through long-term community reintegration. Programs are funded through donations, grants, sponsorships, and government contracts.

Product overview

Voices for a Second Chance operates as a comprehensive reentry services nonprofit offering a four-phase continuum of care for justice-involved individuals. The core product portfolio consists of First Responder Services (pre-release support inside facilities), The Welcome Home Center (immediate post-release stabilization), Moving Toward Stability (long-term case management), and Community of Voices (advocacy and empowerment). Supporting these phases are specialized programs including Train Our Voices (33-week advocacy training), Solutions From the Yard Podcast (media storytelling), H.E.R. and Staying On Track support groups, the New Terrain Program for emergent needs, and the Urgent Wellness Initiative for health disparities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• First Responder Services Immediate, front-line support delivered to individuals at the point of release, including crisis response and connection to ongoing VSC programs. Targeted at returning citizens in the Washington, D.C. area.

Quantifiable outcome

• 62% recidivism rate nationally within 3 years highlights the need for VSC's pre-release intervention approach

Named customers2 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

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• UbercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransportation partner providing SmartTrip cards and Uber rides to help clients get to work, appointments, and classes during their transition
• Clifford ChancesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw firm providing legal support and expertise for VSC's programs and advocacy efforts
• CovingtonsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw firm providing legal expertise and support for VSC operations
• Legal Action CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing legal resources and support for returning citizens VSC serves
• The Share FundsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting VSC's work with returning citizens
• St. Alban's ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaith-based community partner supporting VSC's mission
• Community House ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaith-based community partner supporting VSC's mission
• Volunteers of America BaltimorecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHalfway house partner where VSC provides in-reach services and pre-release planning for incarcerated individuals transitioning to the community
• Fairview Women's Halfway HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen's halfway house partner where VSC provides on-site support and reentry services for female clients
• D.C. Department of CorrectionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner allowing VSC to conduct in-reach and pre-release services at D.C. Jail and related facilities

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Root & Rebound: California-based nonprofit providing legal reentry support, advocacy, and capacity building for people with conviction histories — comparable advocacy-driven approach and reentry navigation model.
• Offenders Aid and Restoration (OAR): Virginia-based nonprofit providing reentry services to returning citizens in the DMV area, including case management, employment support, and housing — directly comparable to VSC's four-phase model and overlapping funder ecosystem.
• Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): National reentry nonprofit delivering transitional employment, job coaching, and post-release support to people returning from incarceration — directly comparable workforce reentry component and similar grant-funded model.
• Fortune Society: Long-standing NYC reentry organization providing comprehensive services from pre-release through long-term reintegration, including advocacy training — directly comparable continuum-of-care model and peer-led approach.
• Osborne Association: New York-based reentry nonprofit operating in-custody programs, reentry housing, family services, and advocacy — closely comparable in scope, advocacy emphasis, and corrections-system access.

Emerging players

• Bread for the City: DC-based social services nonprofit providing food, clothing, medical care, and social services to low-income residents — shares VSC's DMV footprint and low-income client base, but broader mission without reentry specialization.
• Sasha Bruce Youthwork: DC-based nonprofit serving youth and young adults experiencing homelessness and family disruption, including those with justice involvement — comparable DC-area community-based services and funder base, but youth-focused rather than adult reentry.

Regional players

• Free Minds Book Club & Writing Academy: DC-based nonprofit serving incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youth and adults through literacy, writing, and reentry support — shares VSC's DMV footprint, justice-involved clientele, and emphasis on voice/advocacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/voicesforasecondchance
• Instagraminstagram.com/voicesforasecondchance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Voices for a Second Chance