INDIANAPOLIS — The Office of Public Health and Safety (OPHS) awarded Thomas Ridley’s 1 Like Me, a community-based organization that specializes in providing services to individuals who have been formerly incarcerated, as the recipient of over $2 million in funding under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The funding will help expand the organization’s services that empower and support individuals reintegrating into society.
The partnership between OPHS and Thomas Ridley’s 1 Like Me has spanned five years, beginning in 2018. Initially, the two entities coordinated to set up a clinic to help reentrants obtain the resources needed to reinstate their driver’s licenses and expunge qualifying infractions that may prevent the reinstatement process. OPHS provided funding to cover any fees and barriers reentrants might face during the process. Thomas Ridley’s 1 Like Me provided the necessary workforce to collect and file all the required documentation.
Originally, Thomas Ridley’s 1 Like Me operated with only two full-time employees, predominantly relying on student volunteers from Indiana University McKinney School of Law. Through the additional funding from OPHS, 15 full-time employees, including a full-time attorney to oversee all legal aspects of the process, have been hired to increase capacity and expand the reach of those served.
For those seeking more information about Thomas Ridley’s 1 Like Me and its services, please email: hopehustleroutreach@gmail.com