MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The State of Tennessee has received millions of dollars from the federal government to help federal inmates in Memphis find jobs after they are released.

The state says the Tennessee Office of Reentry will receive $6.7 million over four years through the Partnerships for Reentry Opportunities in Workforce Development grant. Officials plan to use the money to provide re-entry services to inmates then connect them to employers and job training once released.

Some of the services include job preparation, counseling, career exploration and planning, and career services.

$4.4 million in funding will come from the U.S. Department of Justice, and $2.3 million will come from the U.S. Department of Labor.

“When we started the Tennessee Office of Reentry in 2021, we focused on assisting justice-involved individuals from our county jails and state penitentiaries in overcoming barriers to employment,” said Dr. William Arnold, TOOR Director. “Partnering with PROWD allows TOOR to expand its reach to individuals in the federal incarceration system and therefore have a broader, national impact by providing successful workforce-based reentry strategies and partnerships. It is truly a game changer.”

For more information about the grant, click here.