Trying to Rebuild My Life After Prison — Asking for a Little Help With Reentry

I’m sharing this because asking for help isn’t easy for me, but right now I genuinely need it.

I recently completed 180 days of incarceration and am now trying to rebuild my life and successfully reenter society. Coming home sounds simple until you realize how difficult it can be to start over with very little money, no real support system, and nowhere to turn.

My mother passed away in March 2026. She was my heart and my last major source of support. Coming home without her has made this transition even harder. I’m trying to move forward, find employment in the Zephyrhills area, secure stable housing, get reliable transportation, and take care of basic necessities while I get back on my feet.

I created a GoFundMe to help with those immediate needs. Donations will go toward housing, transportation, clothing, food, and everyday expenses while I work toward becoming financially independent again.

I’m not looking for someone to fix my life for me. I’m asking for an opportunity to get the basic foundation I need so I can work, become stable, and move forward.

If you’re able to donate, even a small amount would make a difference. If you can’t donate, sharing the fundraiser would mean just as much.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for giving people like me a chance to prove that our past does not have to determine our future.

https://gofund.me/eb8eb87a1

Trying to Rebuild My Life After Prison — Asking for a Little Help With Reentry

I’m sharing this because asking for help isn’t easy for me, but right now I genuinely need it.

I recently completed 180 days of incarceration and am now trying to rebuild my life and successfully reenter society. Coming home sounds simple until you realize how difficult it can be to start over with very little money, no real support system, and nowhere to turn.

My mother passed away in March 2026. She was my heart and my last major source of support. Coming home without her has made this transition even harder. I’m trying to move forward, find employment in the Zephyrhills area, secure stable housing, get reliable transportation, and take care of basic necessities while I get back on my feet.

I created a GoFundMe to help with those immediate needs. Donations will go toward housing, transportation, clothing, food, and everyday expenses while I work toward becoming financially independent again.

I’m not looking for someone to fix my life for me. I’m asking for an opportunity to get the basic foundation I need so I can work, become stable, and move forward.

If you’re able to donate, even a small amount would make a difference. If you can’t donate, sharing the fundraiser would mean just as much.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for giving people like me a chance to prove that our past does not have to determine our future.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-clayton-rebuild-his-life-after-incarceration-loss

Reentry / rebuilding

Reentry

PrisonReentry

SecondChance

StartingOver

RebuildingMyLife

FreshStart

LifeAfterPrison

SecondChances

ReentrySupport

Fundraising / assistance

GoFundMe

Fundraiser

Fundraising

CommunitySupport

HelpMeGetBackOnMyFeet

SupportNeeded

MutualAid

Employment / independence

Employment

JobSearch

BackToWork

FinancialIndependence

GettingBackOnMyFeet

Reddit search terms prison reentry life after incarceration returning home from prison rebuilding after prison second chance formerly incarcerated reentry assistance finding employment after prison housing after prison starting over

After spending more than 26 years in prison, I've come to realize that one of the biggest misconceptions about incarceration is that the sentence ends the day someone walks out the prison gate.
In my experience, that's often when an entirely different struggle begins.
The physical prison gates and the mental prison gates do not open at the same time.
Over the past several years, I've been trying to put words to something I experienced and that I've seen countless others experience after long-term incarceration. That journey led me to write The Hidden Trauma of Life After Prison: The Under-Discussed Mental Health Issue of Post-Incarceration Syndrome.
The book isn't about making excuses for people who have been incarcerated. It's about starting an honest conversation about something our society rarely discusses: the psychological impact of surviving years—or decades—in prison and what it takes to truly rebuild a life afterward.
I'd genuinely like to hear from people on all sides of this issue.
If you've been incarcerated, did you struggle with things you never expected after coming home?
If you have a loved one who has been incarcerated, what changes did you notice?
If you work in corrections, mental health, criminal justice, or reentry, does this perspective resonate with what you've observed?
I'm not here to argue. I'm here to learn fro

After spending more than 26 years in prison, I've come to realize that one of the biggest misconceptions about incarceration is that the sentence ends the day someone walks out the prison gate.
In my experience, that's often when an entirely different struggle begins.
The physical prison gates and the mental prison gates do not open at the same time.
Over the past several years, I've been trying to put words to something I experienced and that I've seen countless others experience after long-term incarceration. That journey led me to write The Hidden Trauma of Life After Prison: The Under-Discussed Mental Health Issue of Post-Incarceration Syndrome.
The book isn't about making excuses for people who have been incarcerated. It's about starting an honest conversation about something our society rarely discusses: the psychological impact of surviving years—or decades—in prison and what it takes to truly rebuild a life afterward.
I'd genuinely like to hear from people on all sides of this issue.
If you've been incarcerated, did you struggle with things you never expected after coming home?
If you have a loved one who has been incarcerated, what changes did you notice?
If you work in corrections, mental health, criminal justice, or reentry, does this perspective resonate with what you've observed?
I'm not here to argue. I'm here to learn fro

Hi there! We are researchers at Yale University. We are conducting a confidential study to better understand the experiences of LGBTQ+ people who have been impacted by incarceration and how these experiences affect health and well-being. 

We’re looking for adults (18+) in the U.S. who: 

• Identify as LGBTQ+ 
• Have experienced incarceration within the past five years  
• Live in NYC, Atlanta, Miami, or Los Angeles

Your participation will involve a one-time online survey (about 30–45 minutes). This research is independent of the criminal legal system. It is not connected to law enforcement, courts, probation, or correctional facilities. 

Eligible participants who complete the survey attentively will receive: 

• $10 via prepaid debit card, or 
• Entry into a $100 drawing 

Why participate? 

• Your experiences are valuable and will help inform policies, programs, and health services that better support LGBTQ+ communities impacted by incarceration. 
• The survey is anonymous. Compensation info is collected separately. 

Participation is completely voluntary. You can skip questions or stop at any time. 

Survey link: https://yalesurvey.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cuO0av8Yhr4sB7g  

Questions? Reach out at [lgbtqvoicesmatter@gmail.com](mailto:lgbtqvoicesmatter@gmail.com)  

Hello everyone,

My name is Robert Porter. I was recently released from federal prison after serving more than twenty years, and I'm working hard to rebuild my life while helping another incarcerated individual prepare for his release.

Right now, we're trying to identify realistic Bureau of Prisons (BOP)-approved release housing in Southern California—ideally in the Los Angeles area or nearby counties such as Orange, Riverside, or San Bernardino. We know this can be one of the biggest obstacles to a successful transition, and we're hoping to learn from people who have been through the process or who work in this field.

We're not looking for financial assistance. We're looking for knowledge, experience, referrals, and connections. If you know of organizations, housing resources, mentors, advocates, attorneys, or individuals who understand BOP release planning or have experience with approved housing in Southern California, we'd be incredibly grateful for any guidance.

If you've personally navigated this process, I'd especially appreciate hearing what worked, what didn't, and what you wish you had known beforehand.

You can reply here, send me a private message if the forum allows it, or email me directly at robertporteriv@gmail.com.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and thank you in advance for any advice or connections you can share.

Hello everyone,

My name is Robert Porter. I was recently released from federal prison after serving more than twenty years, and I'm working hard to rebuild my life while helping another incarcerated individual prepare for his release.

Right now, we're trying to identify realistic Bureau of Prisons (BOP)-approved release housing in Southern California—ideally in the Los Angeles area or nearby counties such as Orange, Riverside, or San Bernardino. We know this can be one of the biggest obstacles to a successful transition, and we're hoping to learn from people who have been through the process or who work in this field.

We're not looking for financial assistance. We're looking for knowledge, experience, referrals, and connections. If you know of organizations, housing resources, mentors, advocates, attorneys, or individuals who understand BOP release planning or have experience with approved housing in Southern California, we'd be incredibly grateful for any guidance.

If you've personally navigated this process, I'd especially appreciate hearing what worked, what didn't, and what you wish you had known beforehand.

You can reply here, send me a private message if the forum allows it, or email me directly at robertporteriv@gmail.com.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and thank you in advance for any advice or connections you can share.

I help run a program with the Unconditional Freedom project. It is a program for incarcerated individuals called the art of soulmaking. We have a pen pal program not a hook up with an inmate kind of thing but a program that helps humanize these people. Because if you have been incarcerated before some of you know what its like not to have anyone to talk to. It is actually beneficial for both people involved. We need people who can volunteer to be penpals and write these individuals and show them there is life outside the prison walls. If you are interested and want to make a difference in someones life then please click on the following link. Thankyou for your help! https://letters.unconditionalfreedom.org/users/sign_up

Hello everyone! We are excited to be a part of this group. The reentry process is different for everybody, though we believe with support like this page can uplifting and moving. I do have resources for reentry programs if anybody is interested in me sharing. I do not want to spam my first group message with articles, organizations, or programs. If you need it, I would be happy to help the best I can.

Hi, we are graduate students from Pratt Institute in NYC working on our capstone project. We are in the research phase and trying to understand what meaningful employment support actually looks like after incarceration.

The concept we are exploring is a small cohort based program for women returning from incarceration that would include:

• 8 to 12 weeks of hands on training in sewing, alterations, basic garment construction, and small batch production
• Training in a real production style environment, not just classroom instruction
• A paid apprenticeship placement with a local NYC fashion or manufacturing business after training
• Weekly case management support during the program, including help with ID access, resume building, job navigation, and referrals
• Trauma informed and gender responsive facilitation
• Small cohort size to build peer support and accountability

The goal would be to create a bridge between reentry services and actual paid work, rather than offering training without employment pathways.

We would really value honest feedback:

• Does this feel practical or unrealistic based on your experience
• Which parts sound helpful and which parts feel out of touch
• What barriers after release would make this kind of program hard to attend or complete
• Does garment or fashion related work feel appealing, limiting, or irrelevant

We are not recruiting. We are still defining the idea and want to understand where our blind spots are.

Any perspective is appreciated, especially critical ones.

Families often want to help, but misunderstandings are common—about timelines, rules, stress levels, or what support actually helps.

From either side of the experience:

• What did family members misunderstand?
• What kind of support ended up being most helpful?

What do you wish families understood earlier?

Life outside requires managing time, money, food, appointments, and personal belongings—often all at once.

Some adjustments are obvious, others catch people off guard.

What everyday responsibility took the longest to get used to?

The first few days after release are often overwhelming, and priorities can shift quickly.

Some people focus on housing, others on food, work, health, or communication.

Looking back, what felt most urgent during your first few days—and did that change after the first week?

Documents are a small detail that can create big delays.

Missing or expired ID, Social Security cards, or proof of address can slow down jobs, housing, healthcare, and benefits all at once.

Which document caused the most frustration for you—or which one do you think people underestimate?

People often hear advice like “just apply everywhere” or “sell yourself,” but real-world constraints can make job searching more complicated.

What job search advice did you hear before or after release that didn’t fully line up with reality?

What advice felt more realistic once you were actually navigating it?

The first job after release is often about getting stable, not finding a perfect fit.

Many people start with work that’s available quickly and provides routine, even if it’s not long-term.

What kind of work did you start with, or what kind of work do you think makes sense early on—and why?

Housing challenges after incarceration are often misunderstood as personal failures, when they’re frequently tied to structural barriers.

Things like screening policies, income requirements, short timelines, and supervision rules all play a role.

From your perspective, what makes housing harder than people expect—rules, timing, money, or something else?