Twelfth Street Heritage Development Corporation was founded in 1984, under the leadership of Ollie Gates. Our mission is to provide quality and stable affordable housing, through construction and rehabilitation within the 12th Street Corridor area of Kansas City. The “Prison-to-Workforce Program” (re-entry program), was established in 2010.

This program serves to offer employment opportunities for ex-offenders as they re-enter society and provide supportive services to heighten their potential for success.These services and activities include, but are not limited to the following:

• equipping ex-offenders with professional skills (interviewing, resume building, career planning, networking, etc.);
• arranging a direct employment opportunity with Twelfth Street Heritage;
• helping ex-offenders navigate applying for jobs in new and expanding industries;
• team-building exercises through crew work assignments;
• and providing referrals for supportive services (housing, counseling, healthcare, substance abuse treatment, GED Prep, vocational training, etc.).

Our re-entry program is garnered toward men and women who have been exited the penal system. Through this program, we are providing the necessary skills and tools that allow them the opportunity to re-enter their communities successfully and productively.

Studies show that the absence of effective re-entry programs leads to higher recidivism rates, meaning the likelihood of an offender committing another offense.

Twelfth Street Heritage's Prison-to-Workforce program has targeted this issue and exists to reduce the likelihood of ex-offenders returning to prison. Some of the expected outcomes of this program include the following:

1) Creating a plan for ex-offenders to re-enter theirneighborhoods in a productive, positive manner;

2) Opportunities for full-time employment at a liveable wage for our program participants;

3) Equipping our participants with newskills, specifically regarding the use of machinery and equipment and;

4) Creating a robust network for ex-offenders to access employment opportunities in various industries.

Due to the success of our Prison-to-Workforce program, Ford Motor Company awarded Twelfth Street Heritage with the "Ford Unsung Heroes" Award in 2015 in recognition ofour successful re-entry program.

Locations

Click on the window icon (upper right corner) of the map below to expand. List of all program locations is included with expanded view of map. Locations are also listed on this page below the map.