RECONNECT, a program of AMICUS, is an information and referral service especially for ex-offenders. We understand the special challenges that come with being an ex-offender. We can help you link up with:

We don’t get involved in business between the ex-offender and the Department of Corrections, and we don’t advocate for you in the judicial system. But if you need practical help and leads for housing, jobs and other needs, we’ll meet with you individually and help you locate resources to build a new and positive life.

RECONNECT services are available through consultations in prison and also at the AMICUS office in downtown Minneapolis after your release. You can also access helpful information through RECONNECT Online. Contact us today to set up an appointment.

RECONNECT also welcomes employers, landlords, and service providers who might be willing to hire, rent to, or assist ex-offenders to contact us for information and be added to our resource list.

I hope this letter reaches you in the best of health. I’m doing fine—OK, great. I’ve got a job at McDonald’s in Eden Prairie. It doesn’t pay much, but it’s a start. I started last week, working 40 hours a week from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

I’m constantly planning my future, and grateful to have people who have supported me and helped me get to this point. I was down at AMICUS the week before last. Dona gave me my birth certificate, whereupon I went to get my Minnesota I.D. I took your suggestion and am having it sent to AMICUS.

I’ll be writing Richard Amos next week about getting an apartment upon my release September 7.

I’ll be calling you Monday at approximately 3:30 p.m., #1 to see how y’all are doing, and #2 to see if I can get a bus pass for work.

My biggest goal in life is to be a responsible person, to stop hurting and taking away from the community and start giving back: sharing the knowledge I’ve gained and helping the young brothers with their self esteem and worth.

Resource Links
Here you'll find Reconnect resources and sites that are related to ours. We have listed phone numbers to call, however you can follow the hyperlinks (where available) for more information. If you know of more links that we should list here, email us at staff@amicususa.org
General Resources	Greater Twin Cities United Way - 211 First Call for Help Call 211 for information and referrals in Minnesota Alliance of the Streets A program of St. Stephens, Minneapolis Restorative Justice Community - Minnesota A listing of resources in Minnesota.
Employment	www.startribune.com/workavenue (Listings from the Minneapolis Star Tribune) www.pioneerplanet.com/jobhunter (Listings from the St. Paul Pioneer Press) www.co.hennepin.mn.us/jobs/jobs.htm www.co.ramsey.mn.us/hr/index.asp www.iseek.org (Contains lots of information about applying for jobs, interviewing, etc.) www.mnworkforcecenter.org/jobs/jobnet.htm (Contains a link to the Minnesota Job Bank) Duluth: www.duluthnews.com Rochester: www.rochesterjobfinder.com St. Cloud: www.sctimes.com Mankato: www.mankatoworks.com www.careerbuilder.com www.jobweb.com tbrnet.com (note: you do not need to type "www" for this site) Agencies specializing in employment: Workforce Centers (Minnesota Department of Economic Security) call (888) 438-5627 or visit www.mnworkforcecenter.org Wilder EXCEL Job Club, call (651) 917-6225 for more information HIRED, call (612) 529-3342 or visit www.hired.org Project For Pride In Living (PPL) call (612) 874-8511 or visit www.ppl-inc.org Twin Cities Rise!, call (612) 338-0295 for more information
Public Transportation	Metro Transit bus system, call (612) 349-7400 or visit www.metrocouncil.org/transit/index.htm Anoka County Transit, call (763) 422-7075 Minnesota Valley Transit Authority (Burnsville, Eagan, etc.) call (952) 882-7500 Plymouth Metrolink, call (763) 349-7000 Dial-A-Ride Services, call (612) 559-5057 Metro Mobility (disabled) call (651) 602-1111
Housing	If you need a place to sleep tonight - Call 1-888-234-1329 The MESH-TCCVM Metro Shelter Hotline gives you the information you need about emergency shelter and transitional housing programs for single adults, families, and youth in the 7-county Metro Area (Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN) - TOLL FREE. Have pencil and paper handy to write down information. Housing Link Salvation Army Star Tribune Homezone People Serving People - the largest homeless shelter in Minnesota: www.peopleservingpeople.org Volunteers of America Minnesota: www.voa.org www.MinneapolisHouses.com
Food	Food Banks: America's Second Harvest: www.secondharvest.org Channel One Food Shelf and Food Bank: http://channel-one.org Minnesota Hunger Partners: www.mnhungerpartners.org Wonder Hostess Bakery Thriftshops: New Hope, call (763) 533-2268 Minneapolis, call (612) 729-1710 St. Paul (2402 N. Rice St.), call (651) 484-6020 St. Paul (1546 West 7th), call (651) 665-9540 Burnsville, call (952) 890-7335 Maplewood, call (651) 770-7176
Clothing/ Household	Sharing and Caring Hands Mary Jo's Sharing and Caring Hands Goodwill Industries International, Inc.: www.goodwill.org The Salvation Army: Minnesota: www.usc.salvationarmy.org Ragstock: Warehouse, call (612) 333-8520 Uptown, call (612) 823-6690 St. Paul, call (651) 644-2733 Northfield, call (507) 645-9081 Crossroads Mall, call (320) 251-8962 Mall of America, call (952) 854-5133 Rosedale Mall, call (651) 697-1445 Burnsville Center, call (952) 435-2686 Northtown Mall, call (763) 786-6970 www.citypages.com/classifieds Everyday People Clothing Exchange: Uptown, call (612) 824-3112 Dinkytown, call (612) 623-9095
Legal Services	Note: this list is for your information only. AMICUS does not provide legal assistance and is unable to advise or make recommendations in this area. Volunteer Lawyers Network, Ltd. 612-752-6677 Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis 612-332-1441 Minnesota Legal Services Coalition: www.mnlegalservices.org Minnesota State Law Library: Minnesota Legal Resources: www.lawlibrary.state.mn.us/mnlr.html
Education	Computer Related Careers: UNITE - University of Minnesota, call (612) 624-2332 or visit www.unite.umn.edu MN School of Business, call (651) 229-3150 or visit www.msbcollege.edu Concordia University, call (651) 641-8723 or visit www.csp.edu/ce Caribou Lake, call (952) 837-9802 or visit www.CaribouLake.com Anoka-Ramsey Community College, call (763) 422-3303 or visit www.anokaramsey.edu Capella University, call (888) 227-3552 or visit www.capella.edu Computer Renaissance, call (651) 633-6600/ (651) 770-5322 Inver Hills Community College, call (651) 450-8656 or visit www.inverhills.edu/ce-ct The Center for Training and Development, call (763) 424-0880 or visit www.nhcc.mnscu.edu/ct University of St. Thomas, call (651) 962-5500 or visit www.stthomas.edu Anoka-Hennepin Technical College, call (763) 576-4800 or visit www.ank.tec.mn.us AppDev, call (952) 943-1363/ (800) 578-2062 or visit www.appdev.com New Horizons of Minnesota, call (952) 896-6800 or visit www.newhorizonsmn.com The College of St. Scholastica, call (651) 298-1015 or visit www.css.edu Augsburg Weekend College, call (612) 330-1101 or visit www.augsburg.edu Rasmussen College, call (888) 743-3620 or visit www.rasmussen.edu
OTHER CAREERS
Health Care	Find a Health Clinic - call (651) 489-2273 MN Dept. of Health: "For confidential information about birth control methods, sexually transmitted infections and affordable clinic referrals." call (651) 645-9360 or visit www.stdhotline.state.mn.us
Other Agencies that may be of help to ex-offenders	Minnesota Credit Association, call (651) 460-8800 or visit www.mncredit.com Hennepin County Government: www.co.hennepin.mn.us Open Your Heart To the Hungry and Homeless: www.oyh.org/level3/faq.shtml Minnesota Crossroads: www.openskypress.org

Projects are funded/supported, in part, by the Office of Justice Programs through the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and the Minnesota Department of Corrections.

Resource Links