200 'Justice-Impacted' People In North Jersey Can Get Help Finding New Careers With Grant Program

NEWARK, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of Journey To DevelopHer Initiative. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

Journey To DevelopHer Initiative, Inc. (JTDH Initiative), a Greater Newark area based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to community development and economic opportunity, is proud to be a New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) Judiciary Opportunities for Building Success (JOBS) grantee. Applications for its Reentry, Rebuild, and Rise Pathways Program are open now through October 26, 2026.

The JOBS grant supports organizations that work to eliminate employment barriers for individuals impacted by the justice system. With this funding, JTDH Initiative operates the Reentry, Rebuild, and Rise Pathways Program, a structured, 24-month initiative that will enroll and serve 200 justice-impacted adults across Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren counties in Northern New Jersey.

“This grant is confirmation that the work we’ve been building toward is ready to grow. Justice-impacted individuals in our communities deserve real pathways to economic stability, not just a foot in the door. Through this program, we’re committed to walking alongside every participant from day one through their first 90 days on the job and beyond,” said Dionte Chantel White, Founder & Executive Director, Journey To DevelopHer Initiative.

Designed in partnership with The BLOC Foundation, the Reentry, Rebuild, and Rise Pathways Program delivers a comprehensive continuum of services to justice-impacted adults ages 18 and older. Participants have access to occupational skills training and industry-recognized certifications across a range of career pathways, including CDL Class A/B, warehouse training, culinary arts, phlebotomy technician, electrocardiograph technician, medical assistant/patient care technician, introduction to dental assisting, CPRS training and technical assistance, community-based doula training, and entrepreneurship and small business development. These opportunities are designed to help participants build in-demand skills and connect to stable employment and career advancement.

Beyond technical training, participants will receive the wraparound career support they need to succeed long-term. This includes one-on-one career coaching and mentorship, resume development, interview preparation, job search strategies, workplace professionalism, and digital literacy instruction. Every participant is paired with a dedicated career coach who walks alongside them from intake through their first 90 days on the job.

The JTDH Initiative was founded to serve those who have been underserved, overlooked, and underestimated, and the JOBS grant advances that mission. By centering the dignity and potential of justice-impacted individuals, the Reentry, Rebuild, and Rise Pathways Program will generate measurable economic impact across Newark and Northern New Jersey, placing skilled workers into quality jobs, strengthening community ties, and creating equitable pathways to long-term careers.

The program launches in alignment with the FY26 JOBS initiative and reflects the JTDH Initiative’s long-standing belief that workforce development is community development.

How to Apply

Space is limited. To apply, prospective participants can complete the online intake form at www.reentryrebuildrise.com. Applicants must be justice-impacted adults age 18 or older. The first cohort begins Monday, November 2, 2026, with additional construction training cohorts planned, including an upcoming cohort beginning in February 2027.

About Journey To DevelopHer Initiative, Inc.

Journey To DevelopHer Initiative, Inc. (JTDH Initiative) is a Greater Newark area-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The JTDH Initiative advances economic opportunity, housing access, and workforce development for underserved individuals and families across New Jersey and beyond. Its work includes real estate education, professional development, and learning programs that center Black and Brown women, and those who love them, in underserved communities. For more information, visit www.journeytodevelopher.com.

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