a letter from our ceo: “Second Chances in Action”

As Second Chance Month came to a close, April reminded us that second chances are not hypothetical or optional. Second Chances are real, they are necessary, and urgent.

Second Chance Month calls attention to the barriers many women face when returning home. Louisiana has some of the highest incarceration rates in the country, with more than 50,000 women nationally returning home from prisons and jails each year. Reentry often comes with limited access to housing, employment, healthcare, and basic resources— barriers that make stability unattainable.

At Operation Restoration, our responsibility is to respond with intention.

Last month, we launched our Second Chance Pop-Ups in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Charles, Baton Rouge, and Lake Charles. Our team connected women to case management, identification assistance, SNAP and Medicaid enrollment, transportation, and essential items. For many, these are the first steps forward.

We also hosted our Second Chance Employment & Resource Fair, bringing together employers, workforce programs, and community-based organizations to expand access to employment.

Operation Restoration was happy to stand in support of Calvin Duncan, a formerly incarcerated leader elected to serve as Clerk of Court in Orleans Parish. Calvin is the epitome of what we fight for every day. When people who have been directly impacted receive supportive resources they become fully capable of leading and shaping the institutions that affect their lives.

At Operation Restoration, we will continue to stand for fairness, representation, and the ability for individuals to move forward with dignity and purpose. Second chances are not just about starting over. They are about creating the conditions to move forward and we will continue to do that work every day.

In Gratitude,

Syrita Steib

Founder, President & CEO

Operation Restoration