Our Current Programs:

CentrePeace is entirely self-funded. We do not receive any federal, state, or local funding. Instead, we rely on sales from our store to support the programs listed below, as well as to cover normal business expenses. Our thrift store serves as our year-round fundraiser.

Project Restoring Lives: We focus on restoring lives while also restoring household good. Trainees, along with staff and volunteers, engage in cleaning, repairing and restoring donated items. Through this process trainees acquire valuable job skills by working on furniture, small appliances, and other goods. Beyond repair tasks, trainees also take on additional responsibilities within CentrePeace, fostering discipline, teamwork, and a strong work ethic.

Like Skills Development: The store is closed on Monday so that Staff and volunteers serve as mentors, modeling positive behavior and communication for the trainees. Instead, on this day, the staff and volunteers focus on mentoring the trainees. They use this time to demonstrate and teach positive behavior and effective communication skills to the trainees. This helps the trainees learn and develop these important skills in a supportive environment.

Trainee Store Credit: Trainees working in the work reentry program earn store credit to purchase furniture and household items needed to reestablish their homes upon release.

Trainee Advancement Program (TAP): Former trainees, upon release, are hired for temporary position. During their participation in this program, CentrePeace assists them with resume building, acquiring documentation, and other support to help them find permanent employment.

PrayerMates: The CentrePeace PrayerMate Program facilitates spiritual communication between incarcerated individuals and community volunteers. Through pen-pal exchanges, inmates receive spiritual growth and prayer support.

Christmas Cards for Incarcerated: CentrePeace organizes a Christmas card program, giving thousands of inmates the opportunity to connect with the outside world during the holiday season.

Birthday Cards: CentrePeace sends birthday cards each month to a forgotten population: incarcerated individuals on death row in Pennsylvania. This small gesture brings comfort and connection during challenging times. We often receive heartfelt letters from the recipients, thanking us for remembering them. One individual shared that our card is the only one they receive each year. This act of kindness means the world to them.

Voucher Program: Through partnerships with various organizations, CentrePeace provides furniture and household goods to community members in need. Recipients include victims of domestic violence, those who have lost belongings due to circumstances beyond their control, and individuals affected by incarceration. In 2023, CentrePeace gave away $12,000 in furniture and household goods to those in need.

Criminal Justice Advocacy and Support Directory: CentrePeace, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project, compiles and publishes this directory. It lists social service agencies by county, serving ex-offenders, crime victims, their families, criminal justice professionals, volunteers, and other support personnel.

Conflict Resolution Workshops: These workshops, held at the Centre County Correctional Facility and the State Correctional Institution at Rockview, teach non-violent conflict resolution skills. Participants learn about the power of nonviolence, fostering better communication and understanding. Additionally, these workshops are available to the public as needed.

Brewster Fund: Provides crucial assistance to returning citizens in Centre County. It helps manage barriers by covering expenses like bus passes, medical co-pays, specialty work clothing, and obtaining necessary IDs for employment. By addressing these practical needs, the Brewster Fund supports returning citizens as they reintegrate into the community.

Community Service: CentrePeace provides individuals, sororities, and fraternities with the opportunity to fulfill community service hour requirements as an alternative to other sentencing. CentrePeace liaises with the judicial system to manage all documentation of completed hours.

A Way Home: The Centre County Correctional Facility relies on CentrePeace to offer transportation services to individuals who lack access to public transportation or assistance from friends and family. Our goal is to ensure that everyone has a safe way to get home.

Centre County Re-Start Seed Fund: The Centre County Re-Start Seed Fund is a no-interest seed grant loan designed for returning citizens living in Centre County. The purpose of this loan is to provide financial support for individuals seeking to gain training or certification for a job, or to start a new business. Recipients of this loan are required to commit to working with business mentors for a period of one year.