Beneficial State Bank partner with CROP Organization – Investing in People Over Punishment
Restorative opportunities for people impacted by the justice system
Hundreds of thousands of people return home from prison every year and need to find jobs and housing. Creating Restorative Opportunities and Programs or CROP Organization provides a career development reentry program to formerly incarcerated folks to help set them up for success and self-efficacy. When support and resources are accessible, those returning home can support their families, contribute to the community, pay taxes, volunteer, and make our neighborhoods better places to live. “When we give people second chances along with the right support, we help to instill the same values we all share,” says Terah Lawyer, Executive Director of CROP.
Partnerships that deepen collective impact
Partnerships are a part of CROP’s ongoing success. “Our West Oakland location was serendipitous,” says Terah. “We shared our story with the owner, and they chose us to take over the space. We’re proud to be a part of this neighborhood and community.”
“Beneficial State Bank is a special partner,” adds Julia Root, Director of Development at CROP. “We meet monthly with the Beneficial State Bank team, and our partnership has grown and deepened over time. Before we had State funding, Beneficial State Bank supported our virtual pilot. We partnered together to create a mechanism to deliver monthly stipends to program participants and help participants start to save through onramps to banking and financial wellness education. We were excited to have Kat Taylor (Beneficial State Bank’s founder) be a keynote speaker at our ribbon cutting event last February. In addition, the Bank’s PR team has provided pro bono support to our organization and continues to sponsor events, like graduations.”