Date Set for an Expungement Clinic and Job Fair to Offer Residents a Second Chance

May 4, 2022

The Washington County Work Ready Association (WCWRA), the Washington County Economic Alliance (WCEA), and the City of Greenville are partnering to offer an Expungement Clinic in Washington County. The Clinic will be held Tuesday, May 10, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., at the Washington County Convention Center Greenville. Residents will need to bring their ID and resume, along with any additional information.

“Returning citizens have long been denied the opportunity to safely return to their families and communities,” said Errick Simmons, Mayor of Greenville. “It is the “re-entry” position of this administration that it is about the skills to do the job not about the ills of one’s past. The City of Greenville strongly supports continuing to build on investments in reentry programs that prioritize employment, housing, training, and other services formerly incarcerated Mississippians need to have a real second chance.  These types of long-term investments will yield considerable dividends for Mississippi’s cities and towns in increased public safety, stronger local businesses, and more resilient economies.”

Eligible individuals will meet with a pro bono attorney at the Expungement Clinic who will assist them with the expungement or sealing process. Expungement or sealing of criminal records is an effective way to improve employment, housing, and educational opportunities for individuals facing barriers as a result of criminal records that are eligible to be expunged or sealed.

“These records create barriers for deserving residents,” said WCEA Executive Director, Will Coppage. “Career opportunities have been hindered for many individuals in our community who have been justice touched. This clinic will provide a pathway for those looking to remove these barriers and find employment or workforce training opportunities.”

All legal services for the 2022 Expungement Clinic will be provided free of charge through the WCWRA’s Innovation Training Grant and the City of Greenville Mayor’s Office. Additionally, local employers will be present and ready to interview eligible individuals.

To learn more about the 2022 Expungement Clinic, contact Nikki Landrum at 662-378-1501 or Angelica Motton at 662-378-3141. Additionally, to learn more about the Innovation Training Grant, please contact Angelica Motton or visit the JOBS tab at www.wceams.com.

***

The WCWRA’s Innovation Training Grant is now in its second year of implementation and has served 81 Washington County residents. This program is made possible by a community partnership with Rural LISC. Individuals that participate in this program are given scholarships to take the ACT WorkKeys Assessment so that they may participate in workforce training programs at the Capps Center (the workforce training division of Mississippi Delta Community College) in an effort to gain the skills, training, and certifications that are demanded in the labor market. Participants are also given access to the Mississippi Re-Entry Guide, which is developed by the Foundation for the Mid-South and is designed to connect people to resources and services from national, state and local agencies. Applicants of this program are provided financial literacy training, provided by Regions Bank, where skills such as budgeting, long-term saving, and credit guidance have helped program participants develop sound financial decision-making skills that will further their careers and lead to fulfilling, satisfying lives for themselves and their families. Participants of this program also receive an informational session, provided by Greater Greenville Housing and Revitalization Association, Inc., where they learn about opportunities to access safe, decent, and affordable housing in the Washington County community.