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Lackawanna County reentry task force to hold Sept. 18 festival; jail GED classes underway with about 18 participants
Summary
A public commenter said the Lackawanna County Reentry Task Force will hold a fundraising festival Sept. 18 to support housing assistance for people leaving custody; jail GED classes have begun with roughly 18 people enrolled and outreach will continue after release.
At the Lackawanna County Prison Board meeting on Aug. 20, a member of the county reentry task force and representatives from Outreach described upcoming reentry supports, a fundraising festival and the start of a GED class inside the jail.
“Once again this year the Lackawanna County Reentry Task Force is having their annual festival. It's gonna be held on September 18,” said Mr. McHugh of the Lackawanna County Reentry Task Force. He told the board the festival will be at the courthouse on the Linden Street side, that about 18 vendors had agreed to participate and that sponsorships help the task force raise funds to provide housing assistance. McHugh said the task force supplies “up to a thousand dollars per inmate, for first month's rent and security deposit.”
During the public comment period, Scranton resident Beth De Barros asked about the jail's previously approved GED program and when classes would start. Warden Petty said the GED program had started but did not provide participant numbers. Nikki, who identified herself as “Nikki, I'm with Outreach. I'm the director of court prison employment,” told the board, “we probably have about 18 participants that are actively in the classes.” She said the program was not yet testing students for GED because “nobody's ready to take the test yet,” and that Outreach will continue to support students released before finishing the program. As Nikki explained, released participants “can come right to us at Outreach” to continue classes and be referred to local instructors who also teach in the jail.
Board members thanked attendees for the updates. No formal board action was recorded on the festival or the GED program during the public session.
The festival and the in-jail GED classes are led by community partners; the board did not specify additional county funding or action steps in the public meeting.
