News & Blog

Patrick Diamond, a longtime and active member of Charlotte’s business, nonprofit and arts communities, has joined the Center for Community Transitions team as interim development director. For the next six months, he’ll focus on major gifts to raise $1 million for our agency through foundations, corporations, individuals and the faith community. Part of Patrick’s efforts…

When I joined CCT as the agency’s first Black Executive Director in January 2020, I was excited about the symbolic transition after Myra Clark had successfully led the organization for over three decades. With an increasing national focus on criminal justice, I anchored my leadership focus on meeting the team and learning about and assessing…

As birth rates decline and the labor market tightens, the “richest pool of potential” in the economy are people who have been touched by the justice system, according to Jeff Korzenik, chief economist at Fifth Third Bank. Korzenik is a national advocate for second chance employment and author of “Untapped Talent: How Second Chance Hiring…

Ending Economic and Social Inequalities Takes Collective Community Effort If Charlotte wants to become a city without economic and social inequalities, the whole community – both public and private sectors – must disrupt the cycle of incarceration by reevaluating hiring practices and supporting second chance employment. That was the consensus among the 100-plus employers, workforce…

It’s no coincidence the Center for Community Transitions chose Feb. 25 as the date for its Second Chance Employment virtual summit on investing in and hiring workers with criminal records. That day marked three years since the unexpected death of Ramona Brant, a City of Charlotte employee who was making the most of her “gift”…

Back in Style, our 9th annual back-to-school event to help kids with incarcerated loved ones prepare for school, shifted from in-person to drive-thru this year. CCT staff and volunteers distributed free backpacks filled with school supplies to elementary, middle and high school students who participate in Families Doing Time and Center for Women programs. Due…

The *Center for Community Transitions began in 1974 in the basement of a church, operating on a $700 annual budget. Under Myra Clark’s leadership, CCT transformed into a $1.7 million organization that’s helped thousands of formerly incarcerated people rebuild their lives and reintegrate as productive members of society. Every day she came to work, it…

Earlier this summer, Executive Director Patrice Funderburg received an unexpected gift in the mail: A $25,000 donation from the Bob Barker Company “Our company wanted to step in and provide this extra check for you and your work, especially with people returning from jail or prison,” said Founder and CEO Bob Barker in his letter…

Thanks to generous donors, we raised $1,000!  If you didn’t donate during Giving Tuesday Now it’s not too late, you can still make a donation. Thank you to Tayco Electric and Solar who donated 35 sandwiches to residents at our Center for Women on Giving Tuesday!