Social worker available weekly for Fresh Start @ Your Library program

The Fresh Start @ Your Library program, which provides citizens returning from incarceration assistance and access to resources, is getting a reboot at the Atlantic City Free Public Library in March. For the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Fresh Start social worker will be available for in-person meetings at the library 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesdays, beginning March 2.

Participants in the Fresh Start program will have access to the following at the library:
• One-on-one guidance from an onsite social worker who can perform assessments, provide referrals, and assist with online job searches, applications and resumes
• Computer training and ESL classes
• Library resources related to reentry, educational, employment, health, legal and social topics

The Atlantic City Free Public Library has served as a Fresh Start @ Your Library Reconnection Center since January 2020, giving returning citizens in Atlantic City access to a wealth of resources and assistance to help them get their lives back on track. Atlantic City is one of six New Jersey libraries serving as Reconnection Centers.

As part of the program, the library will host an Expungement Webinar on Friday, March 25, at 3 p.m. via Zoom. The webinar will be led by the South Jersey Legal Services Reentry Program. In this webinar, attendees will learn what it means to have a record expunged, who is eligible for expungement, records required, how to file and how to get help. Click here for the online registration link.

The Fresh Start @ Your Library program is supported with funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the New Jersey State Library. It is offered in partnership with the New Jersey State Parole Board, the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development and the participating libraries.

For more information about the statewide Fresh Start @ Your Library program, visit: freshstartlibrary.com. To learn more about reentry services available in Atlantic City, visit the Main Library Help Desk or contact the Fresh Start social worker at (609) 278-2640, ext. 170.