Pillen, Jeffreys discuss reentry programs with formerly incarcerated Nebraskans

But circumstances led them to Ooh De Lally, an upscale eatery in Omaha's Dundee neighborhood that primarily employs individuals returning to society after incarceration. 

On Friday, the two employees of the nonprofit restaurant and participants in the reentry program sat down with Gov. Jim Pillen and Department of Correctional Services Director Rob Jeffreys to share their perspectives on reducing recidivism in Nebraska — keeping people from returning to prison. 

Marcos said about 1,600 people are released from incarceration to the Omaha area each year, and more than half are expected to be incarcerated again within three years. 

Marcos and Cummings relayed to the officials that individuals need their basic safety needs met and a place to live away from their old lives and the temptations that led them behind bars. They said more than just programs, they need personal connections to create a village of support. They also need to feel the fruits of their hard work, being able to translate doing the right thing to supporting their families and bettering themselves. 

Ooh De Lally expands its mission with employee housing

The two men said that's what they got from Ooh De Lally, where both have waited tables, cooked food and washed dishes. 

Marcos said he was first arrested at age 12 and has spent years in and out of the system. Ooh De Lally was the first program that worked for him because there are people who care. "There's real community here, real accountability." He said that people had faith in him, helping him have faith in himself. 

In prison, he gained certifications in appliance repair. When he got out about three years ago, he couldn't get a job because the repair companies couldn't insure someone with a felony background. 

He went to Metro Community College, where the Re-entry Assistance Program connected him with Ooh De Lally. He found steady work and gained skills. The restaurant helped him with housing and keeping him and his six kids together. He was the first graduate of the joint program between Ooh De Lally and Metro and became involved in the restaurant's outreach and development, now working as the director of community voice and partnerships.

Cummings got out in December and said he struggled with the freedom and having to make so many decisions. Starting the training at Ooh De Lally gave him a positive outlet and a supportive group, particularly helping him stay sober from alcohol. He's taking steps toward a career in the legal field, which he said gives him his sense of purpose.

"A lot of people just need a hand up. You actually hurt people when you just give them just a handout. You need to give people a hand up and let them become the people that they were meant to be. And a lot of that, a lot of that comes with purpose," Cummings said. 

Diane Good, director of the re-entry program, said Metro has worked with about 400 employers and has helped about 13,000 formerly incarcerated individuals since 2015. Funding for the program comes from Vocational Life Skills grants, which the state created through legislation. 

She said she would like to see the program expand across the state, but there are challenges with partnerships in some rural areas. 

Cummings said there could always be more connections to jobs, and there also could be more resources for individuals who do time in county jails to help them find a new environment. He commended therapy programs in Sarpy County that help inmates rewire themselves to think differently about success and meeting goals. 

Marcos noted work limitations can be stringent, barring people from pursuing passions like working with other people who were recently incarcerated. He also said he wished he had known he would have problems finding work repairing appliances because he might have picked a different training path. 

Jeffreys said reentry is a multifaceted endeavor involving many parts of a community. 

"I think the systems are changing and becoming more holistic to the needs of the population," he said. He agreed that there should be a wider look at training programs in prisons and what employers may be willing to accept in someone's background. 

Pillen added, "We have to do a better job of getting more people to understand all of the pieces" so that everybody can have these opportunities.

"The goal is really simple," he said. "Make sure everybody that's committed a transgression has to pay the price. Then they get back to work, they get back to taking care of their families and being productive, because everybody can be productive."