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Transitional House
FirstFollowers provides transitional housing for people returning home from men’s prisons. We opened this in 2019 in partnership with the Housing Authority of Champaign County. Residents pay no rent or utilities and have access to support from our peer mentors in finding work, accessing housing and connecting to other needed services. We give priority for admission to FirstSteps to individuals who have spent at least ten years in prison.
This house was the product of a lengthy campaign in our community. Several organizations contributed funding, furniture, kitchen goods as well as their labor to make FirstSteps a reality. Since opening in 2019, not a single resident of FirstSteps has returned to prison.
Contact Us
You can receive applications via email, letter, pick one up at our drop-in center or download a copy below.
Email us: firstfollowerscu@gmail.com
Write:
FirstFollowers
PO Box 8923
Champaign, IL 61826
Visit our Drop-in Center* located inside
314 Cottage Court
Champaign IL 61820
*Open Tuesdays and Thursdays,
1:00pm - 5:00pm
Our transitional housing program would not have been possible without the generous support of the following organizations. To them we express our sincerest gratitude.
• Bethel AME Church
• Carter's Furniture
• Central Illinois Mosque & Islamic Center,
• Church Women United
• First Mennonite Church of Champaign-Urbana
• Housing Authority of Champaign County
• Ministerial Alliance
• Muslim American Society of Urbana-Champaign
• Slumberland Furniture
• St. Patrick's Catholic Church
• Unitarian Universalist Church of Urbana Champaign
A transitional house for people returning home from prison. Residents stay rent free and receive resources needed to make a smooth transition. This program has been in operation since 2019 and not a single resident has returned to prison.