Partakers College Behind Bars

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Partakers College Behind Bars

Partakers works every day to reduce prison recidivism through essential educational opportunities and empowering mentorship relationships.

For 25 years, Partakers has worked to help reduce recidivism by promoting education and providing community mentoring for incarcerated women and men pursuing their degrees and educational opportunities. Through our College Behind Bars Mentoring Program, the powerful mentoring relationships that Partakers builds profoundly impact our students' lives, their mentors, their families, and their communi

ties. Students who have graduated from the Partakers College Behind Bars Program show a 2% recidivism rate. Past studies show a 6 year national average of 79%*
*Bureau of Justice Statistics

In 2021 we launched our new Re-entry mentoring program, the Partakers' Empowerment Program (PEP) in partnership with Brandeis University's Educational Justice Initiative, to guide, mentor, and train returning citizens to help them successfully navigate their return and launch their new chapters. We believe in the power and the promise of lives transformed -we see it every day
Join Us In Our Work Transforming Lives and Building Futures

08/07/2026

IT’S FRIYAY 🎉 And we don’t know how this weekend could top last Saturday night at Transformational Prison Project ‘s Prom 🤩

We had so much fun with friends, reentry and educational partners, and alumni at the Prom fundraiser organized by Transformational Prison Project. Not only could we could see Partakers alumni in every direction, we saw more than that: love for the community, happiness, style, healing, and most of all FREEDOM.

Thank you TPP for your partnership and your work. So many Partakers alumni have interacted with TPP as part of their journey to freedom. It’s empowering for us at Partakers to be a part of this special night, but also to see the love reflected in this community. It truly provides fuel and hope for progress. ⭐️❤️💪

Big shoutout to photographer, Lauren Miller, who always captures the best photos at so many important events. We appreciate you! 🫶

📸 Lauren Miller
Photobooth: PLUSH & POSE ✨

07/17/2026

Last Friday’s 💚 PICKLEBALL EVENT 💚 was jam packed with good vibes and great people interested in reentry! Huge thanks goes out to Adam Toler from the Center for Interfaith Collaboration, Nevia Selmon from Repair the World Boston, and Cam Boucher from Pickleball for Incarcerated Communities League (PICL) for bringing us together. Thank you also to Club Volo at Assembly Row for hosting us!

Justin Rodriguez was on 🔥 on the courts… ready for a rematch, bruh?! 😎

07/16/2026

💙 We believe that stronger communities start with stronger support systems.

This week, the Partakers team got certified in Adult Mental Health First Aid alongside our partners at THRIVE Communities of MA & Concord Prison Outreach 🎉

This certification gives us new tools to better support the people we serve and helps us continue to equip our volunteer mentors with the knowledge and confidence to recognize when someone may be struggling, respond with compassion, and connect them to the resources they need 💛

Huge thanks to Thrive for bringing us together 🙌 Experiences like this remind us that lasting change doesn’t happen in a vacuum—it happens when organizations come together, learn from one another, and invest in building strong ecosystems of care for those impacted by incarceration. Shout out to our great trainer, Lynn, from SYFS 🖐️ National Council for Mental Wellbeing

07/02/2026

THURSDAY, JULY 9th we’ll be joined by College Behind Bars (CBB) alumni, Sean “2ruTh7” Evelyn, to listen to his experience and learn about becoming a mentor with Partakers.

Mentors are at the heart of what we do! Mentors show up and support people who society has all but given up on. Partakers mentors understand the potential, the power, and the humanity of every individual behind bars and coming home! We see lives transformed everyday and invite compassionate people like YOU to join us on Thursday, July 9th to learn more. 🔗LINK IN BIO

Follow 2®️üTh7 🔥

07/01/2026

On Sunday, the summer PEP cohort explored the beautiful Arnold Arboretum and gathered just for the purpose of being together! Sunshine, nature and community were enjoyed by all, and we learned a lot! Like, J has 10 grandchildren under 16 yrs old, K is probably a future ultimate frisbee champion, A went skydiving the day before (!!!), and R might show up anytime with a new tattoo.

This is the 16th cohort of the Partakers’ Empowerment Program (PEP) in partnership with the Brandeis Educational Justice Initiative (BEJI)! We give each participant a laptop, a stipend, and 2 Partakers mentors as they complete 14 weeks of workshops relevant to reentry.

Learn more about PEP at our info sessions coming up on:
• July 9
• July 23
• July 27
Visit the 🔗LINK IN BIO to register!

06/30/2026

“Say nothing about us without us.” - Rashaan Hall

A wonderful and powerful group this year at the 5th Greater Boston Reentry Summit!

Big thank you’s to Vincent Ware and Musa Toussaint for MC’ing and organizing the event! As well as to soulsmartchef for the delicious catering, and Craig Cromartie for sharing his artwork with us! Dude works with q-tips for paint brushes and makes incredible work. Check him out at ShowUpInc.org and on Etsy 🎨

Anyone I forgot to tag please add in the comments!

04/25/2026

As we close out and the month of April as
Partakers is celebrating and honoring our extraordinary community of
🎉
At Partakers, our over 400 Community Volunteer Mentors are the ❤️ of all we do!
Our Mentors Amaze Us!

They are truly our heart and soul.

The mentor experience changes their
perspective and their lives profoundly
as they forge lasting bonds
with the students they support, guide, and celebrate.

What Does it Take to Be a Partakers’ Mentor?

Simple-Share Your Heart.

Partakers Has Two Distinct Mentor Opportunities:

Our College Behind Bars Program, in partnership with
Boston College Prison Education Program
Emerson College Prison Initiative
Tufts University Prison Initiative

and our Reentry Program, The Partakers Empowerment Program (PEP) in partnership with Brandeis University Educational Justice Initiative

We Invite You to Discover How YOU Can Get Involved.

Join Us for one of our Virtual Info Sessions-

The Power of Partakers Mentoring

via Zoom
📌
Two Upcoming Info Sessions on

May 11th* or May 26
*Please Note the Date Change for Our First May Info Session

To Learn More and to Register, Visit https://www.partakers.org/powerofmentoring

Hear from current Mentors and Graduates to Learn about the Power of Mentoring with Partakers.

Be a part of our work

Transforming Lives and Building Futures

Because👇
Mentors Matter

04/13/2026

We have at long last turned the corner to Spring. 🌾
Despite these often overwhelming and challenging times, we at Partakers are greeting the new season with action and opportunities to build on our almost 30-year legacy of fostering relationships that change lives.

Once you are involved with Partakers, you remain connected, and your view of incarceration and what YOU can do to make a difference in the lives of those impacted by the carceral system changes forever. A wonderful, heartfelt email from a long-time Mentor demonstrated again the lasting power of Partakers relationships. This Mentor has remained in contact with their Mentee after their release and wanted to support them in their transition, helping them find employment.

While there are no "magic wands" in the difficult and often fraught journey home, just knowing there are folks there for you, rooting for you, and doing whatever they can to help find the resources so you can navigate this path means the world. We are so proud to be here whenever and for whatever our students, graduates, and Mentors need for information, resources, and most especially community.

April is . At Partakers, our Volunteers are the foundation on which we grow. Our network of over 400 community volunteer mentors is literally transforming lives and building futures.
We do not believe that anyone should have to make this journey alone.

In a time of disconnect, we are working to bridge communities and foster empathy, understanding, and lasting connections.

What makes Partakers stand out from all other in-prison and reentry models? Simply- our Mentors! We know Relationships Matter! Mentors Matter!

We currently have wait-lists for Mentors for both our College Behind Bars and PEP Reentry Program.
In this season of new beginnings, when so many of us are asking "What can we do to make a difference?", we hope you will consider joining us in our work, "Transforming Lives and Building Futures."

Arthur Bembury, Executive Director
Partakers

READ Our Newsletter Here-https://conta.cc/4c35XpT

Tufts University Prison Initiative
Boston College
Emerson College
Brandeis University

Address

230 Central Street
Newton, MA
02466

Telephone

+16177952725

Website

http://partakers.org/

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