YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Marques Jones got involved with a troublesome group of friends when he was 16. His mother eventually took him out of East High School and enrolled him in the Academy for Urban Scholars, where he began to make progress.
Some issues during college led Jones to return home where he ended up getting involved with his old friends from high school. He spent three months in county jail, followed by a five-year probation and an additional three months in jail for breaking parole.
“I [was] a felon now, and I couldn’t really pursue the dream that I went to school for,” Jones says.
Jones was introduced to Carshara (Keke) Bradley, housing coordinator for United Returning Citizens, in January and is now able to pursue his dreams as a human resources manager.
“I had a lot of resources and I had a lot of good people in my life telling me to do right. But because they were telling me to do right, I wanted to do the opposite,” he says.
Jones wanted a chance to re-enter society and wants to help others going through similar struggles to achieve their dreams. He now works with outreach, community service and cleaning up records.
“There are a lot of people in the community that are willing to help you and want to help you,” he says. “Do your research and use your resources. Don’t turn to the streets or turn to negative things. There are a lot of organizations like URC that are willing to help.”
His story is one of many success stories that was shared at the open house Aug. 14 at the new Youngstown headquarters of United Returning Citizens, 611 Belmont Ave.
The 1,100-square-foot building enables URC to function as a “community hub,” says Dionne Dowdy-Lacey, executive director.
URC was based at the Oak Hill Collaborative building for eight years. Dowdy-Lacey says she knew she wanted to reach out to more people, which required a bigger building.
She had been looking at the new location for two years.
“I knew it had a dock in the back for our lawn care services and I knew it had all of these offices for my team,” she says.
The back of the building has additional open space where Dowdy-Lacey says she intends to operate her mentorship program and youth training.
She said her organization has helped more than 3,000 people. This year, 526 of those connections were made.
“Our mission is to help anyone with barriers to show sufficiency through entrepreneurship, education, soft skills and life skills,” she says.
A new youth workforce program started this year at URC. It has supported 26 youths who will now be able to receive money to go back to school or support their families.
While a lot of work has already started on the building, Dowdy-Lacey says the organization is still raising funds to complete the project. Funding has come from local foundations. So far, $74,000 has been raised and spent on the project.
“We are looking for another $82,000 to be able to finish on the other side,” she says.
In addition to finishing floors, renovations and painting, URC is working toward creating a computer training room, a safe space and more, Dowdy-Lacey says.
Zion Monice says she has been with URC for about a month. She is working on the second of two murals in the building.
“When I was speaking to Miss Dionne, she kept saying ‘hope’ and ‘united,’” she says. “For me, that looks like togetherness, and that means standing in a circle, doing extra services for your neighbor.”
Monice says the murals represent an ideal future. She is also working on another mural for The Vapers Choice in Boardman.
“I am hoping to create opportunities for people and children and returning citizens to understand themselves through art,” she says.
The organization supports people of all ages with various barriers in life.
Tanae and Delbert (who gave only their first names) spent some time looking for a place to go after being forced to leave where they were living. Running out of options, the couple began staying in the garage port of the new URC building.
A few weeks ago, the couple was offered a fresh start through the URC.
“They have been a great help,” Delbert says. “They welcomed us with open arms, and it’s been a blessing since we came here.”
Delbert says the organization gave them clothes, food and shelter. It has also helped resolve other issues and fill out paperwork to obtain housing.
“We’re still going through the process and there is still a lot they [URC] want to do for us. But they have been helping us out with everything from A to Z,” he says.
“These barriers are sometimes just knowing who they are as young people. So we empower them and give them creative outlets and tools to find who they are and what they like to do,” Downey-Lacey says.
For more information or to make a donation, visit UnitedReturningCitizens.org.
Pictured at top: Tanae and Delbert, community members helped by URC, are welcomed to the new office by Dionne Dowdy-Lacey, executive director of United Returning Citizens.