Giving a helping hand to those returning from incarceration.
RCAN responds to urgent needs for returning citizens and others in the criminal justice system - all referred by the DC Public Defender Service. The network focuses on practical barriers to reentry: housing, clothing, food, employment, and ongoing personal support.
In 2018, inspired by Bryan Stevenson's call to get proximate to those who are
incarcerated, New York Avenue Presbyterian Church and Metropolitan AME Church
partnered with the DC Public Defender Service to establish RCAN - an informal
network of congregations committed to social justice and practical help.
"I was in prison and you came to visit me." - Matthew 25:36
361
Clients helped in 2025
$25,000+
Contributed to the RCAN Fund in 2025
20
Participating Congregations
40
Active Prison Friendship Matches
How RCAN assists
RCAN responds to urgent reentry needs through direct referrals and coordinated support from partner congregations.
The examples below show how assistance is delivered and where people can step in to help.
Providing clothing, food, and personal essentials to people newly released
Offering life-skills counseling and short-term mentoring relationships
Helping secure housing — application fees, security deposits, and furnishings
Collecting and delivering donated furniture for newly housed clients
Providing emergency funds to prevent eviction or meet urgent financial needs
Connecting clients to employers and navigating job applications together
How you can help
Donate, volunteer, or join as a congregation partner in the DC area.
Fund urgent needs
Every gift directly supports urgent client needs, including stable housing, food, transportation costs, and other essential needs during reentry.
Respond to specific client requests by offering goods, services, skills, or time, and help meet practical needs quickly — open to everyone, no congregation required.
If your congregation serves in Washington, DC, RCAN welcomes new partner communities ready to advance social justice through direct, practical reentry support.
