We build community
and provide hope for those impacted by incarceration.
We know what works because we've been there. Our founder wrote our vision and mission statement from his prison cell over 20 years ago. It has not changed. 70% of our staff has been previously incarcerated. Over the past 5 years, for those who completed the full 12 month program, 0% recidivated. Soteria understands reentry. As an impact-led organization, we are where hope for the future begins.
Thousands of families in our community have been impacted by incarceration, poor financial management & a lack of education.
As a community development corporation, Soteria CDC is passionate about extending a helping hand to our brothers and sisters.
We empower low-income families with resources and training to help them reach a place of self-sufficiency, as well as work with government, churches, organizations and local leaders to bring out long-term positive change in our community.
How can we serve you?
community is at the heart of all that we do.
Soteria Community Development Corporation is committed to empowering and assisting individuals to reach their full potential as citizens in the Greenville community. From financial-planning skills and goal setting to positive decision-making, job training, and affordable rental housing, we aim for everyone who walks through our doors to achieve a healthy, responsible lifestyle.
Our Impact
Between 2018 and 2022, for those who spent at least one day in our residential reentry program, 10% returned to prison; for those who completed 6 months of our program, 7% ; and for those who completed 12 months, 0%. In South Carolina, the average rate of recidivism is 21%.
In 2023, Soteria provided a transitional home to 59 unhoused, unemployed, and previously incarcerated individuals. We also served 34 men, women, and children through our affordable rentals and helped over 500 walk-ins find employment, housing, and resources necessary for record expungements.
Your Impact
You have the opportunity to transform the trajectory of families in need in the Greenville community. Donations to Soteria CDC help individuals and families impacted by the criminal justice system to get back on their feet through education, temporary housing, and employment opportunities.
Jerry Blassingame: The Visionary
Soteria was born from the personal testimony and vision of Jerry Blassingame, a Greenville, S.C. native whose life—like many of those we serve—was impacted by crime.
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