Santa Cruz Volunteer Center’s Friends Outside

Friends Outside is a program maintained by the Santa Cruz Volunteer Center to support the families and loved ones of incarcerated people. The organization is committed to providing support for individuals during incarceration, as well as for those impacted by their involvement with the justice system. Friends Outside also works directly with individuals after release to assist with the reentry process and disrupt the cycle of recidivism. Their goal is to minimize the trauma and challenges associated with incarceration, and to facilitate healing for all of those involved. Friends Outside also partners with local community building organizations to ensure that participants have access to all the resources they need, such as assistance with food, clothing, shelter and substance abuse support. All individuals who have been in jail or prison within the last 6 months are eligible for services, as well as those referred to the organization by a probation officer.