Past Programs at Tayba Foundation
Over the years Tayba has seen many successful projects come to fruition. Many have been short term projects that have been supported by private or government grants. Tayba prides itself on being a leader in the field, supporting and advocating for all those affected by incarceration.
Tayba Legal Initiative
In 2020 Tayba Foundation established a fund that would help individuals needing legal assistance to be able to gain the skills to navigate the legal system in a way that would help them, and others in their institution.
Our students, and many others, face a variety of injustices either from their conviction, or from their treatment whilst incarcerated. Many aren’t given access to halal food, while others are blatantly discriminated against.
In the early days of the project we were able to survey our student cohort and establish what services students may require or what kind of legal issues they may be facing. We were able to employ a formerly incarcerated brother who lead the program, and to determine the feasibility and potential for the program.
This project was able to provide legal support to one student who is seeking clemency in the State of California. We were also able to build a database and network of over 220 imprisoned Muslims who have legal or paralegal training and are willing to benefit others from their knowledge.
Through extensive research and surveys it was determined that while there is a high demand for this initiative, the costs are beyond what we could allocate at this time. Initial surveys and ground work was finalized by Tayba staff, with potential for a pilot program when funding is secured.
National Reentry Program
The National Reentry Program aimed to reduce recidivism among formerly incarcerated individuals by offering comprehensive support before and after their release.
The program provided evidence-based parole plans tailored to each client's needs, including mental health and substance abuse counseling. After release, clients received coaching, peer mentoring, job training, housing assistance, and more to facilitate successful reintegration into society, ensuring that clients built strong, stable lives post-incarceration, thus reducing the likelihood of reoffending.
Note: Reentry services are still provided by Tayba Foundation, in a reduced capacity. As our students approach parole, our instructors are trained to identify potential issues that they may face as they reenter society and aim to prepare them for the complex transition.
For issues such as housing and employment, appropriate referrals are made to external organizations.
SoCal Reentry Office
The SoCal Reentry Office, established in 2021, provided individualized case management for individuals and families affected by incarceration in San Bernardino County. It offered services such as assisting individuals in obtaining vital documents, housing and employment support, and a food pantry.
After initial efforts by the team in SoCal, providing services to the second largest community of parolees in the country, a successful grant allocation meant that the program was able to expand to offer more services and employ more staff.
The program also included mental health services, using evidence-based therapies to address trauma and substance use disorder treatment through group meetings and rehabilitation referrals.
We were also able to run projects out of the office, one notable being Project G.I.F.T, which taught Google Suite skills to nearly 100 formerly incarcerated individuals, enhancing their tech literacy and employability.
The office also facilitated ongoing support with system navigation, health care referrals, life skills training, and the Tayba Lab for computer literacy.
The team in SoCal supported over 1500 students with many essential services over the duration of the program, from anger management to food pantry services.
With the cessation of the government grants, the program concluded in June 2024.