From November to December of last year, Legislator Fleming and community partners worked with the START program (Sheriff’s Transition and Re-entry Team) to assist individuals during incarceration and post-incarceration with a drive to collect clothing and necessities.
Fleming was joined by Sheriff Errol Toulon, Kerry Spooner (founder and President of Sound-Justice Initiative), and Serena Liguori (Executive Director of New Hour LI). To enhance equitability in the Suffolk County criminal justice system and reduce recidivism, the START program encourages community engagement that leads to educational and professional improvement for justice-involved individuals. Thanks to the generosity of countless residents in the community who came to the legislative office in Sag Harbor to drop off donations, many individuals finishing their sentences will now have clothing to wear and basic necessities to take care of themselves and their families.
Legislator Fleming noted “this drive is going to help so many individuals who are finishing their sentences find local good paying jobs that can help rebuild their lives, and re-enter society with confidence—allowing them to reclaim the American Dream, reducing recidivism and saving taxpayer dollars.”