ReMerge of Oklahoma County awarded $100,000 Google.org grant
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Katy Gustafson, APR
katy@goodengroup.com
Link to photos
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. (September 14, 2023) — Today, ReMerge of Oklahoma County announced the nonprofit received a $100,000 grant from Google.org to fund comprehensive diversion programs to restore mothers and families who battle cycles of trauma, poverty and incarceration. ReMerge provides treatment, recovery options and career support to high-risk and high-need mothers facing non-violent felony offenses in Oklahoma County.
“ReMerge graduates are living proof that hope-centered programs can change lives,” Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt said. “I am grateful for Google’s continued investment in our state and am proud of ReMerge for giving Oklahoma families the resources they need for a fresh start in life.”
Since 2011, ReMerge has graduated 182 women who parent a total of 455 minor children, saving the state of Oklahoma more than $44 million by providing a pathway for mothers to be restored to their community rather than incarcerated and separated from their children. This month, ReMerge hit a major milestone of expanding the number of women they can serve to 75 women at a time, meaning more mothers in the community will be given the opportunity to transform their lives and their children’s futures.
The grant will fund education and workforce development programs for ReMerge participants including laptops for staff, transportation, GED testing, and post-secondary training through Oklahoma CareerTech and other occupational certification programs.
“We know that joblessness is the number one indicator for reoffending,” ReMerge Executive Director Jenna Morey said. “With Google’s help, we are bolstering our workforce training to provide women with the skills they need to pursue the careers of today and in the future. Opportunity for economic mobility allows entire families to thrive.”
Research shows by the year 2025, as much as 70 percent of Oklahoma jobs will require some type of post-secondary education or training.
“Through a holistic approach to recovery, education and employment, ReMerge plays an important role in our community and builds strong foundations for its clients,” Andrew Silvestri, Google’s head of public policy and community development, said. “Google is proud to support ReMerge as they remove barriers for justice-involved Oklahomans on their path to success.”
September marks both National Recovery Month and National Workforce Development Month, but at ReMerge, substance use recovery and employment are celebrated every day.
About Google in Oklahoma
Google has proudly called Oklahoma home for more than a decade with a data center in Mayes County. Through grants and local initiatives that utilize Google’s tools and expertise, they’re working to help businesses, educational institutions, community collaboratives, nonprofits, and individuals create and thrive in a sustainable, knowledge-based economy. Since 2011, Google has donated more than $5 million total in charitable giving dollars donated to nonprofits and schools in Oklahoma.
About ReMerge
ReMerge of Oklahoma County is a pre-trial diversion program that serves high-risk, high-need mothers facing non-violent felony offenses in Oklahoma County. ReMerge is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit dedicated to restoring women to their families and our community by providing opportunities for treatment, recovery, and hope. Through the delivery of holistic wraparound services, ReMerge helps remove barriers and break the intergenerational cycles of incarceration, addiction, and poverty, leading to stronger mothers, families, and communities. For more information, visit remergeok.org.
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