YOUNGSTOWN - A Youngstown husband and wife are growing their center aimed to help people in some of their most desperate times. The Andrea Mahone Transition Center helps anyone 18 years and older get back into the community after being released from prison.  

“We want individuals that want the help. We want individuals that want to succeed. We help them get their driver's license. We help them get back into training,” Andrea Mahone Blackmon, founder of the center said. 

On Thursday, the center celebrated the start of its foundation - The Andrea Mahone Foundation. 

“We help the communities be safer and that helps all of us and restoring hope and families and helping build community and business,” Anthony Blackmon, the other founder of the center said.

The center provides each of its residents with a fully furnished room, a kitchen, laundry rooms and all the essentials without needing a credit or background check. The center on Midlothian Boulevard can house more than 20 residents at a time. Some that have utilized the program said it would’ve been almost impossible to start their new lives without something as simple as a place to sleep. 

“Without having somewhere to rest our head it makes survival extremely hard,” Louis Fields, who was incarcerated for 23 years said. “If you don’t feel safe you go into a fight or flight mode and without Andrea Mahone Transitional Center it would’ve been extremely hard.”

In its three years of operation, the transitional center has been able to help nearly 50 people get back on their feet after their release. 

“Things as simple as getting my social security card and birth certificate together so I can get my drivers license. It sounds like a simple thing but when you’ve done 23 years and you're recreating your life it's very hard,” Fields said. 

Since Fields came to the center, he has started a book club called Books For Bruisers that's designed to improve child literacy. He also started a program which promotes the principles of Restorative Justice called Builder's: Rebuilding Families and Communities As We Rebuild Ourselves. He hopes to move into his own home one day.

While living together the residents can also lean on each other for help since they are all going through similar hardships. Christina has lived at the center for three years and said she provides help to other residents since she has experience getting back into the community. 

“Starting over again was difficult,” Christina, who was previously incarcerated for 6 years, said. “If you need a second chance this is the place to come because they really care about their residents here and it’s just a good place to be.”

The center has helped Christina find a job and get her driver's license. She said she’s been promoted three times since starting her current job. 

The center recently opened a second building to be able to help even more people. They can also house emancipated youth from children services, recovering addicts and anyone society has left behind. The nonprofit accepts donations on its website.