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Michael Eskridge launched Community Empowerment Services to help formerly incarcerated Pennsylvanians regain their footing.
Eskridge, a former teacher, principal, and social worker, views the Cumberland County reentry program as the culmination of his past work.
The program helps “returning citizens” — a term used by advocates to destigmatize people who have been incarcerated — by connecting them to services including transportation, housing assistance, drug and alcohol counseling, and health care.
The key to this work, Eskridge told Spotlight PA, is meeting clients where they are and acknowledging their unique needs.
These efforts earned him a nomination for our PA Local Heroes series, sponsored by Ballard Spahr.
Community Empowerment Services currently serves 26 people. Since its start in July 2024, the program has helped 52 people, Eskridge said.
He works closely with other service organizations to meet his clients’ various needs.
"It's so crucial to have partners, because I'm not a drug and alcohol counselor,” Eskridge said. “It's really about having the supports in place for all of us to help each other.”
The program comes up with an individualized support plan for everyone it works with. Eskridge says these plans help guide the service he provides and put the client on the path to stability.
For a couple that needed housing, Eskridge connected them to a landlord to find an affordable apartment, and helped them financially. And after they had a home, they were sleeping on the floor, so Eskridge linked them with an organization that provided a free bed, which delivered it for no cost.
Another woman Eskridge worked with had an apartment but wanted to buy a house for her family. So he connected her with a realtor, and she is currently working with them to sell some land that was left to her so she can put the proceeds toward a home.
Eskridge’s operation is small right now. He works with one other facilitator to develop the reentry plans. And because the county does not have money for this work, expanding is a hurdle, he said.
“You've got to be very adept," Eskridge said of his one-man operation, “adept at building relationships where you can develop sponsors.” He said his work also requires “a definite fundraising strategy that includes grants, individual donors, and special events.”
But despite how time-consuming it can be to provide this service, Eskridge has no intention of stopping because he feels called to help people, and sees the impact of recognizing their pain.
“They really need to get a sense of love because there's so much trauma,” Eskridge said.
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