Join us at Celebrate The RETURN 2026

The 46th Annual Celebrate The RETURN banquet-gala is returning to Marquette University this year on Saturday, Oct. 17.
Will you come celebrate with us?
Read the stories and testimonies of four individuals who Project RETURN supported in the past year. Feel the impact that this work is continuing to make, in their own words.
​
  • “From the bottom of my heart, I’m thankful for you guys. That’s why I keep coming back here. What’s in the past is buried. Today, I’m about being a better man.”​
  • “Completing this program means a lot to me because I earned it. Growth is not always comfortable, but it is worth it.”
  • “I am blessed by you all for all you did for me and all you do for everyone.”
  • “I want to thank Project RETURN for everything — the entire staff and everyone who works here. I just appreciate everything you guys did for me. You guys went above and beyond.”

WATCH: Sam's story

"I wasn't sure what I was going to do (when I got released). I honestly was going to be homeless and probably back into the same cycle of stuff. But I got very lucky and ended up at Project RETURN," Sam shared on the day of his graduation from Project RETURN Bridge Housing in December 2025. "When I first came here, I thought it was going to be like another jail facility, and it was like more of a family ... Something that surprised me a lot was more doors opening for me. I was noticing I was on the right path."

Learn more about Project RETURN

OUR MISSION: Project RETURN (Returning Ex-incarcerated People To Urban Realities ​and Neighborhoods) exists to help individuals who have experienced incarceration make a positive, permanent return to community, family and friends.

What We Do

Project RETURN helps clients overcome barriers created by incarceration to help aid in a successful reentry, with programs offered to address the direct needs of those we serve.

Celebrate the RETURN

Every year, Project RETURN hosts a gala for all of its community members to come together in celebration of the ​organization's mission.

Volunteering with Us

​Project RETURN grew out of a volunteer base that people returning from incarceration deserved a second chance.  Volunteers are an essential part of the mission of Project RETURN.