If you see individuals in purple vests picking up litter and maintaining different areas of Ypsilanti, they are part of a program in partnership between Life After Incarceration: Transition & Reentry and the Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority called Supportive Hands in Neighborhood Enhancement.
The program partnership empowers formerly incarcerated individuals to learn skills, get involved with their community and access vital resources. SHINE is a pilot program that started in November 2020.
Leroy Harris, a supervisor for the SHINE team, has been a part of the program since its inception…