Welcome to the Texas Offenders Reentry Initiative also known as TORI.  TORI is a faith-based program affiliated with the Potter’s House of Dallas, Inc.   Our program was founded through the vision of Bishop T.D. Jakes and his overwhelming passion to serve the needs of those incarcerated and their families.  Through the Prison Ministry at the Potter’s House Bishop Jakes has spoken to inmates behind prison walls all over the world through his conference satellite uplinks, his various books and media ministry.

In 2004, Bishop Jakes and former COO, Roland Hairston, felt a heavy call to expand the services of the Prison Ministry to those returning home to their communities.  In Texas alone, over 70,000 prisoners are released each year, with most of them returning to communities in Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio.

The Potter’s House MEDC responded to this challenge through the creation of the Texas Offenders Reentry Initiative (TORI), a 5-city partnership working together to reduce recidivism in the most problematic reentry cities in the state of Texas.  TORI opened its doors in January 2005.  Since the inception of the program, TORI has served over 5,000 formerly incarcerated individuals across the state of Texas. 

TORI is an intensive  twelve month case management program that  offers six core comprehensive services, that most formerly incarcerated clients need upon release.  Those areas include, employment, housing, education, family reunification, health care, and spiritual guidance.  By addressing and providing resources in these six key areas, TORI hopes to aid and empower those formerly incarcerated to successful reentry and a new lifestyle free of crime.

Although the demand is high, TORI passionately feels that by providing solutions to the many barriers our clients face, we can reduce the rate of recidivism and slowly but surely build back the integrity of our families in Texas and provide a safe and healthier place for our future generations to live.