Realistic ReEntry
Supporting returning citizens in Allegheny County with vital resources for housing, employment, and more.
Realistic ReEntry, an electronic platform developed as part of the reentry services offered by Operation Better Block within the Department of Violence Prevention, aims to leverage technology to facilitate connections between returning citizens and the wide array of resources available throughout Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, and the state of Pennsylvania.
The platform serves as a vital link in the ecosystem of resources for formerly incarcerated individuals, collaborating with entities such as ACAR (Allegheny County Reentry Coalition), HOL (House of Life Pittsburgh), and PARC (Pennsylvania Reentry Council). By effectively linking individuals with legitimate resources and opportunities, Realistic Reentry directly contributes to reducing violence within the community.
Our Founder
Taili A. Thompson is a celebrated leader and activist in Allegheny County, dedicated to violence prevention and community empowerment since 1999.
With a career spanning over two decades, he has led significant initiatives, including his role as manager for the Office of Violence Prevention at the Allegheny County Health Department (2016-2020) and his decade-long service at One Vision One Life. In 2012, Thompson founded Youth Opportunities Development (Y.O.D.) to mentor and empower at-risk youth. A graduate of Perry Traditional Academy and Point Park University.
In 2018, Thompson came to Operation Better Block Inc. as the new Director of Violence Prevention and started Realistic ReEntry. After focusing on violence prevention iniatives (NewEra412) in the past couple of years, Young Adults ReEntry Program (YARP) was started at the end of 2023 as part of his efforts to expand reentry work in the community.