Brooklyn boutique to offer free professional attire to those recently released from prison
DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN, New York City (WABC) -- A new boutique named after a late Brooklyn district attorney will offer professional attire free of charge to assist men and women who were recently released from prison as they go on job interviews and secure employment.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez on Tuesday announced the opening of the the Kenneth P. Thompson Boutique, located at the DA's Re-Entry Bureau in Downtown Brooklyn, in partnership with 100 Suits for 100 Men.
"In Brooklyn, we are committed to strengthening community trust in the criminal justice system, and our commitment to justice does not end when a person is released from prison," Gonzalez said. "It is our obligation to aid their reintegration into the community. This boutique is a great tool to help ex-offenders increase their self-esteem and get on the right path with access to professional work attire as they prepare for job interviews and seek to obtain employment."
The Kenneth P. Thompson boutique will provide clothing for job interviews and employment, as well as personal empowerment support for individuals who have been incarcerated or otherwise involved with the criminal justice system.
The boutique will be operated by the not-for-profit organization 100 Suits for 100 Men, and will provide its services free of charge, primarily to individuals enrolled in the District Attorney's re-entry programs.
"We are proud to continue the legacy of service that was a cornerstone of Brooklyn DA Ken Thompson's administration and forms the basis of our own mission," 100 Suits for 100 Men founder and president Kevin Livingstone said. "100 Suits works with men and women who have justice involvement and having a location inside Brooklyn's Re-Entry Bureau will greatly improve access to the services we provide."
The Re-Entry Bureau currently includes three case management-based programs serving individuals who have been convicted of offenses and may have experienced incarceration or another form of removal from the community.
"My husband would be so proud to have his name associated with 100 Suits for 100 Men and would have been an avid supporter of Kevin Livingston and his amazing work," Ken Thompson's widow, Lu-Shawn Thompson, said. "He would also have been pleased that Eric Gonzalez and the Brooklyn DA's office are continuing to keep his legacy alive by continuing to make strides in criminal justice reform."
100 Suits for 100 Men has operated programs throughout New York City and has sites in Harlem and Jamaica, Queens. This is its first permanent location in Brooklyn and the first time it has partnered with a DA's office to establish a permanent location.
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