WHAT: Senator Darius Brown will share words of encouragement and hope to Delawareans seeking a fresh start at Reach Gospel Radio’s Festival of Hope 2nd Chance Outreach on Saturday.
The free event at the Wilmington PAL Center will feature an expungement clinic where visitors can receive a free one-on-one session to determine their eligibility to have their criminal records expunged. While pre-registration is closed, sessions are still available on a first-come, first-served basis.
“Delawareans with a criminal record for even the lowest level crimes have historically faced barriers to employment, housing and an education – a lasting punishment that haunts them long after their sentence is complete,” said Senator Brown, D-Wilmington. “That’s why I passed legislation in 2019 to replace those barriers with avenues to upward mobility. I want to thank Reach Gospel Radio for helping us to reach out to our communities with a helping hand that can help lift up our neighbors and put them back on the road to redemption.”
SS 1 for SB 37 significantly expanded the availability of expungements to Delawareans beyond the previously narrow population of people who have received a pardon or were charged but never convicted of a crime.
Building on that success, Senator Brown last year passed Senate Bill 111, also known as the Clean Slate Act, to automate Delaware’s existing expungement process for thousands of adults and juveniles by eliminating the need for them to first file a petition with the State Bureau of Identification. Initial estimates indicate more than 290,000 adults would benefit immediately from the Clean Slate Act once it is fully implemented.
Senate Bill 112, passed in 2021, further expands the eligibility for mandatory expungements filed with SBI for certain additional convictions – regardless of a person’s prior or subsequent criminal record. These offenses include marijuana possession, drug paraphernalia possession, underage possession or consumption of alcohol, and cases involving multiple violation convictions.
The Festival of Hope also will feature a job fair, community partners exhibits, a food giveaway and Goodwill of Delaware and Delaware County’s new adult training program for the re-entry community, called “Train to Gain.”
“The Festival of Hope 2nd Chance Outreach is an absolutely free event for the community, as it is our desire to share Hope, Opportunity, and New Beginnings with our fellow citizens,” said Steve Hare. founder and CEO of Reach Gospel Radio Network.
WHO: Senator Darius Brown
Chris Kenny, President and CEO of Kenny Family Shop Rites of Delaware
Steve Hare, Founder and CEO of Reach Gospel Radio
Officials from REFORM Alliance
Officials from the Office of Defense Services
Officials from the APEX Program
Officials from the Delaware Criminal Justice Information System (DELJIS)
Community members
WHEN: 1 p.m.
Saturday, April 23
WHERE: Police Athletic League of Wilmington
3707 N. Market St.
Wilmington, DE 19802