Presentation at the Never Give Up Transitional Living 2026 Fundraiser Event!

During the 2nd Annual Never Give Up (NGU) Transitional Living Program Fundraiser on November 10th, doctoral candidate Taylor Gonzales and Dr. Jenn Tostlebe shared updates on their ongoing research partnership with the NGU team. Building on the evaluation framework developed over the past few years, they highlighted early program outcomes, what makes NGU’s approach to prisoner reentry unique, and progress toward understanding how and why the program works. The presentation also highlighted preliminary findings from Taylor’s dissertation, which examines how NGU’s program model translates into everyday practice and how staff and residents experience the program. With a process evaluation and pilot outcome study now underway, the partnership has moved from building the foundation for evaluation to generating evidence about program implementation and outcomes. Together, these efforts reflect NGU’s commitment to continuous improvement, research-informed practice, and supporting successful reentry. For more information, visit Never Give Up Transitional Living.