Our Story

OpenDoors is the first and the largest organization in the state dedicated to helping people that have been in prison.  In order to provide respond to the growing need, OpenDoors has grown four-fold in the last several years to a staff of around one hundred people. Over three-quarters of OpenDoors staff, including the Management Team, have experience with overcoming incarceration or addiction, and the agency continues to develop leadership from people that know from personal experience how important this issue is. 

The OpenDoors reentry program uses a holistic approach to support people as they prepare to leave prison, return home, and stabilize in the community. The agency's programs include our policy and advocacy work, our one-stop Resource Center, our transitional and permanent housing programs, our homeless shelters, and our employment program. OpenDoors programs promote economic self-sufficiency by improving job-readiness, addressing barriers to employment and housing, and supporting addiction recovery.

OpenDoors was founded in 2003, and the agency has led numerous successful campaigns and projects, including the Right to Vote Campaign in 2006, the opening of our Plainfield Street offices and 19 unit housing facility in 2010, the creation of the 9 Yards program in 2013, the opening of our women and children’s recovery house in 2023, and our development of three homeless shelters in Providence, Pawtucket, and Woonsocket starting in 2021. Since 2018, OpenDoors has been led by Co-Executive Directors Nick Horton and Patrick Westfall, who have both worked for OpenDoors for over a decade, and Deputy Director Dina Bruce joined the leadership team in 2022.