Wake up Café

Mission & Vision

Wake up Café is a nonprofit that supports motivated prisoners and ex-prisoners towards a long-term reintegration into society, without reoffending. The organization offers a solution to those who leave prison and are left feeling hopeless by restoring a sense of humanity and hope for the future. With an emphasis on brotherhood, a strong built-in support system, and personal and professional development classes, ex-offenders are helped to successfully reintegrate into society. 

Actions Led

As mentioned, Wake up Café offers personal and professional development classes. These classes help refine valuable skills, such as public speaking and managing emotions, that will be helpful in the professional sphere. More than 400 partners support Wake up Café either by financing the program, hiring ex-offenders, or giving time to deliver specific expertise to the people accompanied. By working closely with  “wakers”, for however long they need, Wake up Café divides the reoffense rate by 6,  bringing this rate from 60% (national) down to 12% (at Wake up Café). 

Projects that U.S. Donors Can Support

With US donations, Wake up Café can finance the following actions in the Paris area to support people coming out of prison to reintegrate into society:

• Courses and workshops inside and outside Paris region prisons, aiming for a complete reintegration of prisoners and ex-prisoners,
• Cultural activities in the Paris area prisons and on the Wake up Café Paris site
• Meals for ex-prisoners on the Wake up Café Paris site, to share privileged moments with staff, volunteers, and other ex-prisoners

Learn more through our blog article published on May 23rd, 2023.