Programming with a Purpose: HOPE Activities A Hit at ACJ
Published on February 02, 2026
It’s a typical afternoon at the Allegheny County Jail, but there’s a heated Bingo game brewing among several incarcerated residents – and maybe a staff member or two.
“B-One,” calls out facilitator James Clarke, a Foundation of HOPE employee who leads daily group activities on several housing units.
“Be one – with yourself,” muses one participant in a rhetorical and slightly philosophical manner, eliciting chuckles from the group and segueing to a discussion about whether the quote is attributable to any Star Wars characters.
Organized group activities like Bingo, Monopoly, yoga or art appreciation are newer additions to programming at the ACJ. Led by facilitators from HOPE, these activities not only give the incarcerated residents a daily break from jail monotony but also foster a sense of community while focusing on re-entry and what lies ahead, rather than ruminating on what brought them to this space.
“It’s a relief – it’s something to look forward to,” one participant said. “It’s an outlet, and it makes you feel like you’re not in jail for a couple of minutes.”
Tre’ Thomas, HOPE’s Senior Project Director, helped launch the program last June after HOPE was awarded an Activities-Based Programming and Library and Resource Coordination contract through the Request-For-Proposal (RFP) process from the jail and Allegheny County Department of Human Services.
Brimming with puppylike energy, unbridled optimism and wisdom beyond his years, Thomas began by conducting surveys to determine what activities the incarcerated individuals were interested in. A former teacher, he drew on his previous school teaching experience to begin facilitating group activities on two housing units.
“It’s using a lot of the same pedagogy I have in the classroom,” Thomas said. “Facilitation is something that is universal. Whether you’re working with children or with adults, knowing how people like to engage in a group and knowing how people do engage in a group - the science behind that is so important, and that’s really what helps you know what to do.”
Thomas and his colleagues helped transform the environment on those housing units. Rather sitting around talking about their cases or places they used to score on the outside, residents are talking about the activities, their children, or even what they hope to accomplish when they are released – all of which accomplish the goal of preparation for re-entering society.
One game of “Monopoly Deal” prompted a discussion about various Pittsburgh farmers markets, giving Thomas – not a native Pittsburgher – new places to find fresh summer produce.
“I think that really has helped reshape the mindset of what it means to be on a housing pod,” Thomas said. “Finding what you want to do, finding your value, finding what really empowers you and really connects you to your life and the life that you want to live is important.”
The program quickly grew beyond the two initial housing units. Thomas wanted to be in half of the jail’s housing units by the end of 2025 and easily met that benchmark. The future goal is to have activities seven days a week on all housing units.
The activities are based on the surveys and are open to change depending on preferences of those on the housing units. Currently, offerings include games like Uno, Bingo, Monopoly, Apples to Apples and Clue, activities like short story writing, movies, music appreciation, Soduko and word searches, and gym time for juveniles.
Current participants rave about what it’s done for them.
“The programming really helps me personally,” another participant said. “It’s something different and helps get my mind off things… It makes it that much easier to deal with whatever you have to deal with.”
There are future offerings in the works. Ever the networker, Thomas continues to form partnerships with outside organizations like Steel Smiling, Awaken Pittsburgh, West End P.O.W.E.R, the Black Political Empowerment Project and League of Women Voters, which is now teaching a civics class at the jail.
Whether it breaks up the monotony, contributes to community or prepares individuals for life on the outside, Thomas and his colleagues hope their participants get as much as they can from the jail’s programming.
“Hope and value – those are the biggest things I’d like the residents to take away from their participation,” Thomas said. “Whether it’s playing games, doing yoga or learning about art, I want them to walk away feeling like whatever they just accomplished provides value, empowered them, and giving them hope that they could do this thing again.”
Media inquiries may be directed to Jesse Geleynse, Public Information Officer for the Allegheny County Jail
jesse.geleynse@alleghenycounty.us or by phone at 412-350-1267 or 412-760-4760 (cell).