Rebound Inc. Is Giving Black Youth in the Twin Cities a Way Out and a Way Forward
Contributing writer Lizzy Nyoike profiles Rebound Inc., a Twin Cities nonprofit focused on helping Black youth move beyond systems involvement through prevention programs including the Ujima Family Resilience Program, transitional housing support for young adults ages 18 to 24, group homes for youth considered difficult to serve and ongoing advocacy for youth justice reform.
For Black youth in the Twin Cities caught in cycles of systems involvement, Rebound Inc. is working to offer something different: a way out, and a way forward.
Founded as a community-based nonprofit focused on Black boys, the organization has since expanded its mission to serve Black youth across the metro through prevention programs, housing support, transitional services and youth advocacy.
“Our focus is on moving young people away from or beyond their systems involvement and toward their full potential,” said Carmeann Foster, executive director of Rebound Inc.
The organization’s work spans a wide range of programs designed to support youth at different stages of their lives. One of those efforts includes the Ujima Family Resilience Program, which works to support Black youth and their families in North Minneapolis and surrounding areas to prevent justice system involvement.
Rebound also operates group homes and intensive support services for youth considered “difficult to serve.” Particularly young people who may no longer have support from other organizations.
“As an organization, we’ve tried to grow as our kids have,” Foster said.
That growth has also led Rebound to expand into transitional housing support for young adults ages 18 to 24 who have a history of juvenile justice involvement. According to Foster, the program helps young people secure stable housing while building financial independence.
The program operates through scattered-site housing, allowing participants to choose where they want to live rather than being placed in a specific location. Rebound covers rent costs upfront while participants contribute a portion of their income toward housing expenses.
For many young people with juvenile records, securing housing can become a significant barrier to stability. Foster said Rebound partners with Housing in Action, formerly Urban Homeworks, to help youth access housing opportunities even if they do not meet traditional rental requirements.
The organization’s work often overlaps with broader conversations surrounding youth justice reform, rehabilitation and community investment. Foster said many young people involved in the juvenile justice system also experience instability in housing, education and family support systems.
Those challenges have helped shape Rebound’s approach, which focuses on addressing the broader barriers young people face rather than only responding after justice system involvement occurs.
In addition to its direct services, Rebound also works to elevate youth in conversations surrounding justice reform. The organization partnered with a group of young advocates who spent several years pushing for changes within Hennepin County’s youth justice system. While the group was defunded at the end of 2025 due to county budget cuts, Foster said Rebound remains committed to ensuring young people continue to have a voice in conversations that impact their futures.
With support from the Minnesota Humanities Center, Rebound has continued engaging young people through advocacy efforts and community programming while exploring ways to sustain the work long term.
Many of the youth Rebound serves face multiple challenges at once, including housing instability, involvement with the justice system and limited access to resources. Foster said addressing those challenges requires a holistic approach that recognizes the unique experiences of each young person.
“We try to take a holistic focus, with different activities like wellness activities, entrepreneurship-related activities, social justice-related activities, and fashion-related activities,” she said.
For Foster, the measure of success is simple: young people who once faced overwhelming odds finding their footing and moving forward on their own terms. Through prevention programs, housing support and youth-centered advocacy, Rebound continues its mission of helping Black youth move beyond systems involvement and toward brighter futures.
For more information, visit www.reboundmpls.org/.
Lizzy Nyoike is a Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication student and contributing writer for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.