Survivor winner builds pinball arcade to help formerly jailed people

Reality TV star Rupert Boneham won a million dollars on Survivor and did something amazing with it. He started a nonprofit called Rupert's Kids that helps people coming out of jail and detention centers. The organization runs programs in Shelbyville, Indiana that give people real chances to build new lives.

The heart of Rupert's Kids is a pinball arcade that employs formerly incarcerated people. Boneham calls it "a vocational training program cloaked in an arcade." Workers learn job skills while managing the business. All the money from the arcade goes back into helping more people. When the arcade opened in 2017, Boneham saw incredible results. Of the 34 people he worked with that first year, 29 stayed out of jail - a 90% success rate.

The nonprofit also runs The WhereHouse, a shelter that houses up to 12 men in a drug and alcohol-free environment. Residents work at the arcade, take GED classes, and get life coaching and financial literacy training. They can even pay for services through work, which helps them save money for their future. Boneham also hosts community days where neighbors can shop donated items for just $5, with proceeds supporting the program.

Boneham believes every community could benefit from this model. He sees abandoned warehouses and overcrowded detention centers everywhere, along with the need for better re-entry programs. Our communities can learn from this approach that combines practical job training with real support for people ready to start fresh.

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