Former Gov. Jim McGreevey (right) and former inmate Kendar Hall help to open a new office Tuesday for the New Jersey Reentry Corporation in New Brunswick. (Paige Gross | For NJ.com)

Kedar Hall was losing his eyesight when was released from his most recent stint in prison. First, former Gov. Jim McGreevey came to his aid and lended him his glasses. Then, McGreevey's agency, the New Jersey Reentry Corporation helped him get glasses and resume his life on the outside.

The Reentry Corporation Tuesday opened its ninth office to help former inmates like Hall, this one in a basement space in downtown New Brunswick.

"This here is a second sight, this is a second chance," Hall said of the new office at 57 Livingston Ave. "I used to live here in New Brunswick. New Brunswick is one of those spots where they really need that help. You just need to let people know that the help is there."

The Corporation helps former inmates deal with a myriad of obstacles, starting with obtaining housing and finding a job, McGreevey said at the center's opening. It also provides addiction treatment, legal services and healthcare and spiritual mentoring.

"So often people are being sent to prison instead of drug treatment, it's a big issue for our clients," said McGreevey, who runs the nonprofit. They're "just rotating in and out of prison, in and out of prison."

The organization also assists "max-out" prisoners, or people who serve the entirety of their sentence before being released. They are often reentering their lives decades later, and don't have the same programs available to them than those who re-enter under parole conditions.

Another client, John Sanchez, said he struggled with getting certifications for the skills he gained while incarcerated. A lawyer with the Reentry Corporation reached out to him and found him a job and stable housing.

"And that just changed my life," Sanchez said.

McGreevey estimates that the agency currently work with about 2,500 formerly incarcerated clients. That number will continue to rise in the coming years as more people are released back into society, he said.

The agency's other offices are in Elizabeth, Hackensack, Jersey City, Kearny, Neptune, Newark, Paterson and Toms River.

Paige Gross may be reached at pgross@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @By_paigegross. Find NJ.com on Facebook.