The national recidivism rate (rate in which released inmates return to prison within 3-5 years) hovers around 77%. The state of Texas ranges from 40-50%. At Forgiven Felons, since our inception in 2007, and our opening of our transitional houses in 2012, we have served over 300 men and have an 8% recidivism rate. We feel that by using a practical and spiritual approach to reintegration, instead of just one or the other, we are making stronger and more productive citizens.
We have 8 acres in the country that we are planning to build on. See design pic. We will need $400K for the main building and $70K for each 2 bedroom home the men live in. This place in the country will give us more room over all and allow us to serve the more intense crimes out here. We will have metal fabrication and our t-shirt business out here so the men will have jobs.
Helping People with a Past realize their Future. Focusing on men coming out of prison, assisting them in all areas needed to reenter society successfully including housing, job search, clothing, hygiene, transportation, and training, therefore reducing our overall recidivism rate.
With our job training workshops and businesses to go with them, people will have a chance to go from the classroom, to the job site, and eventually business owner if they'd like.
Our social services will continue to be known as Forgiven Felons, the 501c3, which will include everything we've been doing, bus passes, clothes, hygiene, financial literacy classes, recovery classes, leadership classes, and then we will add the following workshops for free to people coming directly out of prison.
Our for profit arm will be Background Industries LLC. We will have a business for each workshop where men and women can go from classroom, to employment, to business owner if they want to.
In each location we will offer our normal social services as well as the following:
4 Vocational Workshops
-Welding
-Lighting and Electrical
-Audio/Video Production
-Graphic Art Design Printing
Social Services
Financial Literacy Classes
Business Start Up Classes
Leadership Classes
Recovery Classes
We will also have OSHA certification on warehouse equipment.
Background Industries would be the business arm that these men and women could be employed by if they choose.
4 Correlating Businesses to go with each workshop. All businesses are existing but would scale once the workshops get going. Part of the proceeds would go back into Forgiven Felons to cover social service. There'd also be an opportunity for them, after working with one of the businesses for a year, to start their own business.
We have all teachers and curriculum (for classes and workshops) in place already. We have some funds to purchase equipment for workshops. We have volunteers ready to help with data entry and social services.
Organization name
Forgiven Felons
Causes
Justice-involved adults or youth
Operating Budget
$100,000 - $249,999
Counties Served
Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Tarrant
BIPOC Serving
Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx
Address
7943 Claremont Dr