As we enter a new year, we want to share and reflect on our growth during 2023. There were several remarkable milestones, but we want to highlight a few exceptional takeaways from 2022.
With 113 clients receiving transitional housing and reentry services in 2022, Parole Project eclipsed 350 clients since we began our work in 2016. We are ecstatic that the success have led to continued increases each year but, more importantly, we have consistently enhanced the scope of our services and the methodology of our program. We recognize these numbers as objective, empirical representations of success, but we know that they are more than just pieces of data – they are significant stories of human redemption. Our dedicated staff will continue blazing a trail to meet our clients’ needs and change the narrative around second chances. We will not slow down in 2023 because we know that thousands of success stories are still waiting to be written.
New Women’s House
Parole Project donors and supporters, such as yourself, played a crucial role in expanding our ability to serve female clients. With the purchase of a new Redemption House, we have doubled our housing capacity for women returning to society after decades in prison. Thank you to all who helped make this possible. You are a vital part of our work, helping our female client rebuild their lives and ensuring their needs are met.
New Partnerships and New Possibilities
We continue to unite with other organizations to impact change and promote equity in our justice system and in our communities. This past year, we partnered with The Visiting Room Project and The Frederick Douglass Project for Justice. Each initiative humanizes incarcerated people and allows them to be seen as more than their worst decision or a prison number. These collaborations have quite literally opened the doors for people to understand the realities of life in prison and the human capacity for change.
Dr. Marcus Kondkar’s multimedia approach with The Visiting Room Project invites viewers to hear stories of men and women sentenced to life without parole in Louisiana prisons — in their own words. They are able to tell their testimonies of growth, redemption, struggles, and what makes them a person. We have partnered with The Visiting Room Project to host screenings and panel discussions with participants across the state. Click here to learn more about The Visiting Room Project.
The Frederick Douglass Project, led by founder and president Marc Howard, uses an experiential approach to shape conversations about incarceration in America. This program brings members of the community into prisons, where they see correctional facilities firsthand and build connections with incarcerated people. In our two overwhelmingly successful sessions in December, nearly three dozen men and women expanded their views about rehabilitation, redemption, and reentry after seeing and hearing those that society too often discards. With dates scheduled throughout 2023, we will be providing more opportunities to enlighten people around Louisiana about second chances. Click here to learn more about The Frederick Douglass Project.
If you are interested in participating in upcoming prison visits, click here to submit an application.
A Growing Staff Meeting Growing Needs
In 2022, Parole Project continued to grow in scope, resources, and size. Our staff is vital to our program and our success. They tirelessly dedicate themselves to meeting any need our clients have. The Parole Project team is now composed of 23 talented, selfless, and compassionate people. The addition of new employees to our team is invaluable. With these new friendly faces and big hearts, we are now able to provide more extensive services to more clients than ever before.
Henry Montgomery: A Momentous Milestone On His Own
We celebrate these successes to recognize how far we have come and how far we still have to go. As we turn our attention to 2023, we know it will be a busy year but the work has already begun.
To quote the Greek philosopher Aeschylus, “from a small seed, a mighty trunk may grow.” Looking back at 2022 and the years since Parole Project’s inception, our trunk is growing thanks to the support that people like you have poured over us as we have taken root.
We will always believe in second chances, and appreciate you doing the same.
