The United States of America is #1 in the world with the highest rate of incarceration.
Minorities make up 38% of the U.S. prison population and 3.6% in Virginia; African American males make up 60% of the prison population, white males, 39% and 1% other. Approximately 3 million children have at least one parent incarcerated and over ½ of all prisoners have children under the age of 18. 46% prisoners are high school dropouts; 40% males/60% females come into the system reading at least at the 9th grade level. 40% females/56% males are performing mathematical computations at less than a 6th grade level; 80% have an addiction to alcohol and/or drugs and drugs were involved in the commission of their crime. 56% females/18% males are on psychotropic medications. HIV and Hepatitis C are disproportionately higher than general populations. VA DOC spent over $7M treating hepatitis. Virginia’s recidivism rate is the lowest in the country but we still have work to do. Harold Clarke, Virginia Director of Corrections
At Failsafe-ERA, we are proud to say that we serve a community that understands the meaning of “hope” and “forgiveness” and through your support we are proud to say that we’ve had a very successful year “2017”. “Life’s like a boomerang. The more good you throw out, the more you receive in return.” Josh S. Hinds
We connected a host of returning citizens (formerly incarcerated) to the appropriate resources to aid in their successful reentry back into our community, i.e., shelter in hotels, 100 plus food packages, mentorship, moral support, etc.“ You can have everything in life you want if you will just help other people get what they want!” Zig Ziglar
We provided a scholarship to a returning citizen continuing her education at Germanna Community College and to a family member affected by incarceration, who is attending Liberty University. “Change does not necessarily assure progress, but progress implacably requires change. Education is essential to change, for education creates both new wants and the ability to satisfy them.” Henry Steele Commager
We’ve helped families affected by incarceration through our Caring Connections Support group to overcome the shame associated with having an incarcerated loved one and to accept their role in the successful reentry of their loved one, without becoming an enabler. “Sometimes we have to go through the storms of life before we realize our purpose or to whom or what group of people we are assigned.” Juanita Shanks
Through our piloted Entrepreneurship program, we selected a local barber to support, who is a returning citizen. We provided him a website with one year of free hosting to market his services; and, we have established pen pals for approximately 28 incarcerated ladies. "Service is the rent you pay for room on this earth", Shirley Chisholm
Failsafe-ERA’s vision is to change lives, rebuild communities, and help families affected by incarceration through our 3Track2Success: Educate – Reform – Align (ERA) program. The first step toward creating an improved future is developing the ability to envision it. VISION will ignite the fire of passion that fuels our commitment to do WHATEVER IT TAKES to achieve excellence. Only VISION allows us to transform dreams of greatness unto the reality of achievement through human action. VISION has no boundaries and knows no limits. Our VISION is what we become in life. Tony Dungy
We need your help to meet the basic needs of the returning citizens and their families (food, housing, transportation); training and education through our educational enhancement program, personal resiliency and empowerment program (PReP), caring connections group counseling for the family, and prison ministry to prepare them to reach their “hope for” – their destiny – their purpose. Let’s help them become successful, productive, law-abiding citizens in our communities. “The lack of preparation is the introduction to failure.” Levonzia Stevens Sr.
Your gift today will make it possible for us to take our resiliency and empowerment program into the jail; provide food and other resources to the returning citizen and affected family members, provide funds for higher education, and access to professional development training.
If you have already given, we thank you so very much; but if not, please consider giving an online gift today. Thank you for your consideration.
We wish you a New Year of great beginnings and thank you for your generous support!
Please click the button below or send a check to FAILSAFE-ERA,4701 Market Street, Suite H, Fredericksburg, VA 22408.
Juanita Shanks
President and CEO