...a complete redirection. This is where change begins.  A one-eighty is a u turn. This one-eighty is a new way of looking at people, and new way to handle some challenging situations in our community.

In the next twelve months, more than 20,000 people will be released from Missouri's prisons.

What now?

If these 20,000 people are anything like the national average, most of them will return to the penitentiary within the next year. What if they didn't have to? What if there was an alternative to the cycle of recidivism plaguing our state and our nation?

Who are these people?

They are our neighbors, children, family, and friends who have made some poor decisions in the past and want to leave them there. They want new opportunities and seek to rebuild their lives from the ground up.  Help is needed from us and from you to make  positive changes in their lives.

Many of them are creative and hardworking.  They have dreams, desires, and want something more.

There are many barriers to overcome.  Most of them will have a difficult time finding gainful employment.  Many lack stable housing and transportation.  They often come from difficult family situations and need the support of a community.

What can we do?

Together we can provide support for these people. Together we can work to help them overcome their barriers and create new lives and new opportunities. Together we can reduce the cycle of recidivism and ensure safer communities and less of a burden for our limited tax dollars.  You have heard the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child."  Well, it takes the community working together to help an offender succeed and make the changes needed in their lives.