THE PROBLEM & THE NEED
Once released, the formerly incarcerated (one in every three adults in the US) face myriad barriers to successful and sustainable re-entry into communities. Many are still not allowed to vote, have limited access to education, face scant job opportunities, and are ineligible for public benefits, public housing, and student loans. Many employers still use background checks in their hiring decisions, putting jobs further out of reach for the millions in the US who have a criminal record.
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The above and additional obstacles have profoundly negative effects on families, and without effective support, make it extremely difficult for those returning from incarceration to be engaged, responsible, and productive citizens. We believe that high recidivism rates are caused in large part by lack of opportunities to be mentored, obtain life and career skills, and re-integrate successfully with families.
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We are also aware that the circumstances and behaviors that lead to incarceration often begin long before adult and fatherhood years, and Fathers On the Move (FOTM) addresses this by having not only a Fathers Program but also a Youth Program.
WHAT WE DO
Fathers On The Move (FOTM) was established in 2011 to help young men, most of whom are fathers, avoid or break out of the cycle of returning repeatedly to incarceration, to move on to become successful and productive community and family members. Viable and sustained employment and meaningful engagement with their families are essential to this.
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FOTM has served multiple communities in helping young fathers become productive community members and engaged and nurturing fathers and husbands. Our multi-level Program provides both practical living skills and skills needed to lead others.
In the three years since our Program became operational, we have graduated seven classes; three inside prison environments (one in Orange Co. Correctional and two at Butner), and four outside prison environments (one at Roxboro in cooperation with the Roxboro Housing Authority, and three at FOTM’s main location in Chapel Hill).
In 2022 and in years following, we plan to solidify and strengthen our base (HQ) operation in Chapel Hill, and establish formal Branch operations in Raleigh and then Durham.