ARLINGTON, Va., December 15, 2020 – Stand Together Foundation today announced an investment of $660,000 in its Catalyst partner Prison Fellowship, supporting efforts to transform prison culture in America. Stand Together Foundation is partnering with Prison Fellowship to double the impact of its Warden Exchange program through expanded online programming from 50 to more than 100 participating wardens.
The goal of the program is to move America's criminal justice system away from punitive approaches and toward a culture of helping those incarcerated to transform their lives. A full 95 percent of incarcerated individuals will rejoin society, and communities around the country benefit when prisons help people to transform their lives and become contributing members of society.
"Restorative reform begins on the inside with the shifting and shaping of prison culture," said Dan Kingery, executive VP, field programs. "The data shows that if people emerge from prison utterly unchanged then society will bear the burden of their incarceration more than once. We offer a restorative approach that leads to safer communities. We're grateful for a partner like Stand Together Foundation that shares our commitment to rebuilding prison culture from the inside out."
The Warden Exchange program brings leaders together to share ideas, discuss challenges, and develop custom practices based on each specific prison population. The program aims to reimagine prison culture and outcomes to focus on rehabilitation. By treating people as individuals, seeing their potential, and equipping them to succeed post-release, wardens can positively impact not only their prisons, but entire communities.
Stand Together Foundation is committed to fueling the innovation of nonprofit partners around the country that are working to build stronger, safer communities where all people can learn, contribute, and realize their full potential. Offering innovative non-profits the financial and operational support to scale their efforts, Prison Fellowship's transformative approach to reform (and proven results in prisons nationwide) makes them an ideal partner for Stand Together Foundation's Community of high-impact Catalyst partners.
"Our criminal justice system is failing, providing neither an increase in public safety or rehabilitation to those who become incarcerated. One way we can begin to drive change is through transforming prison culture," said Evan Feinberg, executive director, Stand Together Foundation. "Warden Exchange provides a promising solution to that challenge by equipping prison leaders to see and invest in the potential of people serving time. We're eager to help them multiply their impact nationwide."
Stand Together Foundation's partnership will expand the Warden Exchange program's reach, enhance the quality of the program, and enable them to better track and measure impact. The partnership will also connect Warden Exchange participants with other organizations in Stand Together Foundation's Catalyst community that are also working on innovative solutions to reentry and rehabilitation.
Prison Fellowship launched its Warden Exchange program in 2014 and has welcomed leaders from 38 states since its inception, including both state-run and private facilities. Participants commit to a nine-month in-person curriculum or a six-month online experience — both include regular discussions, opportunities for problem-solving with peers, and development of a three-to-five-year action plan to transform their prisons. They hear from business and military leaders, top corrections experts, and renowned academics, engaging on topics including transformational leadership, eliminating prison violence, and fostering successful reentry.
About Prison Fellowship
Prison Fellowship is the nation's largest outreach to prisoners, former prisoners, and their families, and a leading voice for criminal justice reform. With more than 40 years of experience helping restore men and women behind bars, Prison Fellowship advocates for federal and state criminal justice reforms that transform those responsible for crime, validate victims, and encourage communities to play a role in creating a safe, redemptive, and just society. Learn more at prisonfellowship.org.
About Stand Together Foundation
Stand Together Foundation identifies, recruits, and cultivates a community of dynamic entrepreneurs who are leading a movement to break the cycle of poverty in America. We strategically partner with the country's most innovative and effective nonprofits and invest in them through financial capital, management support, storytelling, and other offerings to fuel their innovation and take their efforts to the next level. Our goal is to transform the social sector by helping nonprofit leaders maximize their impact, addressing persistent poverty through a deep belief in people and bottom-up solutions. Learn more at StandTogetherFoundation.org.
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