In 2024, Extended Family launched Extended Success for Life (ESL), a comprehensive 20-week reentry program designed to support men returning from incarceration as they reintegrate into their families and communities. Offered for free to participants, ESL is rooted in a three-part approach – Dream, Learn, and Live – and is led by Reentry Coordinator Jerry Clemons, a former prisoner who has successfully rebuilt his life since his release in 2009.
The ESL program begins by helping participants, referred to as “returning citizens,” identify their dreams and set personal goals. Each man receives a customized plan tailored to his needs, guided by Clemons’ firsthand understanding of the challenges they face.
Next, participants engage in interactive lessons that build practical skills and emotional resilience. They learn to harness their talents, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and map out actionable steps toward achieving their goals. This phase emphasizes personal growth and preparation for the challenges of reentry.
The final stage of the program focuses on application and encourages returning citizens to live out what they’ve learned. ESL provides one-on-one mentorship, resources for essentials like housing and food, and support in areas such as character development and job readiness. The ultimate goal is to reduce recidivism by equipping participants to lead successful, self-sufficient lives.
Serving Cherokee, DeKalb, Calhoun, and Etowah counties, ESL accepts participants through referrals by judges, probation and parole officers, the Alabama Department of Corrections, family members, or self-referral. To be eligible, individuals must commit to the full 20-week course and actively work toward their goals.
Extended Family, which has served families affected by incarceration since 2003, launched ESL as part of its broader mission to help break the cycle of incarceration, strengthening families and communities from the inside out. For more information or to enroll, contact Jerry Clemons at jerry@extendedfamilyhelp.org or call 256-927-7997. Learn more about this and other programs at www.extendedfamilyhelp.org.
I am reaching out to the ESL program on behalf of my nephew, Chris Whorton. He was released from DOC and paroled to Cherokee County in Dec. 2024 and is in need of residency, employment and basic needs due to current family circumstances beyond his control. He is a mature multi-skilled individual who is ready and willing to better his situation. Originally from the Whorton (Friendship Church) community, he is familiar with the Clemons family and was referred to the ESL program by his parole officer, Caleb Courtney. You can reach him through me at (256) 613-8358 or my e-mail below. Another contact is is Aunt Ruth Rickard (256) 613-3475. Thank you.