Since 2023, Extended Family has provided a support system for the families of prisoners. What started as one-to-one support for those who were struggling to adjust to the incarceration of a loved one has grown into programs and services for every family member dealing with incarceration, including the adult family members left at home, the children, the incarcerated individuals struggling to maintain family connections while away from home, and those recently returned citizens who are working to reintegrate into their homes and communities.
This “whole family” approach has many goals: to help families navigate the prison experience, to prevent children from entering the juvenile justice system, to reduce the rate of recidivism among adult and youth offenders, to help incarcerated mothers stay connected with their children, and to break the generational cycle of incarceration in families. The benefits of these goals for incarcerated individuals and families are numerous, and when we are successful in meeting our goals, the larger result is safer communities for us all.
Our mission, “To offer help and inspire hope,” is designed to give families, especially children, the tools they need to make good choices to dream and see those dreams come true. Extended Family for Kids is for children who have ever had an incarcerated loved one and teaches children important lessons like “You are not alone,” and “It’s not your fault.” Extended Family Leadership Academy is for older students who learn how to reach their goals and embrace the motto, “Lead yourself.”
For those nearing release, we offer Going Home workshop, preparing men and women for the common challenges of returning home. Extended Family Success for Life is a free reentry program for returned citizens and includes a series of twenty lessons tailored to the unique needs of each individual participant and mentoring throughout the program. For incarcerated moms, we offer Extended Family for Life, a series of fifteen lessons teaching character development that the women can use in their daily lives and can also share with their children.
Our website, www.extendedfamilyhelp.org, has useful tips and extensive information on our Resource Database for families looking for additional information. Follow us on Facebook and @extendedfamilyhelp on X and