Providing Grace and Redemption through Christ

for Prisoners, Women in Recovery, and Military Veterans. 

Hello Stacey,

Prison systems in the United States have traditionally focused on punishment and only more recently have they engaged in rehabilitation. With recidivism rates near 70%, successful reentry can prove to be an elusive goal. But if society desires a different outcome, it is important to recognize and overcome the barriers that exist to successful reentry.

The three biggest challenges of reentry are housing, employment, and education. When prisoners are released they often are sent back into the same community where their offense was committed. One study showed if they can find stable housing, the formerly incarcerated are 40% less likely to be rearrested. Serving USA supports over 30 transition homes that are dedicated to providing the incarcerated stability and accountability upon their release.

These partners also help their clients find jobs. Studies show over 90% of those who were able to secure employment during the entirety of their supervised release were able to successfully reintegrate back into their communities and not return to prison. Serving USA partners leverage their contacts in the community and often provide job preparedness training to equip their clients for success in employment.

Education is the third biggest barrier to reentry. Besides the TUMI curriculum taken by many inmates inside prison, Serving USA partners also lead or coordinate training in life skills like financial planning, anger management, parenting, spiritual development and healthy life choices.

The concerted effort by partners and their clients in overcoming obstacles related to housing, employment, and education is the primary reason less than 5% of Serving USA partner clients return to incarceration. Serving USA and our partners are committed to redeeming individuals and communities across the country. 

Chad Robichaux founded the Mighty Oaks Foundation after he realized countless combat veterans experience the same psychological, emotional, and spiritual challenges he did after serving in Afghanistan. The Mighty Oaks Foundation provides peer-based discipleship through programs, outpost meetings, and speaking events. 

In military populations, PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) are frequently paired comorbidities, with over 70% of people with PTSD also having MDD. Concerns about life and family disruptions because of deployment and respect for social support after returning home were associated with the severity of significant depression symptoms (Goetter et al., 2020). 

The impact of post-deployment social support on depression can be alleviated through peer support initiatives, including community integration efforts, psychosocial treatments, and group therapy (Goetter et al., 2020).

The Mighty Oaks Leadership team is peer-led and equipped with the lived experience necessary to recover. All instructors are program alumni, and each has a story of trauma through their time in service. Together, the leaders and participants connect in a forum not often found in clinical environments. Here, they can candidly discuss the effects of deployment, family separation, and managing PTSD at home. 

The Mighty Oaks Foundation has four lodge locations throughout the United States. During their stay, veterans live in handicap-accessible, first-class facilities equipped with amenities to make their stay comfortable. Along with daily programs, the lodges offer a variety of recreational activities designed to engage in the comradery of their recovery. 

Each program is designed to cater to the specific needs of the individuals Mighty Oaks serves, including The Legacy Program for Men, Legacy Program for Women, Military Resiliency Programs and Conferences, Marriage Advance: Love Never Gives Up, and Aftercare Programs. 

Powerhouse of Love

"I can barely believe I have found a place where everything I've dreamed of my entire life is becoming my reality! Powerhouse has given me and my son a new family that loves and accepts us, even though we aren't perfect.  

When we came, we didn't know what love and security were like. The team here has helped us face pain and trauma. Now I take healthy and necessary risks, even if it's still scary. I have started a relationship with Jesus and I'm learning to be open and trust Him with everything. 

I'm beginning classes to receive my GED and I even have a tutor to help me. My son and I genuinely love our new life."

Rosa, Resident of the Women & Children's Center. 

Romans 8:28

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose."

Independence Day

July 4, 2022

National Hire a Veteran Day

July 25, 2022

Analyze Your Marketing Performance

Routine reporting and analysis help you figure out what's working and what you need to change. Below are a few examples of performance indicators you can use to track.

• Email marketing - Email opens
• Event marketing - Ticket sales
• Video marketing - Video views
• Social media - Shares and comments
• Website - Page views
• Public speaking - Referrals
• Content marketing - Subscriptions

Looking for other ways to support Serving USA? Head to smile.amazon.com and select Serving USA when making a purchase.

Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to your selected nonprofit!

Questions?

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding information within this newsletter, please contact info@servingusa.org



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