Parenting With Purpose

Parenting the future with Purpose (pfwp) provides Parenting education and support for the incarcerated parents who have a desire to increase their Parenting skills and improve family relationships in preparations for a return to their homes and communities. Pfwp is currently facilitating Parenting classes in the Minnesota men's correctional facility in fairbault (mcf/frb), rush city (mcf/rc) and lino lakes (mcf/ll). Pfwp also provides supportive home visits to encourage appropriate behavior in home and the schools for the children and to assist the caregivers in their efforts to raise the children who have been affected by incarceration of a parent. Upon release from prison, pfwp also provides transition support services to those moms and dads who desire to be reunited with their children and live in the metro area of minneapolis and st. paul, Minnesota. In 2023 the following goals were accomplished pwp provided support services to 40 guardians and released parents who have the demanding task of raising children affected by incarceration. 144 parent education classes to 226 men at the Minnesota correctional facility in fairbault, Minnesota 36 parent education classes to 56 men at the Minnesota correctional facility in lino lakes, Minnesota 24 parent education classes to 40 men at the Minnesota correctional facility in rush city, Minnesota 144 parent education classes/one on one to 18 men at life rebuilders in minneapolis, Minnesota through these support services the following organizational goals were reached: 1) pwp has played an integral part in discontinuing the intergenerational cycle of criminal behavior in over 330 families 2) 99% of the parents released who remained in contact with pwp in 2023, acquired a job or schooling, 100% of the released parents who contacted pwp after release acquired/maintained safe housing, 99% of the released parents who remained in contact with pwp upon release and within the year

The mentoring for life change (mlc) program is a one-on-one mentoring program created to break the intergenerational cycle of criminal behavior in youth affected by parental incarceration. Since july 1999, mlc has made inroads in strengthening family relationships; improving or maintaining good behavior and academic progress in school; increased community service and career awareness in the lives of at-risk youth. Mlc program focuses on the expansion of services Parenting with Purpose (pwp) provides to children and families affected by incarceration. This program is developed in response to a specific inmate need for assistance to restore and strengthen family relationships and to reduce and prevent the cycle of child abuse and neglect in families with an incarcerated parent. This expansion includes more intense services to the children and their families. Pwp believes that as a family is strengthened, they will be greater assets to our communities. The strengthening we believe is holistic, including living a healthy lifestyle by maintaining regular check-ups for the children and adults, eating healthy, exercising regularly, and learning skills to reduce stress. The expected outcomes of mlc program are as follows: to improve relationships with youth of incarcerated parent and their guardian(s). To improve academic and school behavior for program participants. To improve the physical health and emotional well-being of children, youth of incarcerated parents, and their parents by increasing awareness in different areas of their lives. To reduce criminal activity in the children/youth of incarcerated parents. In 2023, the following accomplishments were achieved: 1) weekly support services (rides, support group and home visits) to 38 children, age 5-25, who have or had an incarcerated or released parent. 2) in the lives of the 38 children and teens that are involved in the mlc program, 100% were not involved in any criminal behavior throughout their year involvement with Parenting with Purpose. 3) 99% of the children who were actively involved with pwp were able to remain in contact with their parents who were incarcerated or released. 4) 96% of the families involved in the mentoring for life change program reported/showed improvement in the family relationships 5) 100% of the children and teens regularly involved with pwp have continued to attend school. 95% have shown improvement or maintained their academics or continued good behavior at school.