April marks a month of renewal for Christians, Muslims and Jews. It is also Second Chance Month, as designated by the U.S. government, for former prisoners reentering their local communities. Between 650,000 and 750,000 prisoners are released every year across the country. Too often they struggle to find jobs, stable housing, and a connection with their families.
The Family Reconciliation Center, founded in 1984, aims to help ease the transition of the formerly incarcerated into new lives. Every weekend, we provide free lodging for friends and family visiting their loved ones in Nashville’s prisons. Children reunite with their parents, husbands and wives re-connect, and longtime friends provide hope to those on the inside.
All of us who volunteer with the Family Reconciliation Center celebrate Second Chance Month, including our guests and those they visit in the hope of renewal and love.