PPS & FOCUS GROUP MINISTRIES INC
HOPE FOR INCARCERATED AND NEWLY-RELEASED WOMEN
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Problem: No HOPE Thousands of men and women will enter an East Tennessee county or state correctional facility this year alone. Many will experience hopelessness. Many will not know where to turn for answers during this trying time in life. Plus, upon release, many will not have the tools or support needed for long-term success.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
FOCUS Ministries Beyond the Walls Program
PROVIDING HOPE FOR INCARCERATED WOMEN
FOCUS is currently available at state prisons and county jails throughout East Tennessee. The goal is to coordinate well with facility leaders, staff classes with passionate and competent volunteers, host classes that challenge and inspire women to real-life change from the inside out. When successful, students of the program know they have:
-A strong support system during incarceration and beyond
-A firm foundation in the basics of biblical living and the knowledge of how to grow in their faith
-A way of escape from the empty ways of living found in incarceration and addiction cycles
-A base of knowledge on how to be a better spouse, parent, daughter, and productive member of society
FOCUS Serves and Supports the Following Correctional Facilities in Tennessee
Anderson County Detention Facility
Knox County Detention Facility
Sullivan County Jail
Sevier County Jail
Bledsoe County Correctional Complex
Residential Reentry Transitional Housing
The FOCUS Reentry Program allows women to make a successful reintegration into society after prison or jail. This faith-based program provides a therapeutic home, case management, transportation, and more. The program's goal is to reduce recidivism and empower women to make meaningful contributions to their families and communities. The program has two reentry homes that are designed to ensure a smooth transition from incarceration to thriving independently.
The FOCUS Freedom House is a State-Approved Transitional Home designed to help women build a firm foundation immediately after incarceration.
The FOCUS Faith House is the next step in the reentry process. It provides the same supportive network and a lower level of structure.
Where we work
Awards
Phase I & II Award 2017
Trinity Health Foundation
External reviews
Photos
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Delivering HOPE
FOCUS Ministries leads the incarcerated on a Pathway to New Beginnings by:
Inspiring men and women inside the walls through strategic, values-based programming
Empowering men and women outside the walls through therapeutic community, assistive agency partnerships, and workplace reintegration
Reunifying families through intentional visitations and strategic long-term success plans
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Objectives of HOPE
FOCUS cultivates the New Beginnings Pathway in the following ways:
Inside: FOCUS leads courses in six county jails and three state prisons in East Tennessee. Each year over 1,000 men and women are impacted through classes targeting faith and lifeskill development, relapse prevention, and family strengthening.
Outside: Re-entry program students participate in a 9-12 month residential program designed for therapeutic community, strategic case management, healthy support/supervision, long-term recovery assistance, and multi-generational mentoring opportunities.
Workforce: Re-entry program students are provided with a job. Students are encouraged to develop a strong work ethic and superb budget management. Successful students will go on to retain sustainable-wage employment beyond the one-year timeframe.
Family: All students are encouraged to reunite with families, make amends as necessary, and embrace parenting roles from a healthy perspective.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
FOCUS has a superb staff, 100+ qualified volunteers, and the strong community partnerships needed to accomplish agency goals.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
1) We have expanded from one prison class (1999) to serving 3 state prisons and 7 county jails with a scalable, reproducible model for growth.
2) We have launched reentry homes for men and women and won significant regional foundation grants to both fund and grow them.
3) We have mobilized hundreds of volunteers with a staff of 9 (7 fulltime, 2 parttime).
4) We have nurtured relationships with local agencies to provide the quality of care and advocacy needed for long-term success with this populaiton.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
None
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
PPS & FOCUS GROUP MINISTRIES INC
Board of directorsas of 01/16/2024
Kristy Miller-Anderson
Former Chief Research and Programs Officer
Term: 2022 -
Andy Adkisson
Maurice Guinn
Debby Hagar
Gary Burleson
Jeff Hinton
Sherri Ottinger
Victoria Glasscock
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
No data
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 10/30/2019GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.