FailSafe-ERA
Changing Lives...Rebuilding Communities...Helping Families Affected by Incarceration
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
FailSafe-ERA is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that provides reformative strategies to empower and restore hope to families impacted by incarceration through our Right Road and Caring Connections to Prevent Generations of Incarceration Programs. Our core purpose is to foster positive change in the lives of individuals and families affected by incarceration by providing strategies to improve outcomes. Our holistic approach to community reentry is for the whole family to promote family bonding, healing, and independent living. Caring Connections to prevent generations of incarceration, a preventative measure, is designed to break the pattern of incarceration and to reduce the trauma and related challenges that families and children with incarcerated parents often face; to help them cope with the challenges brought on by the situations that they experience as they learn to cope with the effects incarceration has on them.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Caring Connections
Caring Connections to prevent generations of incarceration, a preventative measure, is designed to break the pattern of incarceration and to reduce the trauma and related challenges that families and children with incarcerated parents often face; to help them cope with the challenges brought on by the situations that they experience as they learn to cope with the effects incarceration has on them. Caring Connections help the children, youth, and adult family members understand their emotions, recognize physiological responses and relaxation techniques, identify social supports and trusted others, and coping strategies.
Family members learn, in a supportive and non-judgmental environment, the techniques to properly grieve the loss of their incarcerated loved ones and how to survive the incarceration process, the most common being the shame associated with admitting that incarceration has touched their lives. They learn how to manage expectations.
Right Road Reentry
A cognitive-behavioral, skills-building model that challenges inmates and returning citizens to change their beliefs and behaviors. This evidence-based approach addresses criminogenic risks and needs and guides the participants toward positive life changes, focusing on personal goals. Through structured group discussions, participants are challenged to examine how their behavior and choices have been caused by their emotions, thoughts and beliefs. They learn the art of overcoming challenges and recovering from life-altering decisions. This program is accomplished utilizing classroom or virtual training curriculum, followed by specialized employer skills training. In addition to training, returning citizens will participate in trauma-informed mental health intervention/treatment, access to employment opportunities, and housing support.
WIGS (Women Inspiring GirlS)
WIGS (Women Inspiring GirlS) for youth ages 13-18, is designed to promote positive behaviors, confidence, and mindsets that resist criminal activities and thoughts. Participants learn practical tips and exercises to help them overcome obstacles and recover from life-altering decisions. Through structured group discussions, they are challenged to examine how their behavior and choices, caused by their emotions, thoughts, and beliefs have consequences.
Equipping Children with Incarcerated Parents (ECHIPS)
Equipping Children of Incarcerated Parents and loved-ones (ECHIPS) taught at the elementary schools. ECHIPS teaches children social and emotional strategies where they can better cope with the challenges brought on by the situation that they are experiencing. The specific trauma-informed interventions include psychoeducation about trauma, strategies for identifying distressing and irrational thinking and behavior; relaxation techniques; cognitive reframing, and emotion regulation skills. The incarceration of a household member is one of the ten originally studied Adverse Childhood Experience (ACEs). Research has found a distinct connection between parental incarceration and childhood health problems, and school-related issues.
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn 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?
GOAL 1 – Develop programs and establish partnerships to assist returning citizens (Center of Hope)
GOAL 2 – Provide strategic services to prevent generations of incarceration
GOAL 3 – Develop and deliver programs to prepare incarcerated individuals for reentry into society.
GOAL 4 – Develop multiple sources of income to sufficiently fund our programs.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Empower and restore hope to inmates, returning citizens (formerly incarcerated), and family members affected by incarceration, using the cognitive behavioral model approach for both adult and youth offenders; addressing attitudes, behaviors, and mindsets to overcome their life-altering challenges and decisions to improve outcomes for those returning from incarceration
Decrease the rate of recidivism using the Maslow Hierarchy of needs theory (physical, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization/level of competency).
Provide holistic support and services to address the whole person, ensuring they have a carefully guided pathway to successful and independent living
Remove the barriers that prevent them from becoming successful, productive citizens.
Promote decarceration and rehabilitation, while at the same time providing support to the families and promoting public safety.
Enhance personal and professional growth to progress in the world of work to become marketable citizens, which lends itself to better employment opportunities.
Provide evidence-based Transformed and Empowered life skills to effect positive change and continuous quality improvement strategies, and social skills to improve communications and connectedness to build healthy relationships.
Individual and group therapeutic counseling, coaching and mentoring to promote critical thinking and new ways of presenting oneself to others and peers.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The FAILSAFE-ERA team has extensive management, inter-personal and professional development and empowerment skills to build our organizations and meet the needs in our community. Our team brings a wealth of experience that culminates a span of more than 50 years.
Currently we are limited in the services we provide due to insufficient funding streams to execute our programs and hire staff. Failure to secure funding to fully execute FAILSAFE-ERA programs and services will exacerbate the problems associated with the high rate of incarceration, inmates reentering our communities, and family members suffering from the effects of the decisions of their loved ones.
The steps we will take to achieve our goals are to continue to recruit well-trained enthusiastic staff, provide high-quality customer service, establish extensive public relations campaign, deliver outstanding products and service knowledge, and create tools and reference materials for clients.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
This year we were approved to participate in the United Way Campaign and the Combined Federal Campaign, where Federal Government employees can support our programs through payroll deductions. We participated in 5 campaign events on military bases, to include the Pentagon.
We partnered with ATSSA-American Traffic Safety Services Association to develop the Right Road Job Training and Placement Program for qualified returning citizens to receive training and job placement in road work. We graduated 16 from our training program.
We established a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of the Rappahannock Region to provide weekly training to approximately 23 youth, on a weekly basis, to prevent Generations of Incarceration.
We partnered with Office on Youth and Germanna Community College on March 28 to present our first seminar on “Preventing Generations of Incarceration”. The focus of the forum was on providing education and resources to area professionals and community members on the effects incarceration has on children and what can be done to help guide them through the process.
With the support of the Community Foundation, Youth in Philanthropy grant, we were able to successfully launch our Caring Connections Program ECHIPS program. Again, ECHIPS stands for Equipping Children with Incarcerated Parents. We provided training to children at 4 elementary schools and provided two workshops in the summer. This program teaches children social and emotional strategies to cope with the effects of incarceration.
We conducted our first Holiday Shoppe where we provided toys for 31 families with 72 children total, with the support of Toys-for-Tots.
We provided resiliency training to 55 male and 71 female inmates at RRJ, as part of the Chaplain’s Quarterly Ready Set Release Training.
We participated in 8 reentry fairs and provided resources to over 500 participants, at several corrections facilities.
3-500 returning citizens and families have reached out to us for help through numerous phone calls, office visits, emails, and letters from inmates for jobs, housing, clothing, etc.
We conducted bible studies to approximately 500 inmates attending Monday, Wednesday and Thursday classes. Through our Ministry (SHARE) Food Program, we distributed over 100 food baskets. Our Bread of Life Ministry provided weekly bread distribution to families of returning citizens, Healthy Families, and St. Jude Catholic Church. We established the Council of Churches responsible to provide spiritual development and Second Chance support to returning citizens.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
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, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our 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.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
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.
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.
FailSafe-ERA
Board of directorsas of 08/22/2022
Megan Bergen
Sue Parr
Marine Corps
Term: 2022 - 2025
Debra Mason
DoD Contractor
Terri Hill
DoD Contractor
James Bell
Alayna Stiffler
A.D.S. Coaching
Juanita Shanks
CEO
Sue Parr
DoD Contractor
Bobby Anderson
Retired
Elizabeth Humphries
Commomwealth Attorney, Fredericksburg
Denise Adams
Personal Banker
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
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 ? Yes -
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? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data