Who We Are?
Our Mission
Our Mission
Here at Hope for Felons, we are driven by a single goal: to help Felons and their families by giving them the tools needed to reduce their risk of recidivism and to help the offender reintegrate into society by being a law-abiding citizen, and to do our part in making the world a better place for all. Our decision-making process is informed by comprehensive empirical studies and high-quality data evaluation. We strive to build productive relationships and make a positive impact with all of our pursuits.
Founder
Hope for felons was founded on December 1, 2018, by D. VanVleet a felon who was released from federal prison and is now a Criminal Justice student. After the founder was released and saw a major need for rehabilitation, that’s when there was a decision to start Hope For Felons. Since most newly released inmates get a smartphone within days of release, the founder thought a good way to reach that community was to have podcast on the related topics. The offender does not have to worry about transportation, and they can watch the podcast in their own free time.
Our Core Values
- Open-mindedness — giving up fixed ideas.
- Presence — meeting people where they are without judgment.
- Appropriate response — how can we best help and serve?
- Integrity
- Accountability
- Motivation
- Excellence
Board Members
Douglas VanVleet
Douglas has a criminal Justice certificate from Surry Community College. Mr. VanVleet has been working with felons in federal prisons, teaching card making and also helping inmates in suicide prevention. Mr. VanVleet works well with former inmates due to his incarceration; he understands the person’s needs and can place the offender in the best suitable housing and help with job placement. Mr. VanVleet has been a reentry coordinator since 2018.
Daniel Watson