TEXT RC2020 TO 44-321 TO GIVE TO THIS CAMPAIGN.
Forgiven Felons is looking for a piece of land or a building we can retro-fit, in the city of Dallas near public transportation. This building will be our Resource Center (Phase One) that would facilitate so many aspects of our ministry. Much needed offices, classrooms, recreation center for working out, library, computer room, conference room, and small indoor and outdoor corporate meeting areas. A food pantry would provide men coming out of prison emergency food until food stamps begin and a convenient store in the front would meet their small grocery needs. The food pantry and store would be paid positions to provide employment for men coming out of prison. This area would also include a clothes closet to provide people in need of clothes with everything they need from casual to interview ready.
Classrooms would be utilized by having classes for welding certification, forklift certification, computer skills, recovery classes, business connections through Texas Workforce (leased out), the small warehouse space in back would house our automotive, welding, forklift training areas, audio/video production area, lighting and electrical, and much more. (Phase Two) A light industrial building with six spaces (or a retail strip center with 3-4 spaces) would include a T-shirt Business, Audio/Video Production area, and our lighting/electrical business.
Phase Three would be stand alone 16 unit apartment complex, near or in the same city as the first two phases. It would consist of one and two bedroom apartments and would be generally leased to people with backgrounds. The men graduating out of the program would have first rights for empty apartments but we would fill them up with people even if they weren't a part of the program. The men from the program would serve as the maintenance department for Phase Two and Phase Three.
If you know of or have land in the Dallas area that you'd like us to consider please visit the contact page and send us a message. If you'd like to be a part of the architectural design and/or the building of our building, please let us know. We hope to fund the cost through private foundation grants, third party gifts, and new construction loan.
The original vision that was deposited in my heart, while still in prison, was a ranch. This ranch would have temporary and permanent living quarters, a farm with crops and every farm animal, a country store, recreation center, large meeting area with kitchen, woodshop, t-shirt shop, and more. So many things would be done on this ranch. Lives would be changed. It would offer something for everyone. Tentative Date, still dreaming.
We are always thinking of ways to start new businesses for the men to plug into when they are released. Most of the time if we had start up money to provide them with a truck, tools, and equipment, they could run successful businesses. If you or someone you know would like to help in the start up of a business through our ministry, please let us know. We'd make sure you are partnering with someone of integrity.
