I’m sure you are getting a lot of people reaching out to you for end of the year donations. I’m sure when you opened the up, you thought I would ask you too. I won’t.
Instead, I just want to give an update of everything we’ve done this year because of your support, and at the end I will leave a link for donations.
November 2016:
Started Entrepreneur meeting in the Cass County Jail. Started with 7 inmates, now average 50.
December 2016:
We formed F5 Project and its board of Directors. Waiting list for jail meeting was implemented.
January 2017:
With no where to house felons, founder started letting people stay on his couch.
February 2017:
Business professionals start taking notice with F5 Project, and getting involved with speaking and mentorship.
F5 Project becomes 501c3 Non Profit Status.
F5 had its first event at DMF
F5 is averaging 10 letters a week from inmates across ND
April 2017:
We open our first house!
We were invite to the capitol, and got to meet the First Lady and Governor.
We started the women’s meeting in the Cass County Jail
F5 Invited to speak at TedX NDSU
F5 comes out with their Hustle Harder clothing line
We included lawyers and HR professionals to speak in jail
Received first grant from First International Bank and Trust
May 2017:
Truck donated to F5
First person to transition from F5 house to own place
F5 Venture Partners was launched with sole focus to hire and employ felons
Opened 2nd and 3rd house in Fargo and filled them up in less then 24 hours
Started entrepreneur meeting in James River Correctional Center in Jamestown
Hired first employee with F5 Project
June 2017:
F5 Project and F5 Venture move into Black Building from Adam’s house
F5 has its second event; Mix and Mingle
FM Area Foundation donates 5k to F5
More men transition out to their own places
July:
F5 was invited to be a business mentor in Pelican Bay Prison in California
F5 opens women’s house
4 men transition out, 10 women come to F5
Problems with the City of Fargo arise on residential codes
Governor and First Lady invite F5 to participate with event
F5 receives notice they have too many people in houses, so we open house 5 and 6 in Fargo to accommodate needs.
August:
F5 has heroin overdose in house
Family of man that overdoses comes to house and prays with residents
Bismarck house opens
F5 Venture hires two felons
5 men transition out
September:
F5 Speaks at Prison Warden’s conference
F5 and Leah Viste from State of ND Attorney Office speak at Prairie Talks event on importance of Drug Court
Adam Martin receives Phoenix Award from the Governor and First Lady of ND at Recovery Reinvented conference
lots of Men and women transition out
October:
F5 has their first annual conference; Erasing Stigma. Keynotes include NFL Player Ryan Leaf and First Lady Kathryn Helgaas Burgum
F5 has Uhual donated
Approved to participate in Giving Hearts day 2018
3 houses pass city inspections
November:
Last 3 houses in Fargo pass city inspections
F5 gets new van donated
Launch maximum security entrepreneur meeting in Cass County Jail
December:
F5 speaks on Echos of incarceration panel
Board of directors spots all filled
Goldmark and Roers accepts first couple residents that came through F5 Project
F5 can hold up to 31 residents between all locations
Accepted in Free Through Recovery State of ND contract
F5 creates 6 month program for residents that landlords have signed off on for lease agreements
City of Fargo approves 10k funding for community building
F5 hires Housing coordinator and Director of Operations
I must say its been a crazy year. This is a lot of stuff to do with the little resources we had from the start. Imagine if we had more available to us, what we would be capable of. In my opinion, we are just getting started.
I believe what we are doing is bringing stimulus to our community, destroying the stigma, creating recovery. I have yet to see or hear of a better re-entry program that meets all people with where they are at.
So, after reading this, if you would like to help support us, you can donate here:
