Freshstart Visions is a local ministry that has a presence in our prisons in South Carolina and now developing in Florida. We spend 2 years in discipleship and character building classes inside the prisons every week before the men/women are released. Our Goal is to introduce them to the Love and forgiveness Christ offers, then help them find God’s plan and purpose for their lives so when they are released we offer transitional housing, employment and mentoring for up to one year until they become law abiding, tax paying citizens. Helping them reconcile back to Christ, family and community is our priority.
Please visit our website: www.freshstartvisions.org (email freshstartvision@gmail.com)
Contact:
Executive Director Tim Terry: 864-423-1751 cell, 843-284-7139 office
Program Director Michael Gartside: 843-200-4630
1935 Clement Ave, N Charleston SC 29405
2016-2017 HIGHLIGHTS
Inside prison
•96 men living in “Men Acquiring Character” (MAC) dorm at MacDougallCorrectional Institution (MCI)
•24 men graduated our “Men In Transition” (MIT) character course at MCI
•24 men graduated our “Helping Inmates Receive Employment” (HIRE) course at MCI
•Began discussing a partnership project with SCDC and Thrive SC for retrofittingshipping containers as tiny homes at MCI for domestic violence survivors,veterans and others in need of housing, which will allow FSV to train the men inHIRE with skills from local employers coming to help.
•Over 1000 men/women came back to Charleston last year after being releasedform SCDC
Outside
•52 men transitioned and lived in our Clement Avenue homes in North Charleston
•Created relationships with over 22 local employers
•Created partnerships with 13 local Churches
•Initiated expansion into Florida and Tennessee
•Renovated 4 homes for transitional living which now has 17 men
2018-19 GOALS
Inside Prison
• At Warden Taylors discretion open a new MAC (Men achieving Character) dorm at MCI for an additional 96 men (possible veterans)
• Increase the classes to 2 per week on Wednesday’s 9-11 and 12-2.
• Developing a partnership and MOU (Memo of understanding) with SCDC and Thrive SC a local womens shelter to help with employment training with our HIRE class and hopefully assist Thrive SC with retro fitting shipping containers inside the prison for their women’s shelter on the outside.
• Host quarterly Saturday services at MCI to reach out to general inmate population and offer schedule-friendly opportunities for civilian volunteers and potential employers to discover who we are, and what we do
• Establish employment training opportunities inside the prisons with local employers. Develop / match skill sets the last 90 days before release.
• Completing our 1st FSV Graduation in July, August at Bay CI and Franklin County Jail prisons in Florida
• Need to grow the infrastructure and hire an inside Director to facilitate the weekly classes and keep up with the growth
Outside Transitional Housing
• Bulldoze and build projects at select properties on Clement Avenue for an additional 10-15 bedrooms, FreshStart Visions offices, and community room
• Complete outside renovations on FSV local transitional homes – roof for 1956 Clement, vinyl siding for 1933-1,2,3 homes
• Hire an outside Program Director to help with counseling and daily programs and operations and keep up with ministry growth • Raise the number of monthly sponsors, mentors, local Churches, Employers.
• Grow Florida inside programs and build local supporters and mentors
• Start looking for outside transitional homes in Florida for next year’s growth
JOIN OUR GROWING FAMILY
$300,000 Demolish & Build “The FSV House”: 1935 Clement Ave
10 beds, FreshStart Visions office and community room
$50,000 Demolish & Build “The MAC House”: 1954 Clement Ave
Transform current FSV 1954 property into another transitional home to house more men being released from SCDC.
$30,000 Buy 2 empty lots adjoining FSV House property: “Not in my House”
Currently, these empty lots across and next to FSV residences are “home” to drug-dealing, and petty crime especially after dark
$10,000 Complete “The Hope Dealer House”: 1933-3
This home use to be the biggest “drug dealer’s” home in the neighborhood, now hope, not dope is distributed.
Needs: paint, flooring, kitchen appliances, HVAC installation, living room and bedroom furniture
$1000 Sponsor the renovations of one room/equipping with furniture for 2 men
$500 Initial 90-day Care Package: help a FSV resident to cover his first 90 days of costs: Driver license, ID, social security cards, birth certificate, clothing, shoes, underwear, socks and food care package.
$200/monthly On-going Monthly Care Package: help FSV resident off-set his living costs, allowing him to save more of his salary ($12/hr) in order to bridge towards transitioning out, subsidizing weekly rental fee, gas, and food.
$100/monthly Start-up Care Package: be a part of an FSV residents first moments upon release and help cover costs for essential needs, including shoes, clothing, and food.
Volunteer In-prison programs, mentoring outside, help with North Charleston Sunday suppers