| Name | Joe |
|---|---|
| Last Name | Smith |
| Home Address | 1700 Big Lake Lane Chattanooga, TN 37343 United States |
| Organization Name | Prison Prevention Ministries |
| Describe Your Role In The Organization | Executive Director / Responsible for overall operations, supervise employed and volunteer staff , responsible for sustainability |
| Organization Address | 302 Spruce Street Chattanooga, TN 37404 United States |
| Website | https://www.prisonprevention.org |
| Best Phone Number To Reach You | 4234008472 |
| Alternate Phone Number | 4236225768 |
| Email Address | dkjoesmith@gmail.com |
| Alternate Email Address | joe@prisonprevention.org |
| Please Describe Your Project In Detail | This project is a partnership with the City of Chattanooga and Prison Prevention Ministries (PPM) . PPM has been delivering programs and services in Chattanooga and surrounding counties for almost 45 years . The mission of PPM is to prevent inmates from returning to prison and prevent youth from going to prison through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Over the years PPM has delivered on its mission by providing an array of services to inmates in the local jails and prisons such as bible studies, social skills training, mentoring and reentry services. Additionally PPM has provided prevention services to young people in the public schools through former inmate testimonies and prison and jails tours. When the pandemic hit the Chattanooga area forcing the schools to go to virtual learning PPM launched the InZone Program. The last two years has been a difficult and challenging time for students and their parents. InZone was birthed to respond to the unprecedented challenges for students and parents created by the pandemic. InZone is modeled after the very successful YMCA YCAP program that I founded and directed for 20 years. Today my son continues to operate that program. InZone provides programs and services to respond to the unique needs of the at risk adolescent. No programs like this exist in the northern part of the city of Chattanooga. InZone offers tutoring, mentoring, individual and family counseling, spiritual guidance and counseling, adventure based activities, music and art therapy, and amateur boxing. Currently the program operates at Abbas House, a local church in Hixson, serving males between the ages of 10-14. This partnership with the city of Chattanooga will allow PPM to expand services to the Hixson Community Center and be able to serve more young people and expand services to include female participants. Program participants are picked up at their respective schools each day and transported to the program site. The kids are involved in the program Monday through Thursday from 2:30 PM until 7:00 PM. During the summertime and school breaks program participants are involved all day |
| Please explain how your project meets the requirements of the American Rescue Plan | As all the data suggest, students, more than any other demographic have suffered as a result of the pandemic. Tremendous learning loss has been experienced, an increase in youth depression and substance abuse and acting out behaviors has been realized. Parents, often single mothers and in many cases grandparents who are raising kids are scrambling for support and help for their children and themselves. The InZone program does just that. |
| Where would your project take place? | Hixson Recreation Department |
| How much will your project cost in total? | 800000 |
| Do you have any matching funding sources from other local governments, private entities, non-profits, or philanthropic entities for your project? | No |
| Please describe the source and list amounts of any other funding. | |
| What portion of the project are you asking the city to fund? | |
| If funded, when would your project start? | August 1, 2022 |
| How long would your project take to complete? | Ongoing |
| What milestones would you use to measure your project’s progress? | Expand InZone services that currently exist with the partnership of PPM and Abbas House . The program will experience a growth in the number of kids served and expand services to include female students. The kids served will experience an increase in daily on time school attendance and a decrease in episodes of truancy A decrease in high school dropout and an increase in on time high school graduation rates in schools particularly in the northern end of the city A decrease in after school episodes of delinquent behaviors that often occur after school between the hours of 3 PM and 6 PM when often times kids are left at home without parental or any adult supervision An increase in human traffic and utilization of the Hixson Community Center. 90% of the students involved will improve their GPA by 1 letter grade 70% of the students involved will improve their GPA BY 2 letter grades Youth and Adults will have an opportunity to participate in the sport of amatuer boxing in the northern part of the city where no opportunity current exist Families will be restored and reunified |
| How would you ensure accountability and transparency throughout the project lifecycle? | PPM is governed by a Board of Directors to whom the Executive Director is accountable to. Monthly newsletters and reports are available on the program website. Monthly reports include participant progress and census data will be reported to the city. Yearly independent financial audits are secured and made available. |
| If successful, how would your project benefit the community? | As previously stated the Hixson Community Center serves the north part of the City of Chattanooga. As a lifelong resident of Hixson and a school board member, Myself and many others have felt this asset of our city is very under utilized. The InZone program has already, in its brief history has experienced a number of success stories with the kids and families it has served. The north part of the City will have a marque program to deal with struggling adolescents and families that has not existed until the formation of InZone. |
| How will you attract community buy-in for your project? | InZone has established strong relationships with schools in this community. The biggest challenge InZone has experienced is that we have so often had to turn down kids and families that need the services of InZone during these unprecedented pandemic times simply because of our limited space and resources. The community has already demonstrated their desire and need for this program. We will leverage our relational capital with schools, churches, and business in the community to grow the InZone services. |
| Name | Pastor Ronnie Phillips, Abba's House |
| Contact Information | 423-255-6314 |
| Name | Ken Smith, City Council |
| Contact Information | 4235930238 |
| Name | Allyson DeYoung, School Principal |
| Contact Information | 4232802320 |
| Name | Sarah Barnett, School Counselor |
| Contact Information | 4237735300 |
| Name | Andy Smith, YCAP Boxing |
| Contact Information | 4238477682 |
| Name | Joseph Wingfield, PPM Finance Director |
| Contact Information | 4238383070 |
| Is there anything else you would like us to know about your project? | The partnership with the City of Chattanooga and PPM’s InZone program at th Hixson Community Center includes the build out of the boxing gym. This is so vitally important to emphasize here. Recently the Red Bank Boxing club has closed its doors and ceased operations . There is no place for children and or adults to participate in this great sport north of the river. The YCAP Boxing Club located downtown, that I started in 1998 has been, and continues to be an icon in our city. Many lives have been impacted by that gym and continue to be today. Not only have champions in the sport been developed as a result of that sport, but many life champions have been realized. The InZone program will replicate that and offer this valuable opportunity in the north part of our great city. Additionally over the years, and of important note, I have been able to bring national events, olympic qualifiers , and international dual meets in our city that have resulted in huge economic impact to our community. By developing an amateur boxing program in the north region of our city, it will increase our ability to attract national and international marque events. |