Look Up and Hope
Strengthening Families Affected by Incarceration
Volunteers of America, Dakotas is one of only four programs in the nation that works with mothers in prison, their children and the children's caregiver to break cycles of poverty and incarceration and to change the future for these families. Look Up and Hope is a national initiative started by Volunteers of America aimed at strengthening families who have been disrupted by the incarceration of mothers. Volunteers of America saw that mothers were the fastest-growing segment of the prison population and that there were very few programs tailored to their complex needs.
We provide counseling and case management for the families, as well as assistance in finding housing, education, food, employment and transportation to enable families to become healthier, self-sufficient, productive members of their communities.
Each member of the family also has coaching and mentoring—individuals who help them to overcome their challenges and reach their full potential, as well as to help the family function in positive and productive ways. Volunteer mentors for the mothers are also matched for ongoing support throughout the transition out of prison. These services are specifically designed to lend continuity with the goal of healthy children emotionally and a stable family life.
Contact
Leah Piersol
Phone: (605) 367-4293
Fax: (605) 367-5714
E-mail: l.piersol@voa-dakotas.org
Mailing Address
Volunteers of America, Dakotas
P.O. Box 89306
Sioux Falls, SD 57109-9306
Resources for This Section
- Look Up and Hope Wishlist
- Look Up and Hope Pilot Program Featured
It's a growing problem in communities across the country: mothers going to prison. In fact, women with young children are the fastest-growing prison population in the U.S. But Sioux Falls is one of four communities actively fighting the problem through a new program called Look Up and Hope.