My Nonprofit Reviews

I became an online reader for the FTC Project over two years ago when I was looking for a new volunteer project during covid because I was so impressed by the idea that an organization is trying to help incarcerated women and men in such a loving and compassionate way to become more self-aware and to understand that they, like everyone, have the tools inside to self-heal and to respond positively in all life situations. I encourage anyone who wishes to help others toward a positive life change to become involved with this project. It may help you as well because the lessons are so well-crafted! I know because I have begun to practice using specific tools and have better developed life coping skills as I read the lessons.

“I graduated university with a Bachelors in Religious Studies, and a minor in Religious Foreign Missions. When I received information concerning the Freedom to Choose program, I was intrigued by the opportunity to be involved with a program created for incarcerated men and women, to help them gain perspective that they have the freedom to choose how to respond to life situations, but also one that provides a means to help them understand and to heal the injured parts. I was equally intrigued for a personal reason. Years ago I experienced an event where I was held captive for a length of time, by someone who injured me both physically and psychologically. The perpetrator fled the country and did not serve time. I had to find a way to accept the situation. In addition to therapy, I took a writing class as one means to heal. An assigned lesson for the class was to write a letter to someone. I chose to write to the person who injured me so greatly. I told him, of course, that I hoped he would be brought to justice and serve time. In the letter I wrote that if he did serve time I wished for him to find a way to take responsibility for his actions, to rehabilitate, to educate and help others who are incarcerated, and when he was released to continue on that path. I made peace as well as I could, and moved on to a new and wonderful chapter for my life. When I learned of the program, I thought about how it might afford me the opportunity to be a part of a teaching that helps these men and women in the way I’d wished my captor could have been helped, how I might fully engage with my belief that we are all worthy of love and healing, and how it could allow me to reinforce my learning that certain chapters in our lives do not define who we are as human beings, because if I believe one particular chapter in my life does not define me, I must believe the same for these men and women serving time. With each file I read, I commit to uplift each person, and encourage them to consider how they might use the tools and develop their unique skills. With each read, I also acknowledge to myself the tools I want to learn and skills I wish to further strengthen. I am grateful that as I encourage self-growth, I am encouraged to grow as well! I firmly believe the Freedom to Choose program brings us together as one community motivating self-compassion. From self-compassion comes self-growth. From self-growth comes outward compassion. From outward compassion comes love. From love comes healing.”