Meet James.

My name is James and I’m 34 years old. I am currently working on my BA in Social Sciences at Upper Iowa University while incarcerated at Anamosa State Penitentiary in Iowa.

Nearly four years ago, I hit rock bottom and was ready to give up on leading a productive life.

I was 14 years in on a 25-year prison sentence with nothing to lose. Without any inclination of it bearing any fruit, I checked a box on an online website application expressing interest in pursuing higher education.

This one seemingly insignificant decision marked the first day of the rest of my life.

It would be weeks later that I would receive a letter from a complete stranger, asking how they could help.

I come from a background void of support, poor decision making, and lack of self-respect or consideration for others. It was the support of a stranger that gave me a new lease on life and helped me earn an Associate’s degree from Iowa Central Community College in 2022. Throughout that journey, I have learned a lot about myself, the value of life opportunities, and the importance of advocacy.

Thanks to a stranger saying, "Yes...It is possible," and "Yes...I believe in you," I am not only a college graduate, but also an advocate for others who hope to further their education.

The individuals we serve face many barriers in their pursuit of education. While we are actively advocating for educational opportunities, collaborating with post-secondary education providers, and facilitating educational workshops, funding remains the primary obstacle. We need your help to make our efforts go even further.

Your support is crucial to our efforts to improve the lives of those who need someone to believe in them by helping them remove those barriers to education. We would love for you to be that someone by donating to help us achieve our goal of removing major obstacles leading to education.