Going Home II founder Michael Fesser aims to restore the concept of manhood for his community. Fesser came of age playing basketball at parks and school gymnasiums in and around Northeast Portland, Oregon. By the time he was a highschool junior in his mind, being a man meant having money, and having money meant selling drugs.

Fesser turned his life around after a two-year stint in federal prison. He had gone to church with his mother as a child, and credits God with his redemption. Taking the teachings of Jesus to heart, he was not content to simply better himself. Fesser started mentoring men in prison, focussing on the difficult transition back into regular life. Going Home II grew out of that mentoring, and has expanded to encompass a post-prison support group, transitional housing, and restorative justice work between community and police.

Fesser’s wife and organizational partner Tanisha Wells observes that it is his willingness to be open about his own failures and mistakes that sets the tone for the effective mentorship that is at the heart of what Going Home II provides. “I do this work because I love it and because I know there’s a need for it,” he says. “Because, I was that guy.”

Preperation:

• Classes: Our weekly classes at correctional facilities provide life skills training and career inspiration to inmates approaching release. While coaching class members successfully manage their personal finances and apply for jobs, we also curate an on-going selection of speakers who provide career advice and support in specific areas of interest.

• Moral Recognition Therapy: Moral Recognition Therapy (MRT) helps inmates increase their moral reasoning, and is often a condition of parole. By offering it in prison, we decrease the burden on individuals post release, which allows focus on work and other aspects of reintegration.

Material Support:

• Transitional Housing: We offer clean and sober, affordable, community-oriented interim housing to recently released inmates. Residents fulfill parole requirements and attend a weekly house meeting facilitated by the house manager, who is a graduate of the Going Home II program.

• Clothes, Sneakers & a Phone: How do we know what returning community members need? Because we’ve been there. In addition to a place to live, know-how and a supportive network, we make sure our participants have mobile phones, and to enhance confidence and presentation, clothes and new sneakers. We are also able to provide job-specific tools on request.

Mentorship:

• Mentoring Groups: Weekly meetings provide support for recently incarcerated individuals to process challenges, celebrate victories, maintain supportive relationships and seek counsel.

• Camps: Through various partnerships, Going Home II provides opportunities for the previously incarcerated and their families to attend weekend camps for personal, spiritual and relational enrichment in places of natural beauty.

Restorative Justice:

• Relational Repair: We work to facilitate reconciliation and relational healing between community members and police through regular meetings and events. We also specifically encourage positive engagement between local youth and police through lunch meetings where both parties can talk about challenges and prejudices they encounter.

• Incident Response: Going Home II also engages with community members and police in response to incidents within the community, helping to avoid potential escalation.