Restorative Impact Initiative for Prisons

Helping Incarcerated Individuals Find Dignity and Purpose Through Giving Back

Most rehabilitation programs focus on helping incarcerated individuals receive support—but what if we flipped the approach? What if, instead of only being seen as recipients, people in prison had the opportunity to step into roles as contributors, problem-solvers, and changemakers?

This initiative is about designing and launching a large-scale program that empowers incarcerated individuals to create small, meaningful social impact projects. Whether they are serving long-term sentences or preparing for reentry, this approach gives them a sense of agency, dignity, and purpose—allowing them to help others, build confidence, and see themselves as capable of making a positive difference.

These projects are deeply personal and tailored to each individual’s skills, interests, and life experiences. Examples might include:

An inmate sharing life lessons and regrets through a TikTok-style video series to
reach at-risk youth.

An inmate passionate about sign language teaching a free class to fellow
inmates after being inspired by a deaf family member.
A person collecting and documenting their mother’s immigrant recipes, laying
the foundation for a food-based business upon release.
A peer mentorship project where long-term inmates help new arrivals adjust and
navigate prison life with dignity.
A creative writing project where inmates craft letters of encouragement for
hospital patients, nursing home residents, or others experiencing isolation.

As my Impact Partner, you’ll take the lead in developing and implementing this initiative at scale, shaping a model that could be introduced in multiple prisons.