The Prison Scholar Fund provides education and employment assistance to help incarcerated people succeed and thrive in society while avoiding homelessness and the revolving door of reincarceration.
We also advocate for reform in correctional education policies to increase access for all incarcerated students
We are excited to announce a partnership with Bellevue's Coding Dojo, to train justice involved people to become computer coders. This opportunity opens up a whole new, well-paying career path for system impacted people. After partnerships and scholarships, PSF is contributing $48,000 toward supporting 10 students in the coding bootcamp. Amazon kicked in $15,000, which leaves $29,000 to be raised.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the PSF has been supporting system-impacted people and their families that are dealing with food insecurity. We are partnering with food suppliers, including Food Lifeline, Kitsap County Food Helpline, NW Harvest, Amazon Fresh, Expedia, King County Metro Transit, and others, for food to those in need.
Our core program provides access to postsecondary distance education, and we are expanding to include hybrid online courses in an offline prison environment and access to secure, digital laptops that inmates can use in their living units to complete coursework.
The goal is to help inmates pursue postsecondary degrees, and gain skills valued in the labor market. With these marketable skills, the individual, upon release, will be less likely to return to prison because he or she will have more opportunities for success and valuable credentials. Communities will thus become safer and more productive.
Check out news of the PSF coding bootcamp here:
Your support in 2020 enabled PSF to deliver hundreds of many thousands of pounds of food to justice involved families facing food insecurity. Learn about your impact here.
We are excited to report that we were accepted into musician John Legend's "Unlocked Futures" accelerator program. Check out our Roundtable discussion here.
In Spring 2017 the Stanford Social Innovation Review published "Opening Prison Doors," which discusses our program in greater depth:
And take a look at our Social Venture Partners 2015 Fast Pitch winning talk here.
Organization name
The Prison Scholar Fund
Tax id (EIN)
41-2175677
Category
Education
Demographics
Low-Income, Black & African American, Hispanic & Latinx, Asian & Pacific Islander, Veterans
Address
140 Lakeside Ave Ste A-114King County, WA, US
Pierce County, WA, US
Thurston County, WA, US
Douglas County, WA, US
Snohomish County, WA, US