Tennessee Prison Outreach Ministry (TPOM) is a 501c3 which supports individuals incarcerated and released, as well as their families, with resources and services that empower them to build healthy, fulfilling lives. The ministry began in 1963 “when a couple known as Mama and Papa Cox went into the local jail in Nashville.” Now after decades of service, TPOM has brought in Thomas Snow as its CEO. Under his direction, “we’ve really focused on the area of reentry. And so we still go into prison, we still go into jails, and we are statewide now. But now as a nonprofit, a major focus of ours is helping people reenter society after incarceration.”
TPOM differs from other agencies in many ways. Most in this industry serve a specific population, such as men or women. Yet, TPOM serves men and women, adults and juveniles, and also children with incarcerated parents. Its staff and volunteers provide a holistic approach including counseling, case management, and workforce development. As Thomas says, TPOM makes the “transition from incarceration to prison to . . . independence.”
“We can talk about statistics all day long. And, they have a value . . . like lower recidivism rates. But at the end of the day, you start seeing individual lives change. And when that happens, it often changes generations, because when they go back [home], . . . they have an impact on their children.” This generational change positively impacts families, neighborhoods, and communities.
Mary McCrary is one life changed. In her words, she “was incarcerated inside prison. One of the volunteers and an employee of TPOM came into the prison and visited me every Monday for almost two years and just poured love and just light into me. And so was able upon release to come to the transition home, which just gave me a foundation, a new family, helped me grow. [They] poured love and encouraged me. And then now I get to work for TPOM and do the same thing.” Mary now works as the Development and Recruitment Specialist for TPOM.
TPOM changes lives. It also changes statistics. Yet, the hope and light provided by Mary and Thomas in their podcast interview outshines anything written.
Click here to listen to more from Mary and Thomas in the TPOM episode of the Doing Good podcast.
Doing Good is a 501c3 nonprofit.