Discover how one new Birmingham program connects returning citizens with job skills + support

Sponsored

Jumerrill Fields is starting over at 52 after nearly two decades serving sentences in the justice system. As one of the first graduates of a new program, this time he’s equipped with a deeper purpose, the right people around him and a hopeful mindset about what’s next.

Read on to learn more about Fields’ story and the program that helped him get a fresh start.

Jumerrill Fields’ story

Fields grew up in Brighton, Alabama, a small community just east of Hueytown. Of the past 20 years, he’s spent 19 serving time, with the most recent lasting a full decade as a result of violating parole following an eight-month release.

This time, he says he experienced a shift, punctuated when he learned his mother was very ill as his release date approached.

“I prayed and asked God, ‘You know, if you bless my mom to be here when I get out, I will accept him ahead of my life. So when I was told I had reached the criteria to go home almost a year early, I made a promise to God. And when you make promises, you have got to keep them, especially to God.”
_{Fresh Start program graduate Jumerrill Fields}

When he heard about STRIVE’s Fresh Start program, he saw another opportunity to make good on that promise.

What Fresh Start offers

The Fresh Start program is designed for individuals impacted by the justice system who are ready and committed to a new beginning.

Once a person applies, qualifies and enrolls, the program begins with establishing stability and support, then builds toward long-term goals, says Fresh Start Program Manager Indy Easley.

STRIVE Fresh Start participants receive:

• Comprehensive needs assessment
• Referrals for housing, wellness and other basic services
• One-on-one case management
• Literacy support and personal development training
• Industry-specific training in high-demand fields

In Birmingham, the program collaborates with Jefferson State Community College to offer training in:

• Logistics/forklift operation
• Telecommunications/cable installation

These jobs were selected based on local demand to increase employment success for graduates, Easley says.

Jumerrill pursued the forklift operation track and is part of the first cohort of six students who graduated on May 16.

More than job training

Even with the many benefits, Jumerrill says his biggest win was more basic—improving his reading, which was a longtime pain point that he’d not been open about before. While he’s quick to sing the all-around praises of the program’s staff, his fellow students also played a role in that effort.

“When his classmates learned [he struggled with reading], they were quick to help whenever he needed it. Even though they had their own work to complete, they would offer to assist. That was inspiring to see.”
_{Indy Easley, STRIVE Fresh Start Program Manager}

Beyond what happens in the classroom, the Fresh Start team gets to know each student and stays connected, doing whatever they can to help ensure their overall success. That can mean vastly different things because every person has different daily stressors and obstacles.

In Jumerrill’s case, the team connected his family with another local nonprofit to provide beds and bedding for his teen niece and nephew. He says these are just two examples of how he’s seen firsthand how overcoming pride allows people to help, while connecting him to a supportive network he needs to rebuild.

“It opened my eyes to a lot of things. People do care about other people besides family and stuff. Now, STRIVE is another family to me, because they check on me and are doing everything they can to get me a job. I thank God for them.”
_{Fresh Start graduate Jumerrill Fields}

Renewed faith + a new circle

A few months into his new chapter, with support, Jumerrill is:

• Studying to become a deacon at his church
• Leaning on a strong faith foundation
• Grateful for a close support system of friends + family
• Thankful to spend time with his mother, who continues to recover from illness

“Once upon a time, I started using drugs, and it created a monster inside of me where I couldn’t control it. Those 19 years of my life were really … I really thank God for that. It saved my life. It made me the man I am today, the man I want to be in the future.

“I don’t have a desire for drugs anymore. I don’t think about my past. I just think about the future and put God first. I think about my kids, my grandkids and the woman God put in my life today. I just anchor down and go forward.”
_{Fresh Start graduate Jumerrill Fields}

More than one life changed

While STRIVE Birmingham launched two years ago with its signature Career Path program, its roots go back to 1984, when the organization began in East Harlem. The overarching belief that drives the organization is that when one person finds stability, the impact stretches to families, churches, neighborhoods and the city as a whole.

The Fresh Start program in Birmingham is one important extension of that. The team hosts informational sessions every Tuesday and Thursday. Once a person applies, the staff gets to work assessing whether they are a good match.

Easley explains that the main criteria for program candidates include:

• Must be 25 or older
• Previously incarcerated, on probation or on parole
• No convictions for a sex crime other than prostitution
• Committed + able to attend six weeks of classes held from 9AM-3PM on weekdays
• Have a true interest in pursuing one of the two career tracks offered

To learn more about its Fresh Start program and how you can support the people looking to start a new chapter in life, visit STRIVE Birmingham online.

Sponsored by: