Hermanowski Family Foundation Initial Request Form

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Organization Name: Texas Defender Service
Legal Name (if Different):
Also Known As:
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 82236
City: Austin
State: Texas
Postal Code: 78708
Main Phone: 512-320-8300
Main Fax: 512.477.2153
Organization Website: www.texasdefender.org
Employer ID Number: 76-0481649
Organization Tax Status: 501(c)(3)

Proposal Information

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Today’s Date: 3/27/24
Requested Amount: $10,000

Project Title: Advocating for Second Chances for Incarcerated Parents
Project Description:

Texas Defender Service (TDS) seeks support of its new program to advocate for qualified parents seeking parole and support their reentry, improving outcomes for formerly incarcerated individuals, their families, and society. Excessive incarceration hurts our State’s children: Four out of five men and women in Texas prisons are parents of at least one minor child. Half a million Texas children have experienced a parent behind bars. Parents’ incarceration causes severe and lasting damage for the children and families that they leave behind. A father’s incarceration increases a family’s chances of falling into poverty by 40 percent. Children of incarcerated parents are at a heightened risk of becoming justice-involved themselves, and are more likely to drop out of school, become unemployed, and have mental-health problems. Incarceration in Texas has a particularly significant impact on communities of color: Black children are six times as likely as white children to have a parent behind bars.

Often, people serving long sentences aged out of crime long ago. They are ready to be released from prison to be reunited with their families and become caretakers, breadwinners, and community leaders who inspire others to avoid crime.

Given the painful impacts of incarceration, our State should prioritize reuniting people in prison with their families. But in Texas, our parole process does not prioritize either family reunification or second chances. The Texas parole board grants only roughly 35% of the parole applications it receives each year, including those labeled as nonviolent. This is because incarcerated people have no advocates to tell their stories. We know that having an advocate makes a difference: In Texas, parole representation has increased people’s chance of being granted parole from 35% to 80%.

Our program will advocate for qualified parents seeking parole, reuniting them with their children and families.

Total Project Budget: Up to $350,000 (program size can vary based on available budget resources)

Other Funding
Sources For The Project (Committed & Potential): Committed (individual donor): $200,000; Expected (foundations): $100,00; Exploring (other sources): $50,000

Project Duration: Long term
Geographical Area Served: Texas
Age Group To Be Served: All ages

Contact Information

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Contact Prefix (Mr,Mrs etc.): Ms
Contact First Name: Burke
Contact Last Name: Butler
Contact Title: Executive Director
Contact Phone: 6263729957
Contact Email: bbutler@texasdefender.org