The Birdhouse Foundation

As a child, I grew up with a mother who was incarcerated for various charges including voluntary manslaughter, drug possession, and shoplifting; and with a father who was totally absent in my life. I personally know the feeling of being abandoned and being without, and I learned to rely on others to get the support I needed. I lived with my grandmother who was physically disabled and lacked many of the resources I needed to be successful. My relatives called my mother a “jailbird” and I was the product of her poor decisions.

I felt alone, isolated, and angry. As a result, I made mistakes, my grades suffered and I failed some classes, even went to jail. My behavior was unacceptable at times and many thought, I’d turn out just like my mother. But God found a way to deliver me and allowed me to be grateful for what I didn’t experience. If it had not been for the Lord and the people who helped shape and give me opportunities to succeed, I’d be another statistic.

I am now the CEO of Vision Counseling & Vocational Consulting, and also the President and Chair of the Birdhouse Foundation. From my experiences, the Birdhouse Foundation exists to help other dependents of incarcerated felons receive resources including: mental health counseling, guidance and much needed attention. It is our hope that by providing these resources, we can help reduce the risk of school drop outs and poor decision making that may result in long term incarceration.