Why Not Mindset

05/26/2026

Today, we are proud to officially announce the beginning of implementation for Why Not Mindset’s 90 Day Reentry Initiative through our Reentry Navigation & Belonging Program, made possible through the generosity of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks with the Inclusion & Belonging Grant Program.

This video is more than an announcement.
It is proof that collaboration creates change.

When we first shared this vision, we believed that if community organizations, businesses, leaders, and people with lived experience came together around a shared purpose, we could begin building real pathways for individuals returning home after incarceration.

Today, that vision is becoming reality.

Through powerful community partnerships, we are helping provide bicycles for transportation, haircuts for dignity and confidence, communication support through cellphones, hygiene essentials, clothing assistance, mentorship, guidance, and community connection during the most critical period after release.

Because reentry is not simply about walking out of prison.
It is about what happens next.

The first days and months after release can shape the direction of someone’s entire future. And no one should have to navigate that journey completely alone.

This is what collaboration looks like.
This is what community looks like.
This is what happens when people stop competing and start building bridges that last.

We want to sincerely thank the Community Foundation of the Ozarks for believing not only in Why Not Mindset, but in the importance of building a stronger and more connected community.

And thank you to every partner, supporter, advocate, and community member helping turn this vision into action.

Drew Lewis Foundation at The Fairbanks
Amy Blansit
Zion Riffe-Stevens

Sport Clips Haircuts
Andrea Roland

We Are Just Getting Started.

Why Not Be The Change

05/13/2026

Today is a big moment for Why Not Mindset.

We are honored to officially receive the 2026 Platinum Seal of Transparency through Candid

For us, this is about far more than a badge.
It represents accountability. It represents trust. It represents the commitment to building something real, transparent, and community driven for people impacted by incarceration and reentry.

From going inside correctional facilities as a PIC, to building our 90 Day Reentry Initiative, to creating Stability Packs, mentorship, transportation support, and pathways toward hope and accountability… every step forward matters.

As someone who once walked out of prison with nothing but a bag of paperwork and uncertainty, being able to now lead an organization recognized at the highest level of transparency is something I do not take lightly.
This is proof that second chances can grow into real impact.

Thank you to every supporter, collaborator, board member, mentor, community partner, donor, and believer who continues to stand beside this mission.

Why Not Be The Change

04/21/2026

We are incredibly grateful to the Community Foundation of the Ozarks for believing in this work and including Why Not Mindset as a recipient of the Inclusion & Belonging Grant Program.
This support will go directly toward helping individuals returning home from incarceration build stability through transportation, communication access, and essential support during the critical early days after release.

Thank you for being part of this mission.

Why Not Be The Change

The grants support 13 nonprofits promoting community engagement and addressing emergent needs.

03/31/2026

Why Not Mindset is proud to announce that we have been awarded funding from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks through the Inclusion & Belonging Grant Program to support our Reentry Navigation & Belonging Pilot Program.
This is more than funding.

This is an investment in individuals returning home from incarceration during one of the most critical moments in their lives… the first 90 days.

This is where everything is on the line.

Without structure, guidance, and support, it is easy to fall back into old patterns. But with the right support in place, this same moment can become the foundation for real, lasting change.

This funding allows Why Not Mindset to step directly into that gap.

Through this pilot program, we will provide real, immediate support to individuals navigating reentry, including transportation, communication access, clothing, and basic needs that often stand between someone and their next opportunity.

But more than resources, this work is about belonging.
It is about creating connection, mentorship, and support so individuals returning home do not feel alone, do not feel judged, and do not feel like they are trying to rebuild their lives in isolation.

Because true change does not happen in isolation. It happens when someone has guidance, accountability, and a support system that believes in their ability to move forward.

We are grateful to the Community Foundation of the Ozarks for believing in this work and for investing in a vision rooted in lived experience, second chances, real change, and community.

This is just the beginning.

Why Not Be The Change

03/26/2026

This right here is the reality that too many people never see...

Release is not the finish line. For most, it is the beginning of the hardest part. Walking out with no plan, no support, and no clear direction is not a second chance… it is a setup.

We know this because we have lived it..

Why Not Mindset was built to fill that gap. To meet people in those first critical moments and provide real support, real guidance, and real connection when it matters most.

This is bigger than one organization. This is about coming together, raising awareness, and creating solutions that actually change lives.

We are grateful to be in this work and to stand alongside others who refuse to ignore the problem
Because people do not fail… systems fail people.

And we are here to be part of the solution.

Why Not Be The Change

Letter: A former prisoner says that unless the government offers meaningful housing and employment help to those leaving prison, they will end up back there