The success of a non-profit is influenced by numerous factors, but at its core, the organization must clearly articulate its purpose and the specific need it addresses. Extended Family was founded two decades ago by Laure Clemons in response to the personal challenges she faced when her husband was incarcerated. Struggling emotionally, mentally, and financially, Laure searched for resources to support herself and her young daughters but found none. Through her desire to prevent other families from experiencing the same feelings of hopelessness and isolation, Laure established Extended Family. Over the years, we have assisted thousands of families in navigating the challenges of incarceration with a free, solution-focused approach.
Our work is centered around our purpose, to teach families of prisoners to successfully adjust to a new way of life, which includes providing educational programs for both adult and child family members of the incarcerated and sharing best practices for maintaining a healthy lifestyle throughout the prison and reentry experiences. We offer practical solutions to the daily challenges faced by family members of the incarcerated and coping strategies to improve their lives mentally, emotionally, and physically.
For children, we offer Extended Family for Kids, a nine-lesson, evidence-based curriculum designed to enhance self-esteem, reduce shame and isolation, alleviate stress, address anger, and improve communication skills. Extended Family Leadership Academy is a program for older students who need extra help to be successful in high school and beyond. These lessons focus on job readiness, health, and communication. Both programs aim to prevent children from entering the juvenile justice system and break the cycle of incarceration in families.
For adult family members, we offer a comprehensive resource database with information on services available across the nation, accessible any time through our website. Our helpful hints support self-care for those carrying the responsibility of managing family, home, and the needs of an incarcerated loved one. We also assist families in navigating the prison experience, alleviating stress as they adjust to their new “normal.” We work to ensure that no family faces these challenges alone.
Our reentry program, Extended Success for Life, is designed to support returning citizens as they reintegrate into society. This program employs a three-part approach—dream, learn, and live—to guide participants over the course of 20 weeks, helping them set and achieve goals for their personal and professional success. Tailored to the individual needs of each participant, Extended Success for Life aims to reduce recidivism by offering personalized support and step-by-step guidance.
At Extended Family, we are deeply committed to our purpose and passionate about helping individuals and families affected by incarceration. We are dedicated to ensuring that our programs are accessible to all who need them. For more information about our services, please visit our website at www.extendedfamilyhelp.org.
