This month, we celebrate the progress being made in support of people currently and formerly incarcerated: in housing, in education, and right here at F.O.R.T.E. House.  Progress is slow. It rarely proceeds in a straight line. It's often one step forward and two back...but working together, we push ahead again. Thanks to the people who take action and support the work, we are seeing hopeful signs of change. At F.O.R.T.E., we take inspiration from the many past leaders to continue our work with focus and passion.

About 15 years ago, Deborah Corbett, a professor of psychology, attended an event at her Unitarian Universalist congregation that changed her life. Through that event, she came to know other professors who were teaching college courses in NJ prisons, and Deb became one of the people who created the first college degree program, at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility, which blossomed over time into NJ-STEP.  More recently, Deb arranged for FORTE House to receive a generous donation from her congregation, where she is still an active member. Read Deb's inspiring account of the people whose commitment and work made the college degree program a reality, on our monthly blog.  

Rutgers University-Newark recently announced a major expansion of its scholarship program, which beginning next fall will cover the the full cost of annual tuition and mandatory fees for eligible New Jersey students (based on income), and cap the cost at $5,000 a year for  families with household incomes of $100,000  or below, based on a sliding scale.  Read the full story. This help will directly benefit many people who begin their college work while incarcerated, or start their higher education journey upon release. We applaud Rutgers-Newark and its leaders for taking this important step.