THE NEWSLETTER
FALL 2026 NEWSLETTER
NEWS FROM HQ
NEWS FROM OUR SITES
LENDING HOPE:
SHARING OUR MODEL NATIONWIDE
Across the country, The Fountain Fund is stepping onto regional and national stages to change the narrative around reentry and fair lending. In October, Executive Director Erika Viccellio and National Director of Client and Community Engagement Tez Tolbert presented about the Fountain Fund’s leadership development program at Stand Together Foundation’s national Catalyst convening. Erika also joined site directors Aaron Morin (Boston) and Mike Butler (Philadelphia) at the GreenLight Fund Summit in Oakland to collaborate on community-driven solutions with other grantees from around the country. Building on his work at Prosperity Now’s lending forum, Mike Butler was invited to deliver a plenary address at their Atlanta Regional Summit this November. From Richmond Site Director Tom Mundy testifying before the Virginia House of Delegates to staff delivering national summit keynotes, our team is demonstrating that when you extend resources and opportunity to returning citizens, entire communities prosper.
“Good people, good organizations do exist. Because all I ever wanted was an opportunity.”
- SANKOFA ALKEBU-LAN
That national influence extends directly to media platforms, where our leaders share lived experience to reframe the reentry conversation. On A Life, Unedited, host Marc Hunt sat down with Tez Tolbert and Loan Operations Specialist Sankofa Alkebu-Lan to discuss the hidden barriers after incarceration and how the Fountain Fund extends trust and capital. On Charlottesville’s Envision Radio, Director of Lending Shantel Hopkins reflected on his personal transformation and how his grandmother’s advice to "be his own man" inspires him to lead with grace when coaching Client Partners.
“We attended the CBA conference as participants and presenters, and then in the same year became Master Trainers. And now the world is just open.”
- SHANTEL HOPKINS
Grounded in this deep field experience, our team continues to invest in internal excellence. This summer, Shantel Hopkins and Sankofa Alkebu-Lan attended Credit Builders Alliance’s intensive training in Miami on competitive scholarships, earning prestigious Master Trainer certifications. Using a train-the-trainer model, Shantel and Sankofa are sharing their knowledge with our team and Client Partners to deliver even more powerful financial coaching. Beyond the classroom, the trip provided time for fun, reflection, and team bonding.
From left, podcast host Marc Hunt, Sankofa Alkebu-Lan, and Tez Tolbert
Sankofa Alkebu-Lan (L) and Shantel Hopkins (R) in Miami
WE ARE GROWING!
We are thrilled to welcome two new additions to the Fountain Fund team. Brooks Wellmon joins as National Director of Philanthropy, building creative funding pipelines that secure sustainable resources for Client Partners nationwide. Sherman Collins steps into his role as Loan Specialist after a decade as an East Coast commercial driver, bringing a deep heart for ministry and community service to our lending team. As Sherman shares, “What stands out to me is that the Fountain Fund is mission-driven. They care more about helping people than just a loan.” Please join us in giving both Brooks and Sherman a warm welcome!
National Director of Philanthropy Brooks Wellmon
Loan Specialist Sherman Collins
NEW ORLEANS UPDATE
In March 2022, the Fountain Fund launched a partnership with First 72+ in New Orleans, combining holistic reentry services provided by First 72+ with micro-lending to support Client Partners on their financial journeys. Since the partnership began we have provided more than 100 low-interest loans totaling more than $250,000. Because of changes in leadership and staffing, we are winding down operations in New Orleans and will not be extending new loans there. We remain deeply committed to supporting our existing New Orleans Client Partners through the remainder of their loan terms, celebrating their ongoing achievements and honoring the lasting impact of our work together.
NATIONWIDE LENDING UPDATE
Since our founding in 2017, the Fountain Fund has provided more than $6.5 million across 1,327 loans to nearly 1,113 Client Partners. So far, we have recycled more than $3.2 million back into the fund to provide future financial support for those coming home after incarceration.
“The Fountain Fund definitely cares about their people. ... You couldn't walk into a regular bank and get the concern and the care that you get through the Fountain Fund. ... I recommend them to anybody that's trying to better themselves.” — CLIENT PARTNER
Boston
CLIENT PARTNER SPOTLIGHT:
ARLIS "NICK" EVANS
Throughout 24 years of incarceration, Arlis “Nick” Evans never stopped planning for his future. He conceptualized the vision for his business, In A Nick of Time Landscaping, long before he returned home. When his case was overturned and he was released, the Fountain Fund helped make that vision a reality.
Starting with small loans of $1,300 and $1,500 to buy essential tools and equipment, Nick built his company from the ground up. Most recently, the Fountain Fund approved a $5,400 business loan, giving him a reliable truck and allowing him to expand his reach to new clients.
Today, In A Nick of Time Landscaping is growing beyond a solo operation. Nick now secures larger contracts and has brought on additional crew members, offering employment opportunities to others in his community. The success of his business has also become a point of pride at home: his daughter likes to join him on job sites, learning valuable entrepreneurial skills as she watches her father build his legacy.
Boston Client Partner Nick Evans
“The Fountain Fund is definitely a great organization. It's about redemption. It's about giving you a chance to help yourself and give you a sense of responsibility and accountability.” — NICK EVANS
LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT:
AARON “ACE” MORIN, SITE DIRECTOR
The GreenLight Fund recently highlighted the tremendous momentum in Boston as Ace Morin takes the helm as Site Director. Ace brings a powerful blend of lived experience, restorative practices, and passion for economic mobility to his role. On his very first days closing loans, Ace was already working with individuals he had served time alongside, embodying what true peer-led support looks like. Driven by the core value to "check on, love on," Ace views the Fountain Fund not as a one-time resource, but as a lifelong community partnership.
Ace is also representing the Fountain Fund in Mass Law Reform Institute's statewide Reentry Health Community Cohort, a year-long collaboration of directly impacted leaders shaping practical reentry tools. In addition to contributing to a step-by-step navigation handbook for individuals walking out of incarceration, Ace contributed a custom, interactive resource map highlighting local housing, healthcare, and employment support, complete with QR-code cards and printed guides for those without phone access.
Boston Site Director Ace Morin
GETTING TO KNOW ACE
We traded in our shanks for laptops, and we are changing the culture of what re-entry looks like.”
Dunkin’ order: Iced Dunka Latte with mocha swirls Recent
Read: First Pitch by Debi Kleiman
PARTNER ORG PROFILE: TRANSFORMATIONAL PRISON PROJECT
Reentry isn't only about navigating financial systems and rebuilding careers. It’s also about healing, connection, and experiencing unbridled joy.
This year, the Boston Fountain Fund team had the honor of celebrating at the Transformational Prison Project Prom, a special evening designed to give returning citizens a night of freedom and a celebratory experience many never had the chance to enjoy growing up.
Boston Site Director Ace Morin and many of our Client Partners dressed up and hit the dance floor together. As one attendee said, “Joy is something worth celebrating, no matter how long it takes.”
Site Director Ace Morin (third from right) and friends at Prom
BOSTON LENDING IMPACT
Our Boston site is growing! We currently have 115 loans for more than 100 Client Partners totaling $335,000+. More than $115,000 has been recycled back into the fund.
“None of where my life is today literally would be possible without the Fountain Fund. It put me in a position where the opportunities are endless. I know for a 100% fact, if it wasn't for the Fountain Fund, I wouldn't be where I'm at." — CLIENT PARTNER
CLIENT PARTNER SPOTLIGHT:
MOLLIE CASH
When Mollie faced losing her job as a Reentry Case Manager unless she cleared her court restitution, she struggled to find a traditional loan. As someone navigating the steep financial barriers that follow a criminal conviction, Mollie found every door closed until she turned to us. The Fountain Fund took a chance on her when no other lender would. “There is not a single lender, probably on this planet, that would take a high risk loan like I was.” Clearing that debt enabled Mollie to finish probation and earn a promotion at work.
Having experienced the dignity of our process firsthand, Mollie now connects her own clients to the Fountain Fund for assistance with everything from driver's license reinstatements to reliable transportation. For Mollie, the Fountain Fund is far more than a lender; it is a team that genuinely celebrates her clients' success and treats every person who walks through the door with belief in their future.
Client Partner Mollie Cash with Loan Operations Specialist Sankofa Alkebu-Lan at her loan closing
PARTNER ORG PROFILE: ONE STOP SHOP
Charlottesville’s One Stop Shop is a community reentry event that connects returning community members directly to essential housing, legal, healthcare, and employment supports under one roof. Designed to eliminate the runaround for returning citizens navigating community stabilization, the free event pairs essential wrap-around services with food, music, and networking. It transforms a complex ecosystem of local resources into an inviting, relationship-first gateway to long-term stability.
From left, Taj Mahon-Haft, Director & Co-founder of The Humanization Project; Virginia Delegate Katrina Callsen, and Tez Tolbert at the One Stop Shop in September
Tez Tolbert in his office, photo courtesy of Ézé Amos
FROM INCARCERATION TO
NATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Martize “Tez” Tolbert’s path from incarceration to national leadership at the Fountain Fund is a masterclass in resilience and purpose. Featured in Vinegar Hill Magazine, Tez’s story highlights how he turned obstacles into a blueprint for transformative community leadership.
As National Director of Client and Community Engagement, Tez brings deep authenticity to the Fountain Fund’s mission. Having navigated the friction of reentry himself, he understands that economic mobility requires more than capital. It requires trust, mentorship, and proximity.
“We don’t say no to people. We just say, ‘You’re not ready yet. But here’s the steps it takes to get ready.’ Then we give them the support they need.” — MARTIZE TOLBERT
Tez's relationship-first approach is redefining what community support looks like across Charlottesville and the Fountain Fund's national affiliate sites. By turning yellow-pad action plans into lasting financial roadmaps, he proves daily that when returning citizens are met with trust and capital, they don't just reenter society, they transform it.
CHARLOTTESVILLE LENDING IMPACT
In our hometown market, our Client Partners are thriving! We have provided 630+ loans to more than 470 Client Partners totaling $2.7+ million. More than $1.7 million has been recycled back into the loan fund.
“That was the first time somebody believed in me. That was the first time somebody said yes to me. That was the first time somebody shook my hand and gave me a check. . . They believed in me and didn't judge me on my past mistakes." — CLIENT PARTNER
PHILLY
CLIENT PARTNER SPOTLIGHT:
JAMAL WASHINGTON
When we caught up with Jamal Washington, he was sitting inside the 22-foot trailer his Fountain Fund loan helped him transform into a popular caffeine delivery machine.
The idea for Morning Mud was born while Jamal was serving time. Determined to hit the ground running when he returned, Jamal worked with his sister from the inside to lay the groundwork for his dream. However, reentry was far from easy. Background checks cost him two jobs, and traditional business lending was out of reach.
“Keep pushing forward because nobody's going to do it the way you are. No one is going to see it the way that you see it. So you have to continue to keep pushing forward on that story.”
— JAMAL WASHINGTON
A referral led Jamal to the Fountain Fund. A $4,500 loan provided the launchpad he needed to gut, reframe, insulate, and equip his trailer. Today, Jamal is hosting cold brew taste-testing and building his brand step-by-step.
While the trailer is his current workspace, Jamal is playing the long game: aiming to build a brand that expands onto big-box store shelves across the country. He says, “You know, I often go into Target and these other spaces and I see coffee and the cold brews on the shelves and in the refrigerator, and it's always a dream of mine to be able to have my product there.”
Client Partner Jamal Washington in his Morning Mud mobile coffee truck.
Oshun Family Center Founder and Executive Director Saleemah McNeil
PROGRAM PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: OSHUN FAMILY CENTER
Oshun Family Center’s primary purpose is to create a safe, informed, and culturally responsive environment for our community. They strive to meet people where they are, providing care and resources that reflect their lived experiences, honor their needs, and support the well-being of birthing people and their families.
Oshun is currently fundraising for its capital campaign to build Philadelphia’s first Maternal Wellness Hub, a dedicated space for community connection and holistic care. Oshun is also celebrating a major milestone: becoming fully credentialed with Community Behavioral Health to begin accepting clients with Medicaid.
The relationship between Oshun and the Fountain Fund grew out of Executive Director Saleemah McNeil’s leadership on the Fountain Fund’s Local Advisory Board. Our missions align around a shared commitment to building a healthier, stronger community by connecting people with sustainable resources that address real needs. By uniting our micro-lending and financial coaching with Oshun’s holistic care network, we collaborate to listen, invest in families, and foster long-term community strength.
VIRAL MOMENT DRIVES DEMAND
Following a viral video post by a prominent Philadelphia influencer that reached over 4 million viewers, the Fountain Fund saw a massive spike in community awareness this August. The feature generated thousands of direct inquiries and approximately 800 potential client applications, underscoring both the urgent need for our low-interest loans and the extraordinary momentum building behind our mission.
PHILADELPHIA LENDING IMPACT
Interest in Philadelphia lending is on fire! To date we have provided 250 loans totaling $2 million. Nearly $675,000 has been recycled back into the loan fund.
“They make sure you know that they believe in you, that they got your back, and that they’re going to support you. They have just been really phenomenal.”
— CLIENT PARTNER
ADVANCING ECONOMIC JUSTICE
IN PHILADELPHIA
Philadelphia Site Director Mike Butler represented the Fountain Fund on the national stage at the Prosperity Now Summit in September. Michael served as a panelist for “Lenders, Consumers, and Practical Pathways Forward,” joining national leaders in economic justice to share how the Fountain Fund’s low-interest loans and mission-driven lending model break down financial barriers for justice-impacted entrepreneurs and community members.
Mike was selected from 65 nominations across the city to join the prestigious Philly People Leaders cohort! Designed to strengthen leadership across civic and community organizations, the fellowship provides intensive training, 1-on-1 executive coaching, and peer collaboration on core management skills. Mike’s participation ensures that the Fountain Fund’s Philly team remains grounded in human-centered, resilient leadership as they expand loans and second-chance entrepreneurship opportunities for returning citizens.
“Just having those intentional conversations about hard issues that you really can't go to people in your organization with, and people that will just give you that feedback with no strings attached, I'm very excited about that.”
— MIKE BUTLER
Mike Butler (L) joins other panelists at Prosperity Now in September
CVILLE
CLIENT PARTNER SPOTLIGHT:
MELISSA VANOVER
When Melissa Vanover was released from incarceration and began her sobriety journey, she was ready to rebuild her life, and the Fountain Fund was there to help her take the first step. We provided a loan for her very first apartment, giving her a stable foundation after recovery housing and a place to host her family, including her youngest son and his fiancée when they moved to town.
When she faced car trouble a year later, Richmond Site Director Tom Mundy helped her secure a replacement in just 11 days. That reliable transportation earned her a job promotion and allowed her to pass her previous vehicle down to her daughter and new granddaughter. Today, Melissa has renewed her lease, built a strong credit score, and will graduate with her associate degree this April.
“[My loan] put me in a position where the opportunities are endless. I used to be the type of person who would be like, ‘I’m never going to have that. I’m never going to be able to get my own place.’ My life has just completely improved. It’s a life that I never thought that I would have.” — MELISSA VANOVER
Client Partner Melissa Vanover with her beloved 2017 Jeep Desert Hawk
RICHMOND
Chesapeake Bank Vice President and Richmond Advisory Board member Kevin Hill
PARTNER ORG SPOTLIGHT: CHESAPEAKE BANK
Through an innovative partnership with Chesapeake Bank, the Fountain Fund is opening doors to mainstream banking for Client Partners while preserving critical lending capital. Under the leadership of Kevin Hill, Vice President at Chesapeake Bank and member of the Fountain Fund’s Richmond Advisory Board, Chesapeake purchases vehicle loans underwritten by the Fountain Fund, restoring capital directly to our revolving loan fund.
Beyond freeing up capital to serve more returning citizens, the partnership helps demystify traditional banking. By pairing financial coaching with Chesapeake’s flexible approach, Client Partners gain a trusted entry point into the financial system. As Kevin notes, the model offers a true second chance, enabling repeat borrowers to recover after accidents, stay on the road, and navigate financial tools with confidence and dignity.
"Most people don't trust banking because they don't understand it. ... This gives them access to get the lending completed, but at the same time, actually build that relationship with a banker." — KEVIN HILL
LEADING REENTRY ADVOCACY IN RICHMOND
Congratulations to Richmond Site Director Tom Mundy for being honored as a Richmond Reentry Champion at Leviticus Training Center’s Reentry Sunday in September. Recognized for his lived experience and community advocacy, Tom leads monthly Department of Corrections pre-release sessions, manages local transitional housing, and founded an opioid education nonprofit. Tom also delivered moving testimony at the House of Delegates’ Public Safety Committee retreat, urging lawmakers to view economic opportunity as a critical form of violence prevention.
Business Loan Administrator Stephanie Conteh celebrates with Tom Mundy
Amanda Spiller with Richmond
Site Director Tom Mundy
FOND FAREWELL TO AMANDA SPILLER
The Fountain Fund family offers our deepest gratitude to Amanda Spiller as she steps into her next chapter at Simopoulos Law, PLLC, as a Legal Assistant and Paralegal. While completing her undergraduate degree in history and political science, Amanda will focus on employment, civil rights, and education law before pursuing law school and plaintiff-side advocacy.
Reflecting on her time with the Fountain Fund, Amanda shares that getting to know Client Partners and providing access to affordable lending was the most rewarding part of her work. Working directly with clients highlighted how crucial meaningful legal guidance is, fueling her passion to advocate for individuals navigating complex legal systems. We know her future clients will be in great hands!
“I appreciated being part of an organization that recognizes people's potential and provides opportunities for them to move forward without defining them by their past.” — AMANDA SPILLER
RICHMOND LENDING IMPACT
In the Richmond area, we have provided more than 200 loans totaling $1.2 million. Nearly $600,000 has been recycled back into the fund to provide future low-interest loans to Client Partners.
“[The loan] just drastically, drastically changed my life. I can't even express enough gratitude. I don't know where I would be today if it wasn't for the Fountain Fund.” — CLIENT PARTNER