THE NEWSLETTER
SPRING 2026: STEP BY STEP
Transformation doesn’t arise from a single dramatic moment—it develops from steady, intentional choices. By choosing responsibility, personal growth, and hope, our Client Partners show us that a better future is built one decision at a time.
NEWS FROM HQ
NEWS FROM OUR SITES
At the Fountain Fund, we believe that everyone we help stand strong is one less person caught in the cycle of a broken system. That’s REAL recidivism prevention.
CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF!
2026 CREDIT BUILDER’S ALLIANCE
The Fountain Fund is excited to present at the national Credit Builders Alliance Summit this June! Through a dynamic, facilitated conversation, our lending leaders Shantel Hopkins (Director of Lending), Sankofa Alkebu-Lan (Loan Operations Specialist), and Jeffrey Beacham (Loan Assets Specialist) will explore how credit can serve as a tool for elevation for the formerly incarcerated. The session will examine how lending systems can honor dignity while still meeting expectations around risk, sustainability, and performance, ultimately helping individuals move beyond barriers toward a future that is “cleared for takeoff.”
Facilitated by Shantel in a fireside chat format, the conversation will go beyond theory to offer a transparent, real-world view of how credit building can lead to economic growth and financial stability for vulnerable populations. The session will highlight the vital importance of turning a systemic “No” into a life-changing “Yes.”
Sankofa Alkebu-Lan (left), Jeff Beacham (right), and Shantel Hopkins are excited to share their hard-earned wisdom at this year’s CBA Summit taking place June 10-12, 2026, in Arlington, Virginia.
FOUNTAIN FUND FACTS
Client Partner Survey shines a light on success.
CLIENT PARTNERS COME FIRST
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97% “Were not reincarcerated.”
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96% “Were better able to support their families.”
A new Client Partner celebrates his housing loan at headquarters!
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
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“The Fountain Fund opens so many doors. Employment, housing, mobility… and it all connects.”
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“I’m committed to my future—improving my credit, learning the process, and staying focused on becoming a homeowner.”
AGENCY LENDING IMPACT
As of February 28, 2026, our active loan portfolio across all markets included 424 loans valued at $2,043,052. Since 2017, 937 client partners have received $5,663,749 in loans, with $2,651,473 being recycled back into the loan fund.
CREDIT BUILDING BRINGS
A BRIGHTER TOMORROW
Client Partner Christopher Green increased his credit score from 485 to 720+ with help from a Fountain Fund loan. Consistent payments and reduced debt strengthened his credit profile and made homeownership possible, allowing him to secure a 6% mortgage interest rate through a traditional bank on his family’s first home.
Congratulations, Christopher!
SUSTAINABLE GROWTH GUIDES THE FUTURE
Each February, our national board of directors gathers to reflect on the previous year’s accomplishments while boldly shaping the future. This year, the board immersed itself in strategic planning with Arbor Rising and engaged in conversations about how—and how fast—we should grow. Centered on purpose and possibility, the retreat created a vision for sustainable growth in 2026 and beyond.
2026 Board of Directors share time together at the annual retreat. A new slate of officers was officially established: Lorenzo Collins (Board Chair), Andy Block (Vice Chair), Dennis Scannell (Treasurer), and Pat Smith (Secretary).
DENNIS SCANNELL JOINS OUR BOARD
We’re honored to welcome Dennis Scannell as our new board treasurer! Dennis brings decades of experience in finance, investing and capital management. Shares Dennis, “I have always believed in the power of redemption and the idea that no one should be judged solely by their past mistakes. … I am humbled to be part of an organization with such thoughtful and caring people doing such amazing work.”
We thank Dennis for sharing his wisdom and expertise.
Boston
AARON MORIN WELCOMED AS NEW BOSTON SITE DIRECTOR
We’re excited to welcome Aaron Morin as our new Boston Site Director. Aaron brings extensive experience in community engagement, restorative practices, reentry support, financial literacy and workforce initiatives. His most recent role as a Pathways Transitional Coach was with UTEC, Inc., an impactful nonprofit that encourages justice-involved young adults to “trade violence and poverty for social & economic success.”
Over the years, Aaron has also contributed to relationship-building between higher education and incarcerated learners by engaging in programs such as the Boston College Prison Education Program, Emerson Prison Initiative, and the Tufts MyTERN Program. Most recently, Aaron co-founded Eagles Bridging the Gap, an innovative prison education student organization on the Boston College campus.
With firsthand lived experience and a demonstrated commitment to building opportunity for the previously incarcerated, Aaron will lead our programming to help Client Partners establish credit, gain financial stability, and pursue their self-determined goals. Welcome, Aaron. Your leadership will help our Boston site soar!
Aaron Morin
CLIENT PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Shean Moore
Spending time in conversation with Client Partner Shean Moore is a true gift. He’s honest, kind, direct and carries himself with an entertaining sense of humor. In sharing the sweep of his life story, he openly acknowledges that somewhere in the Montana landscape—which he desperately loves—he lost his way. But he also counts his blessings with a full embrace. In fact, he reflects on the person who testified against him with gratitude. “I’m glad I’m out of it. I’m not mad at him at all. He saved my life by doing it.”
After returning home from prison, Shean began rebuilding the only way he knew how: step by step. He found stability in routine—showing up for work, staying sober, and leaning into a small circle of people he could trust. Along the way, he set clear boundaries with his past—staying away from old crowds and focusing on being present for family. Today, he’s proud of his quiet progress: working hard in a demanding maintenance role for dozens of properties, providing support for loved ones, and searching for a new place to call home. Each day, Shean shares, “I stay clean. I stay focused. I go to work. And I try to help people.”
A major barrier in Shean’s reentry was financial: he faced steep federal fines and, even after paying down a much larger balance, still had about $3,100 left—on top of child support and everyday bills. The Fountain Fund loan helped lift that weight at a crucial moment, allowing him to clear the remaining debt and keep moving forward. With the fines addressed, Shean has been able to focus on what comes next: improving his credit, paying off his loan (this summer!), and building a life he’s proud of. One day, if he gets his dream, he’ll return to the gorgeous Montana mountains.
Words of wisdom that Shean might share with others who are returning citizens? “Get around a good core of people. … When you’re struggling, talk to someone with a strong head on their shoulders. Lean on the people who are going to give you good advice. Don’t try to do it alone.”
Shean Moore (right) and fellow Client Partner Stephen Pina (left) enjoy a year-end celebration at The Fountain Fund in Boston.
BOSTON FACTS
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
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“The Fountain Fund is a lifesaver. It’s open arms. I get emotional when I talk about it. They’re just a great, great organization.”
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“One of the things I’ve been able to use my e-bike for is to continue my education. It’s also helped me tell prospective employers, ‘I can get to wherever you need me!’ Thank you.”
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
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100% “Have not been reincarcerated.”
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100% “Achieved better financial stability.”
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100% “Better able to take care of themselves.”
TOTAL LENDING
As of February 28, 2026, Boston’s total lending included 54 loans valued at $162,608.
OFFICE OF BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT ANNOUNCES COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT GRANTEES
Our Boston office is thrilled to announce that it has been chosen for the second year in a row to receive a Community Empowerment Grant through the City of Boston’s Office of Black Male Advancement! In 2026, BMA is investing $500,000 in 39 community-based organizations. Their aim is to build stronger networks to support and connect Black men and boys with vital programming and resources. As shared on their website, “These grants support organizations that are leading transformative work to improve outcomes across education, economic opportunity, health, and community safety. … This investment will support organizations in scaling their programs, expanding their reach, and deepening their impact in the communities they serve.” Thank you, BMA, for your $5,000 grant and for believing in our mission.
CVILLE
CLIENT PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Alan Averill
Alan Averill is fully devoted to designing spaces and places that meet each client’s unique needs. As owner of Salty Architects, LLC, Alan frequently works in tandem with a variety of design firms like Lamplight Design Studios. By providing architectural expertise at exactly the right moment in time, Alan helps turn clients’ dreams into reality.
So, if you’re in search of an architect, one look at Lamplight testimonials will tell you that you’re in the right place! Shares a local Charlottesville realtor, "Whenever my clients are planning on a renovation or addition and ask me for a referral, I send them to these guys. Lamplight is always in my top recommended design/build firms in town.”
But getting to this point in his career, he openly attests, has not been easy. Even with years of experience in major D.C. firms, he found that having a record often closed doors before an interview ever began. Still, he stayed optimistic, saying yes to an array of work opportunities while keeping his long-term goal in focus: reclaiming his career as a licensed architect and creating a future defined by his talent, not his past.
Central to Alan’s journey was his willingness to trust others and accept help. Community members, faith leaders, and professional contacts offered opportunities that became turning points: a conversation at a probation office led to paid work, a chance meeting led to his first freelance client, and support from The Fountain Fund made it possible for him to secure his Virginia architectural license. Each act of trust—both given and received—created momentum that allowed his career to grow.
While Alan currently has many exciting design projects with Lamplight that are underway, The Hub, a resource space made possible by The Point Church, is one of the most meaningful. The Hub brings access to over 850 nonprofits under a single roof. It’s a place where, “Life change isn’t just a possibility… it’s their purpose. It’s a bridge to stability and independence for under-resourced and under-served neighbors.”
Today, Alan’s work as an architect stands as proof that reentry is not just about survival, it’s about thriving. His story shows that determination opens doors, but community—and the courage to embrace connection—keeps them open.
Guidance Alan offers to others: “Even if something seems minor, you have no idea what can come of it. So if there's an opportunity, no matter how small, it could be something huge.”
Alan's photo of a field of wildflowers near Mount Hood that exemplifies the beauty of planting the seeds of possibility.
CHARLOTTESVILLE FACTS
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
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98% “Felt supported by the Fountain Fund.”
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97% “Were able to better support their families.”
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97% “Felt empowered to overcome barriers.”
ACTIVE LOAN PORTFOLIO
As of February 28, 2026, Charlottesville’s total lending included 589 loans valued at $2,529,719!
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
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“Please, please keep being active with our community and with our people because we need y'all.”
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“I cannot stress this enough: if you fall down seven times, you just have to get up eight times. Having a record, you're going to fall down a lot. … Thank you, Fountain Fund, for believing in me.”
GROWING STRONG
We’re excited to welcome Muntadher Almusawi, Senior Manager of Data and Operations, to our team! His expertise and dedication to our mission make us stronger.
Martize Tolbert at TEDx
PROXIMITY FOR JUSTICE BRINGS TEDx TO FLUVANNA CORRECTIONAL CENTER
Martize Tolbert, Fountain Fund National Director of Client and Community Engagement, recently shared his motivational life story at a TEDx event at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women.
Hosted by the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) and Proximity for Justice, this TEDx event, titled “The Journey,” brought together more than 40 compelling speakers—from community leaders, to philanthropists, to law enforcement, to inspiring residents. It was the first event of its kind to be held in a Virginia women’s prison.
As shared on their website, “Proximity for Justice is dedicated to mass decarceration by helping incarcerated individuals gain the necessary skills and relationships to reenter society successfully.” This innovative nonprofit, “Amplifies incarcerated voices, fosters meaningful connections between people on both sides of prison walls, and mobilizes the public to advocate for justice-system change.” These events encourage dialogue, forge connections, and inspire reform.
CLIENT PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Randy Tucker
As our interview gets underway, Randy Tucker pauses for a moment in reflection. The pause is notable, in part because of the words that follow. He explains, almost with a sense of wonder, that he has been home for 23 years—the exact amount of time he spent incarcerated. During our conversation, it’s abundantly clear that he embraces every moment.
Randy’s imprisonment began in Angola in 1980, when he was a very young man. Slightly more than a decade into his incarceration, Randy made a decision that would shape the rest of his life: he began studying the law.
A unique course was being offered behind the wall that allowed individuals to pursue formal legal education. Ultimately, that experience led to graduation and earned Randy important credentials that allowed him to work as a paralegal and advocate. Even before his release, he used his knowledge to help others, contributing to nearly a dozen cases that led to reduced sentences for fellow incarcerated people who had been unjustly convicted or overlooked by the system.
When Randy finally returned home in 2003, he carried this commitment forward, building a career centered on service and second chances. For the first five years, he served as a paralegal with an attorney with whom he had formed a strong professional relationship. Shortly thereafter, he started his own freelance business where he continued to give voice to the voiceless.
Support from The Fountain Fund came years later, when Randy hit a rough patch after his truck broke down. The First 72+, a partner agency which offers an array of wrap-around reentry services, encouraged Randy to reach out. He recalls, “It’s hard to not have funds and then have a broken vehicle when you need to work. … Your team treated me with dignity. And I’m really appreciative of that. Especially Meagan. She always met me with kindness.”
The biggest advice Randy would give to someone who’s coming home: “If it’s possible, try to work for yourself, start a business. That way you don’t have to deal with the ills of society that are placed on you. …If you become an employer, hire somebody that’s an ex-offender and then show them humility and respect.”
Randy maintains gratitude by keeping his attention on what is still good, still possible, and still worth noticing. Gratitude, for Randy, is not denial of hardship; it’s a deliberate decision to recognize dignity—in himself and in the people who meet him with kindness—and to let that recognition be an anchor.
Today, Randy is confronting an aggressive form of stage four cancer, and yet he continues to approach life focused on what is truly meaningful: family, laughter, work, friends, and even the simple joys like sharing peanut butter with his dog in the middle of the night!
As he shares these thoughts, the beautiful sound of his 6-year-old grandchild playing in the background fills the air. And then he says, “So I come to the end of each day with a heart that feels full of blessings. … I have a house. I have a loving family. This life has been really good.
Shares Randy, “You know, I don't know what I did in this life to deserve it, but God has really, really blessed me.
NOLA
NEW ORLEANS FACTS
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
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96% “Were better able to support family.”
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95% “Achieved improved financial stability.”
ACTIVE LOAN PORTFOLIO
As of February 28, 2026, New Orlean’s total lending included 102 loans valued at $255,140!
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
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“Getting that loan… it felt so good. I felt so appreciated. It was like, dang, I finally did this.”
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“What I really want to hit home is how much it meant to be treated with a sense of worthiness. Especially Meagan. She always met me with kindness.”
SECURING A BUSINESS LOAN
Attributes that Signal Success
At The Fountain Fund, our goal is to do everything possible to help Client Partners set themselves up for success. This is especially true for individuals interested in securing a business loan, as these loans are the most demanding and rigorous in our lending portfolio.
Our business loan readiness packet is a supportive, step-by-step guide that helps Client Partners turn ideas into a clear plan by breaking the process into manageable pieces. Along the way, individuals learn how to develop a comprehensive business plan - from executive summary through operations, market analysis, sales strategy, and concluding with financial projections using a cash-flow template. Business ideas are then tested for viability and sustainability!
Are you interested in applying for a business loan? If so, please email Stephanie Conteh, Business Loan Administrator, at sconteh@fountainfund.org to register for an upcoming virtual meeting. During these meetings, Stephanie outlines the loan process including intake, underwriting, and committee review, and provides details for three loan sizes—small, medium, and large—with specific eligibility and documentation requirements. We hope these meetings will create an engaging and informal opportunity for prospective borrowers and current Client Partners to ask questions about ways in which they can strengthen and/or launch a new business. These meetings also provide an overview of our agency’s mission-driven approach to removing barriers to credit for the previously incarcerated.
CLIENT PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Tyree Wallace
When Tyree Wallace sits down for our interview, his demeaner emanates honesty and urgency—an urgency that says he knows the value of time. That’s because Tyree spent 26 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit, and he knows all too well what it means to keep going when the odds say stop.
It wasn’t until a sustained public campaign brought national attention to his case that Tyree was finally released. And when that day arrived in late 2024, Tyree came home not simply determined to rebuild his own life but committed to building power and possibility for others.
The vision he carried with him began long before his release. In 2019, while still incarcerated, Tyree founded Mann Up—a program that provides structure, accountability, leadership development, and purpose to men who are routinely discarded by both the prison system and society. And when freedom finally came, he turned that hard-won clarity into Systemic Reformative Change (SRC).
That’s where a Fountain Fund business loan provided critical access to capital so Tyree could hit the ground running. The loan, Tyree notes, didn’t “save” him. “What The Fountain Fund did was trust in me. And that trust changed single-handedly how I was able to show up every day.” He continues, “It turned my idea into a place. A place where people could walk in, sit down, be respected, be seen.”
With that foothold, Tyree is doing what the loan asked of him: building something that lasts. As Executive Director, Wallace leads SRC with a philosophy forged through lived reality: trust must be earned, dignity must be visible, and reform must be structural. Under his leadership, SRC deploys trained local leadership into neighborhoods, responds directly to community needs, and mobilizes residents to participate in civic life.
As our interview comes to a close, Tyree reflects on the life-changing bonds that he formed with others while behind the wall. One of the things he remembers most clearly is the conversations he had with others like Mike Butler, Fountain Fund Philadelphia Site Director, and Robert Groves, Client Partner Associate. “When we return home,” they asked of themselves, “…what are we going to do to make our communities better, our families better, the world better?
Wallace’s journey—from wrongful conviction to system-level reformer—embodies one of SRC’s core tenets: not merely helping people survive unjust systems but transforming those systems altogether.
Shares Tyree, “Early on, I understood that charity alone doesn’t change systems. If you want long-lasting and hopefully permanent change, you have to build civic power.”
PHILLY
PHILADELPHIA FACTS
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
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95% “Report having achieved their self-determined goals.”
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95% “Were not reincarcerated.”
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93% “Achieved better financial stability.”
ACTIVE LOAN PORTFOLIO
As of February 28, 2026, Philadelphia’s total lending included 186 loans valued at $1,647,556.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
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“I can’t wait to pay off my loan in full because of how invaluable it was to me. … There have been some struggles which The Fountain Fund has been extremely considerate and patient with. It says who they are as an organization.”
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“Since I got connected to The Fountain Fund, I literally have had stable housing, stable finances. ... And my health has gotten way, way better. I was very depressed. Now I’m moving forward.”
GROWING STRONG
We’re excited to welcome Robert Groves, Client Partner Associate, to our Philadelphia team!
PROGRAM PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: SYSTEMIC REFORMATIVE CHANGE
As a referral partner collaborating with Systemic Reformative Change (SRC), The Fountain Fund takes pride in supporting their innovative initiatives. Three ways they are shifting the paradigm:
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First, SRC challenges the limits of traditional charity. As Executive Director Tyree Wallace explains, providing resources alone does not change systems; durable reform requires civic engagement and organized political power. SRC therefore operates as both a 501(c)(3) and a 501(c)(4), allowing it to pair direct community work with advocacy aimed at changing laws, policies, and public narratives that sustain mass incarceration and inequity.
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Second, SRC builds reform from the ground up. Through highly visible, disciplined initiatives like its street-level leadership teams, the organization builds trust and accountability in neighborhoods that have long experienced neglect and over-policing.
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Third, SRC brings credibility to reform efforts by centering people directly impacted by incarceration. Wallace and his collaborators are not theorizing reentry—they have lived it. Their insight allows SRC to identify where systems fail and to mobilize public pressure to demand change.
CLIENT PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Christopher Green
When describing his new home, Christopher Green’s smile becomes radiant. “I have a big backyard, spacious, quiet. It’s a three-bedroom rancher. … When I found this place, it was everything I hoped for.” He describes the moment he got the keys by simply saying: “Life is so amazing.”
But the road to this place and this moment in time, he admits, has not been easy. In 2013 when he returned home, he struggled to find meaningful work, experienced homelessness, confronted job insecurity, and found difficulty maintaining sobriety. He knows that the heavy weight of his past could have defined him. But Christopher was determined to overcome that narrative. Today, he is a community organizer, mentor, artist and author who uses his lived experience to uplift others.
In early 2025, he released his first book called Gorilla: The Manifesting of Rashad – The Awakening. His powerful memoir chronicles his journey, “…from a gifted youth, through years of addiction and incarceration. In the face of structural barriers, Christopher transforms his life, reclaims his fatherhood and family, all the while finding redemption in serving communities resisting oppression and marginalization.”
Christopher had heard about The Fountain Fund through his extensive community work, but it wasn’t until 2021, when he found himself in need of a vehicle, that he applied for a $12,000 loan. He recalls with gratitude, the team is always supportive and helpful. This has proven especially true when it comes to bolstering his knowledge of financial empowerment and improving his understanding of credit.
In fact, when Jeffrey Beacham, Loan Assets Specialist, contacted him earlier this year to let him know his auto loan was nearly repaid, Christopher updated our team about his new home! Jeff was thrilled to hear the news. He recalls, “I walked Christopher through how mortgage interest works, how even small extra principal payments can help him pay down faster, and the long-term value of a mortgage.”
Part of what makes Christopher’s journey truly inspirational is that his victories are not held close—they are shared. He demonstrates that opportunity is not only something we find; it is something we create—and then make reachable for others. In the life he is building, future generations inherit more than a house or a name. They inherit a model of courage, accountability, and hope—evidence that transformation is possible, and that one person’s resilience can become a bridge for many.
After buying his first home, Christopher told his children, “This is your house.” He told his grandchildren, “You can go to school and tell them your pop-pop bought a house for you.”
RICHMOND FACTS
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
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100% “Report achieving their self-determined goals.”
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100% “Have hope for the future.”
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97% “Have an improved understanding of credit.”
ACTIVE LOAN PORTFOLIO
As of February 28, 2026, Richmond’s total lending included 178 loans valued at $1,068,726!
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
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“My son was so proud of me. He told me later that he was really in tears.”
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“Building my credit with your support has opened doors for me, giving me stability and opportunities I didn’t have before. Beyond myself, this growth allows me to better serve my community, showing others that recovery and change are possible.”
There has never been a better time to support Richmond. Thanks to a generous $20,000 matching challenge from a dedicated philanthropist, your donation will be matched dollar for dollar. Give today and double your impact!
THOMAS MUNDY JOINS RICHMOND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
We’re pleased to announce that Tom Mundy, Richmond Site Director, was recently appointed by the Richmond City Council to serve on the Richmond Human Rights Commission. The goal of this 13-member commission is to advise the City Council and the Mayor on matters involving human rights violations occurring in Richmond. The commission, “Seeks to protect individuals from unlawful discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, national origin, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, transgender status or gender identity.” Tom’s invitation to join the commission is a testament to his leadership and his commitment to safeguarding the rights of all citizens. Congratulations, Tom!
RICHMOND CELEBRATES $1M MILESTONE DURING
SECOND CHANCE MONTH
On a gorgeous evening in April, our Richmond office hosted a festive reception to celebrate surpassing the $1M milestone in lending! Client Partners, program partners, philanthropists, board members and staff gathered to enjoy delicious catering provided by Client Partner Charde’s Kitchen and an inspiring program of diverse voices. Guests learned more about our agency’s impact, heard powerful testimonials, and helped raise funds in support of our mission.
This celebration coincided with Second Chance Month. Observed nationally since 2017, Second Chance Month raises awareness about the challenges faced by justice-impacted individuals while reducing stigma and expanding opportunities for successful reentry. Events are held across the nation to highlight the systemic barriers that impact millions of individuals and families and encourage communities to create pathways so people can thrive.
Richmond Site Director Tom Mundy (left) thanks Tajaddin Daily for sharing his motivational story.
Muntadher Almusawi, the newest member of The Fountain Fund team, enjoys the evening’s presentations.
Event photos by Joumana Altallal.