More than another program. A real future.

We offer youth who were formerly incarcerated a pathway toward a purposeful life through stable housing, committed community, and career opportunities. Very few exit with the safety and support they need to successfully reenter society .

She is searching.

When young adults exit juvenile detention, most are searching for a way out of the life they lived prior to incarceration. Many have nowhere to go except back to the same unsafe communities where they got into trouble. It’s often not long before they find themselves homeless or reincarcerated.

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WHO WE ARE

Forward Direction is a community-based reentry program designed to support youth transitioning from juvenile detention toward meaningful, productive lives.

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Nowhere to go. Addicted. Unwanted.

Youth leaving detention face steep odds without the right support — here's what the data shows.

  • Nearly 1 in 3 Arizona youth released from state juvenile facilities return to custody within a year — and more than half do so within three years. Nationally, up to 80% of youth who have been incarcerated are rearrested within three years of release. Without support, the system becomes a revolving door. (Source→)

  • As many as 1 in 4 young people with a history of juvenile justice involvement experience homelessness. Leaving detention without stable housing is often the first domino that topples everything else — safety, sobriety, school, work, and more. (Source→)

  • Young adults with criminal legal histories worked an average of only 35.8 weeks in the first full year after release, compared to 45.7 weeks for peers with no incarceration or arrest history — over 2 months of fewer work days. (Source→)

  • 84% of youth in juvenile facilities report having used drugs, and 60% meet the clinical criteria for a substance use disorder. Yet only about a third access behavioral health treatment in the critical six months after release. (Source→)

  • About 1 in 3 detained girls will experience a teen pregnancy — more than double the general rate. Over half of all youth involved in the juvenile justice system report having been or gotten someone pregnant by age 17. Without positive support, young women exit the system soon to face parenthood before they've had the chance to finish school or build a career, compounding every other barrier they face. (Source→)

Forward Direction Bridges the Gap.

  • The Problem

    Up to 80% of youth who are incarcerated in the US are rearrested within 36 months of their release because they returned to unstable housing, homelessness, disrupted education, lack of employment, and/or unsafe people and environments.

  • The Solution

    These youth need physical safety, healthy relationships, and supportive guidance to build a healthy life, possibly for the first time. Forward Direction opens the door to a new future through stable housing, mentorship, life and career skills, and lasting community.

  • The Impact

    With years of collective experience, our team is able to provide the resources, relationships, and stability needed by these young adults to decrease their risk of returning to prison and equip them to reenter society on a path toward a purposeful and productive life.

Our holistic approach gives youth leaving detention the best chance for success beyond incarceration.

  • Research in trauma recovery— including by experts Judith Herman and Matthew Desmond—shows that individuals cannot effectively rebuild their lives until safety and stability are established, primarily through secure housing and supportive relationships.

  • We train our mentors to connect with these young adults with life-giving support and encouragement after their release. Our mentors commit to this relationship throughout the young woman’s 3 years in the program. Most continue on as life long friends.

  • Our social and spiritual support network provides the necessary healthy relationships for building a successful life after incarceration, which includes life skills development, career planning and sustained community connections.

  • Through our connections with local colleges and universities, our residents will have the opportunity to further their education. Mentorships with local business people will provide the opportunity for job skills training and career coaching. These community connections add to their success as they reenter society.

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What’s happening? A Year of Building Hope

  • Matching Challenge

    October 2026

    GREAT NEWS! Thanks to a generous corporate donor, all donations made in October and November will be matched up to $10,000. Mark your calendars and click below to learn more about how you can double the impact of your contribution.

    LEARN MORE

  • Chicken N Pickle Tournament

    Saturday, November 7, 2026
    1pm to 4pm

    Join us for our first annual pickleball tournament at Chicken N Pickle in Glendale. Bring the family for lots of fun and an opportunity to share the mission of Forward Direction with friends!

    See Details

  • Giving Tuesday

    Tuesday, December 1, 2026

    Giving Tuesday is a global generosity event. We like to think of it as your generosity Prime Day! With many opportunities to give and often to have your money matched to go further, it’s never too early to begin preparing to be generous.

    Get Prepared

Restoring hope and lives, one path at a time.

    • A caring mentor

    • Sobriety support

    • Career planning

    • Spiritual guidance

  • > Healthy peer community
    > Positive social activities
    > Faith connections
    > Leadership development

  • Youth exiting detention enter a structured group home environment staffed by resident advisors employed by Forward Direction.

    Features:

    • Safe housing with curfews and accountability

    • Structured routines

    • Life skills training

    • Mentoring support

    • Employment or school requirements

    Each participant receives a support team (“Table”) using the the Open Table model consisting of volunteers from the community.

    Support categories:

    • Education / Career

    • Personal finance

    • Healthcare

    • Transportation / Insurance

    • Social support / Community life

    • Mentoring

  • Participants transition to apartments staffed by Apartment Life after their first year:

    Goals:

    • Independent living

    • Continued mentorship

    • Community integration

    • Job stability

    • Education completion

  • We partner with a number of local colleges and universities throughout Arizona.

    Opportunities:

    • Connect with Admissions Counselors early

    • Use state foster education funding

    • Join programs for youth exiting foster care in the various universities

In their words.

  • “You were there for me when I felt like nobody else was. I learned what a healthy, consistent relationship should be like. Thank you for believing in me and continuing to show up.”

  • “The way I behaved may have hurt you. I'm ashamed of that. You showed me that someone can see the worst moment of me and still not abandon me. I'm beginning to trust you. I don't want to lose that.”

  • “I'm learning that I can have a bad day, make a mistake, and still be worthy of someone staying in my life. Thank you for not giving up on me.”

  • “I can't believe I'm going to college! I worked so hard to get my GED while I was in detention. Thank you for helping me go further and connecting me with this university.”

Join us in changing their stories.

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