You Yes You! Project

You Yes You! Project is a non-profit organization focused on strengthening the bond between incarcerated fathers and their children in Indiana. The organization was founded by Ericka Sanders, whose personal experience of growing up without a consistent relationship with her own father fueled her mission. What began in 2014 as an initiative to organize a father-daughter dance inside a correctional facility soon evolved into a comprehensive support system after Sanders recognized the deeper needs of the fathers and their families.

The organization's core clients are incarcerated fathers within the Indiana Department of Correction system, specifically at facilities like Putnamville Correctional Facility and Plainfield Correctional Facility. To be eligible, participants must have a child in Indiana, be scheduled for release to an Indiana county within three years, and meet certain conduct criteria. The business operates as a non-profit, funded through donations and grants from entities such as the Lilly Endowment and the Indianapolis Bar Foundation. Its primary objective is to reduce recidivism and foster healthier family and community well-being by addressing the trauma associated with parental incarceration.

You Yes You! Project provides a multi-faceted program that includes organized family activities, pre-release planning, and post-release engagement. Inside correctional facilities, it creates positive environments for father-child interaction through events like dances and holiday parties, which offer a respite from the typical visitation setting. A significant component of the service is the development of pre-release plans, which involves collaboration with partners to address potential barriers to successful reentry, such as housing, employment, transportation, and mental health support. After release, the organization continues to engage with the fathers and their families, providing access to a network of resources to ensure they have the support needed to remain active in their children's lives and communities. A key achievement is that fathers who have completed the program have not returned to prison.

Keywords: prisoner rehabilitation, family reunification, fatherhood programs, inmate support services, recidivism reduction, Indiana nonprofit, correctional facility programs, pre-release planning, post-release support, parental incarceration, community reentry, at-risk youth services, family services, criminal justice reform, social services, family bonding, inmate resources, offender rehabilitation, youth development