To the Wonderful Supporters of The Uncuffed Project!
We want to take a moment at the beginning of 2024 to thank our many
supporters and partners for their tireless assistance as we grew our organization.
2023 was an amazing year for The Uncuffed Project. We completed our first class
and mentoring sessions at Solano County Juvenile Hall. We witnessed firsthand
the success of that program as young men came home from incarceration and
were prepared to enter society with value and purpose. They have maintained
jobs and entered into higher education. They have learned the meaning of Better
Decisions Makes Better Choices.
2023 blessed us with some incredible moments:
Invited to attend and speak at over a dozen events throughout the greater Bay Area.
We participated in a Youth Service Project in Oakland. This opportunity allowed us to assembled 50 duffle bags ready to give out to Recently Returned Citizens.
The Uncuffed Project was highlighted and interviewed on the Fox network where we shared our vision to a broader audience.
The Growth & Action
Our Duffle Bag program has grown exponentially! We gave out over 60 bags last
year alone. The need is great, and the word is out! Our recipients are the
motivation we need to do this work. All are humble and so grateful.
Most exciting of all is the acquisition of two transitional houses and a lovely office
space for us to grow into located in the City of Vallejo. Warmly welcomed, we
have come to love the city of Vallejo for all of its diversity and charm.
In efforts to more efficiently help the community we serve, we
bought a bus that is ADA compatible. This allows us to transport the people in
our program to the appointments and meetings they need in order to initiate a
positive change in their lives. It is a magical transformation to watch and we
could not be happier for our clients.
As we look ahead to growth, the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano
have been tireless in their support of our organization in helping us have a
presence in their cities. We could not have been as affective in our efforts without the help of the District Attorney’s office in Alameda. They continue to trust our work and help open doors for us to do this essential work. A shout out to Rudy Corpuz from United Playaz for allowing us to participate in the gun buy back in San Francisco. It was an honor.
It is a daunting task to start an organization such as The Uncuffed Project. And without our supporters and partners putting their trust in us, none of this is possible. We thank you. We could not do what we do without YOU.
The pathway to 2024 looks bright! We hope for another amazing year for one and all!
With love and gratitude,
Damon Cooke & Lisa Strong
Founders of The Uncuffed Project
