The milestone landed harder than she expected. Looking back at her life, she felt as though the only things she had to show for those years were addiction and felony drug charges.

She did not yet know what rebuilding would look like.

After her release, Savannah entered the residential reentry program operated by FOCUS Women’s Ministry. She had not participated in the organization’s jail classes because FOCUS was not serving the facility where she had been incarcerated. But the ministry still gave her a place in its transitional home—and an opportunity to begin building a life beyond the one she had known

Today, Savannah works for FOCUS.

In this Season 5 episode of The Redemption Project, Brandon Burley speaks with Savannah about the ministry’s work with incarcerated and newly released women throughout East Tennessee.

FOCUS operates what it calls its Behind the Walls and Beyond the Walls programs. Volunteers lead Bible studies, cognitive-behavioral classes and personal-development programs inside county jails and state prisons. The organization currently serves women in Knox, Anderson, Bledsoe, Sullivan, Scott and Blount counties.

The work continues after release.

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FOCUS operates a 12-bed women’s home in Knoxville, where residents participate in a structured nine- to 12-month reentry program. Case managers help women obtain identification documents, apply for benefits, prepare for employment, secure clothing and hygiene supplies and begin learning how to navigate responsibilities that can feel overwhelming after incarceration.

But Savannah says the work cannot stop at employment, rent and drug testing.

Many of the women entering the program have experienced significant childhood trauma, addiction, abusive relationships and years of believing that pain is all they deserve. Savannah describes trauma as the gateway that often precedes substance use and incarceration.

That is why FOCUS attempts to serve the whole person.

The ministry provides practical assistance, accountability, relationships and faith-based support. Its goal is not merely to help women avoid another arrest. It is to help them understand their worth, develop healthier patterns and build lives in which they can contribute to their families and communities.

FOCUS may technically meet the definition of a halfway house.

Its work is intended to go much further.

I am a retired detective and criminal justice / government educator based in Tennessee. I am a commentary write for Tennessee Lookout and a weekly columnist with Knox TN Today. My work examines public policy, public safety systems and civic responsibility. My reporting and commentary have also appeared in Governing, The Arizona Capitol Times, South Florida Sun Sentinel, Police1, among other state and regional outlets.

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When a mother enters recovery, her children do not simply wait outside the process.

They may have witnessed addiction, instability, incarceration, violence or the removal of a parent from the home. They may also be carrying trauma of their own—sometimes without the words to explain what happened.

Blue Monarch was created around the belief that lasting recovery requires helping the entire family heal.

In the Season 5 premiere of The Redemption Project, Brandon Burley speaks with Shakia, Blue Monarch’s officer of development and community relations—and a graduate of the program herself.

After struggling with opioid addiction for 14 years and cycling through programs that did not provide enough time or support, Shakia reached a breaking point following a near-fatal automobile crash. Her arrival at Blue Monarch began a long recovery process that she says changed not only her life, but the lives of her children.

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Blue Monarch is a long-term, faith-based residential program serving mothers and children affected by addiction, abuse and economic hardship. Women may enter with their children or begin the program while working toward restoring custody. The organization places equal emphasis on the mother’s recovery and the child’s healing.

The residential phase lasts approximately 18 to 24 months. During that time, women participate in individualized counseling, group therapy, parenting education, cognitive-behavioral programming, spiritual development and intensive life-skills work. Recovery is treated as their full-time job.

Graduates may then enter WINGS—Women in Newly Grounded Success—a transitional community where families can live in onsite cottages while the mother begins working, pursuing education and building greater independence. A family completing the full continuum may receive nearly three years of structured support.

Brandon and Shakia also discuss Blue Monarch’s relationships with courts, probation officers, the Tennessee Department of Correction and the Department of Children’s Services. Some women arrive after incarceration, while others are referred by judges, caseworkers or community partners.

The organization is now expanding its campus, constructing a multipurpose building and planning additional housing and childcare resources so it can serve more families.

This is not a story about temporarily removing a woman from addiction.

It is about rebuilding the life beneath it—and giving her children the opportunity to grow up without repeating the same cycle.

I am a retired detective and criminal justice / government educator based in Tennessee. I am a commentary write for Tennessee Lookout and a weekly columnist with Knox TN Today. My work examines public policy, public safety systems and civic responsibility. My reporting and commentary have also appeared in Governing, The Arizona Capitol Times, South Florida Sun Sentinel, Police1, among other state and regional outlets.

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This piece reflects on how ministries and community partners work year-round—not just during the holidays—to care for people in need, extend compassion, and provide meaningful help that leads to stability and purpose.

In this read-aloud and commentary, we explore:

• What hope looks like in action, not just in intention

• How community ministries sustain support beyond seasonal generosity

• Why long-term relationships matter in recovery and reentry

• The broader impact of consistent care in building resilient lives

For the original written article, visit:

https://www.knoxtntoday.com/mission-of-hope-at-christmas-and-every-other-day-of-the-year/

The Redemption Project tells real stories of change, accountability, and second chances, hosted by Brandon Burley.

I am a retired detective and criminal justice / government educator based in Tennessee. I am a commentary write for Tennessee Lookout and a weekly columnist with Knox TN Today. My work examines public policy, public safety systems and civic responsibility. My reporting and commentary have also appeared in Governing, The Arizona Capitol Times, South Florida Sun Sentinel, Police1, among other state and regional outlets.

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The piece offers a firsthand look inside Men of Valor Knoxville—a long-term reentry program built on accountability, structure, and community. It explores what life actually looks like for men transitioning out of incarceration, beyond slogans and statistics.

This episode reflects on what redemption requires in practice: time, responsibility, mentorship, and systems willing to invest in people after prison. Redemption doesn’t erase the past—it shapes what comes next.

Read the original article here:
https://www.knoxtntoday.com/what-redemption-looks-like-in-knoxville-a-day-inside-men-of-valor/

I am a retired detective and criminal justice / government educator based in Tennessee. I am a commentary write for Tennessee Lookout and a weekly columnist with Knox TN Today. My work examines public policy, public safety systems and civic responsibility. My reporting and commentary have also appeared in Governing, The Arizona Capitol Times, South Florida Sun Sentinel, Police1, among other state and regional outlets.

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Topics covered in this conversation include:

• Men of Valor’s year-long aftercare housing and accountability model

• The Knox County Church Network and its role in community support

• ReNew Clinic’s long-term recovery focus

• RISE mentoring for individuals and families facing instability

• All4Knox and early intervention strategies

These local initiatives show that redemption is not just a moral idea; it is a public-safety strategy proven to work when supported.This story is shared as part of The Redemption Project.

Original article: https://www.knoxtntoday.com/knoxville-is-quietly-rebuilding-lives-and-its-time-we-paid-attention/

I am a retired detective and criminal justice / government educator based in Tennessee. I am a commentary write for Tennessee Lookout and a weekly columnist with Knox TN Today. My work examines public policy, public safety systems and civic responsibility. My reporting and commentary have also appeared in Governing, The Arizona Capitol Times, South Florida Sun Sentinel, Police1, among other state and regional outlets.

Subscribe now