DETROIT – Four out of 10 children in Detroit have a parent who is behind bars. Statistics also show that children with incarcerated parents are seven times more likely to go to prison instead of college.
The Pure Heart Foundation has been working to prevent children of incarcerated parents from serving time. For the woman who founded the nonprofit, it’s a very personal cause.
“I remember being in that courtroom, wanting to run to her and give her a hug and I was held back by a guard,” Sherelle Hogan said. “What I saw was someone taking my mother away.”
Sherelle Hogan founded the Pure Heart Foundation. Both of her parents were in jail for most of her childhood years. She remembers the pain and embarrassment it caused.
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“Very emotional. I was often labeled as the sad kid in school just because I really couldn’t concentrate on school because I’m always daydreaming and wondering life could look if I could realize having both of my parents home,” Sherelle Hogan said.
Now in a new space at Marygrove Conservancy, Sherelle Hogan is preventing the generational cycle of incarceration through the Pure Heart Foundation.
“You are not your circumstance. You are not your parents incarceration,” Sherelle Hogan said.
It’s the reason why scholars like Victoria Henry are able to be successful. She graduated high school at just 16 years old.
“It felt good because don’t nobody wanna be in school for a long period of time. So, if I can knock two years out in one year, I’m like, ‘Yup, let me do that,’” Henry said.
Henry’s father and stepfather were both sentenced to major time behind bars. It’s still an emotional topic for her.
“People don’t really understand, like, how much a child can hurt too. The stuff they see their parents go through -- they don’t understand it affects the child,” Henry said.
Because of the Pure Heart Foundation, she has a mentor and other scholars to relate to. Now, at 18, her future is bright.
“I actually wanna open up a daycare and a hair salon,” Henry said. “I appreciate her so much because the work that she’s doing, it is an impact and you can see it.”
This year, there are nearly 200 scholars enrolled in the Pure Heart Foundation. The new location at Mary Grove Conservancy opens up on Saturday (March 26).
Click here to learn more about the Pure Heart Foundation.