LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After seeing first-hand the issues inmates faced when reentering the world, Darryll Davis turned his experience into a mission of helping others.

Davis is the founder and director of Prisoner’s Hope. The Louisville organization has helped around 1,200 men and women get their life back on the right track after they are released from prison. 

The organization celebrated its 10th anniversary on Friday, Dec. 1.

“We begin mentoring our people before they go in. We also work while they’re in. We work two years before their release with a lot of buy in, a lot of requisites,” Davis explained. “They have to do a GED, life skills, more recreation therapy, two-year vocation and be transparent to their mentor.”

Prisoner’s Hope provides transportation, living assistance, job skills, and much more. 

“The fact that they’re staying plugged in the community, paying child support arrears, a church, they’re family to us and their mentor, that’s what success looks like for us,” Davis said. 

One of the men the organization helped is Keith Knuckles. 

“I’d hate to even think where I could potentially be had it not been for this ministry,” Knuckles said. 

Knuckles spent 17 years in prison and was released nearly a year and a half ago. Today he is working, goes to church, and is staying out of trouble. All of which he credits to Prisoner’s Hope. 

“I’m just so overwhelmed and just so thankful for what has been provided for what they do. The love, the care, the understanding that they provide, and you need that,” Knuckles said. 

Each person the organization helps is assigned a mentor who guides them through their reentry. Joshua Acra is that such person for Knuckles. 

“Keiths been through some hard times since he’s been out, and so just to see him overcome that and still be the man that he is today has just been absolutely special,”Acra said. 

According to Prisoner’s Hope, 70% of the former inmates it’s mentored do not re-offend and return to prison.