Talk through the plan.
Discuss housing, transportation, documents, work, and how family can realistically help.
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM
Coming home is
a family journey.
While your loved one is incarcerated, learn how GoingHome prepares participants for release. Explore practical ways your family can prepare and find support after they come home.
FAMILY DOCUMENT SUPPORT · PREPARATION ONLY FOR NOW
Your support.
In their hands.
Families of current GoingHome participants can send support letters and documents for a parole packet: an organized collection of plans, support letters, and documents for the parole board. Our team checks participant details against program records before printing and distributing documents.
Start with their full name, Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) number, and prison name so every document can be matched to the right person.
Send family documents →Free for families of current GoingHome participants. Review the full name, TDCJ number, and prison before sending.
WHAT YOUR LOVED ONE BUILDS
Preparation you
can understand.
GoingHome is a one-year program with five classes, taught by trained mentors who are incarcerated and certified community volunteers. Estelle is our main program location, and the program currently operates inside two TDCJ prisons.
Graduates complete a professional parole plan packet that doubles as their action plan for release, a professional résumé, and a realistic budget. They build a network of people and organizations offering support through coalition resource connections. We are recruiting employment and coaching organizations to help strengthen that network.
Explore the five classes →
PREPARING TOGETHER
Start with a conversation.
Make room to adjust.
Set clear expectations, review the immediate priorities, and connect with agreed support.
Keep support connected.
Encourage follow-through with the action plan, coaching, and the network of organizations offering support.
SUPPORT THAT CAN LAST
Care, with realistic expectations.
Look for consistent actions.
The family curriculum helps participants recognize the burdens their families carried and practice listening, accountability, and keeping small commitments over time.
Be clear about your capacity.
Talk honestly about money, housing, rides, and household expectations. Supporting your loved one can include saying what you can and cannot provide.
Agree on the next step.
Discuss one specific action, who will do it, and when. Their written plan for rebuilding family relationships can guide a conversation without expecting every relationship to heal on a schedule.
QUESTIONS FAMILIES ASK
A little clarity helps.
Can my loved one join at any Texas prison?
The program currently operates in two units, with Estelle as our main program location. Contact GoingHome to ask about the specific unit, current participation process, and eligibility. Expansion to other units is planned with TDCJ’s blessing.
Does GoingHome guarantee parole, housing, or a job?
No. GoingHome helps people prepare and connect with support. Parole decisions are made by the responsible authorities, and services depend on each organization’s requirements and available services.
Can I help someone who is already home?
Yes—use our Texas resource connections to explore support, and ask GoingHome about the help available for their situation. Directory access is separate from enrollment in the prison program.
How do we ask about participation or share a concern?
Use our contact page to ask a question. Include the prison name, but avoid sensitive records in an initial inquiry. Participant information is not automatically shared with family members.
FAMILIES · RETURNING CITIZENS · COMMUNITY
Every new chapter
needs people behind it.
APPROVED COALITION RESOURCES
Meet the organizations joining the work.
Families and returning citizens may contact listed organizations directly. Ask each organization who qualifies, what help is available, and how to request it.
Our coalition is growing. Approved organizations will appear here when they give permission for a public listing.
Become a coalition member →