Saying Goodbye

Dear Friends,

We are reaching out to announce the formal dissolution of The Reset Foundation. After over four years in operation, we have made the difficult but necessary decision to close all operations and shut down the organization.

We are sincerely grateful for the support we have received over the years – from funders, government and community partners, incredible staff members, remarkable students, families, volunteers, and well-wishers – and continue to be in awe of the commitment and care of those engaged in the work of criminal justice reform.

Reset is not closing because people did not believe in this idea or the extraordinary young men we served. The need for this type of alternative continues to resonate as students, families, public defenders, and social workers continue to reach out to see when Reset might re-open its program and begin serving students again. Instead, Reset is closing because – even with committed funders, talented staff, interested government partners, a solid model and fierce drive for change – the reality of launching and sustaining a new program of this scale is incredibly difficult. Securing property, contracting with probation and the courts, maintaining sufficient funding to adequately staff a 24/7 program, gaining the support of neighbors – each of these by themselves is a challenge. Taken together, we found the combination ultimately insurmountable.

We want to acknowledge the brilliance and struggle of the ten complex, bright, and insightful young men we had the privilege to serve. Most of them are out of custody, making their way with job interviews, temporary housing, and the care of family and friends. A few are back in custody – finding the reality of securing employment, a place to live, and ongoing education too difficult to maintain post-Reset. All of them stay connected to us and to each other, and we continue to believe in each and every one.

We also want to acknowledge the effort, passion, heart, determination, and talent of the staff who have worked with Reset over the years. This work is not simple or easy, and everyone who joined Reset’s team came with commitment and the willingness to tackle immense challenges. It was not always a smooth road, and we are eternally grateful for the people who chose to walk it.

We continue to believe strongly in Reset’s work and model, and hope that other organizations, community groups, probation departments, court actors, and concerned individuals will find a way to move forward and help bring this vision to reality on a larger scale. We are eager to share the lessons we learned and insights we gained, as well as our program materials and resources, as widely as possible. If you or someone you are connected with might be interested in learning more, working in criminal justice reform, or looking for ways to advocate for alternatives to incarceration, please be in touch.

In Justice,

The Reset Foundation