More than 25,000 men are currently serving time in Alabama’s prisons, according to the Department of Corrections. Many of those men are fathers.
A Hueytown woman’s organization is working to help those fathers and their families prepare for life after prison.
“Everybody in prison has a dad. Now, whether they’re part of their lives is a different story, but everybody has a dad,” said Kelly Lang, founder of On the Way Home.
For many incarcerated fathers, Father’s Day is not a celebration. Instead, it serves as a reminder of the children they cannot see, the birthdays and holidays they have missed, and the time they cannot get back.
“Losing your dad while you’re incarcerated, that’s a very hard thing to cope with because it’s not like you can leave and go to their funeral. You can’t leave and see them when they’re on their deathbed,” Lang said.
The impact of that lost time affects families as much as the incarcerated individual.
“My dad’s gone, don’t know when he’s coming back…why can’t I call him and talk to him whenever I want? Why can’t he call and talk to me whenever he wants?” Lang said.
Lang founded On the Way Home Reentry in 2023 after researching parole transition options for a loved one who had been incarcerated for more than three decades.
“They made a bad choice…they can’t change it. But they can change who they are and become different people. Especially when you’re incarcerated for 20 or 30 years, you’re not the person you were when you went in,” Lang said.
The transition from prison back into society can be difficult. Finding housing and employment, obtaining healthcare, and even getting a driver’s license can become major challenges after years of incarceration.
“What they did was wrong, and they need to be held accountable. But they should at least have the chance, when they are released, to get the services that they need,” Lang said.
That is the mission of On the Way Home.
The organization begins working with men in Alabama prisons up to six months before their release, helping with parole planning, housing, and case management. The group also provides family reentry workshops, offering loved ones guidance and resources to support themselves and family members returning home.
“We have over 26,000 people incarcerated in Alabama. And they all matter. They might not matter to some people…but all of those people matter to someone,” Lang said.
On the Way Home is currently seeking board members, volunteers, and donors as it works toward opening its first reentry housing facility.