Our impact · 2020–2026
A second chance grows one year, one connection, one step at a time.
Behind every class, meal, and milestone is a person hoping for something better—and a family whose future is connected to theirs.
Since 2020, Rehabilitation of the Heart has brought practical support and workforce development together. Our journey includes everyday acts of care, trade training, mentorship, and preparation for life after incarceration.
Backpacks filled with school supplies for children at our 2022 community event.
2022 event milestone
Justice-involved students had graduated with trade-skill certifications by the close of 2023.
Cumulative milestone reported January 2024
Food donated by Fitlife Foods for more than a year, supporting the people ROTH serves.
Ongoing partnership · November 2026
Every year is part of the story.
- 2020
A personal story becomes a shared mission.
ROTH was founded on October 13, 2020. Stacy Richards turned her family's experience with incarceration and loss into a commitment to help others find support, practical skills, and a path forward.
- 2021
Building a foundation for lasting care.
ROTH received IRS recognition as a 501(c)(3) public charity in March 2021. That foundation created a lasting way for community members and donors to stand alongside the mission.
- 2022
Showing up for children and families.
A community event at Rowlett Park provided 100 backpacks filled with school supplies. As ROTH met immediate needs, its vision for vocational education was taking shape—help today, with opportunities for tomorrow.
- 2023
Skills become milestones worth celebrating.
By the close of 2023, more than 120 justice-involved students had graduated with trade-skill certifications. ROTH also received a 2023 Global Recognition Award. Each graduation represented effort, persistence, and another reason to believe in a future beyond the past.
- 2024
Learning together. Moving forward together.
Tampa training cohorts brought participants into classrooms and hands-on learning, with graduation celebrations marking their progress. Our photos from this year capture the work behind a milestone: showing up, practicing a new skill, and learning alongside others.
- 2025
More people standing behind the next step.
Community partnerships supported the person as well as the training. Triple D Travel contributed student soft-skills training and executive mentorship for ROTH Technical Institute. Partnerships like these helped connect practical learning with encouragement and guidance.
- 2026
Preparing for life beyond the next door.
Second Chance Skills Institute centers on prerelease preparation in Florida Department of Corrections facilities. Our DJJ Four Pathways youth project brings workforce readiness, nationally recognized training, mentorship, work-based learning connections, and exposure to trades and career paths into the next chapter of ROTH's work.
The difference reaches beyond one person
When someone moves forward, a family moves with them.
A certificate can mean more than completing a class. It can be the first time someone sees proof of what they are capable of. A meal can mean one less worry. A mentor can be the person who keeps showing up when the next step feels difficult.
Across our work, participants have built skills, completed training, and taken steps toward employment and housing after release. Those steps matter to the children, loved ones, and communities waiting beside them. Progress looks different for everyone, but nobody should have to begin again without support.
Support a second chanceSee the journey in photos →Be part of what comes next.
Your support helps connect people with training, mentorship, employability resources, and the practical care that makes it easier to keep moving forward.
Become a partnerExplore our youth workforce program →These are selected milestones from different years, not annual totals or a count of unique people across all programs. The 2022 backpack milestone was reported by Spectrum Bay News 9. Other milestones draw on ROTH's organizational records, program history, and partner updates.