Jessica Snow announces Flikshop’s new “Family Matters” reentry ebooks

By Jessica Snow (Leading with Conviction™ 2023), Vice President of Operations at Flikshop:

It is well understood by now, that incarceration does not just affect an individual, but their entire family.

I survived my sentence by focusing my strength on taking things one day at a time. Letters, phone calls, and virtual visits with loved ones sustained me in the monotonous day-to-day life in the jail, but the future lingered ahead of me like one big question mark. I had never even heard the term “reentry” before, but my insides were abuzz with nerves over what life would look like in the transition home. Having a support system to come home to made me one of the lucky ones, and I was grateful that we had endured the legal process, sentencing and our season of separation with our family intact.

Reentry is difficult, but no one should have to navigate it alone.

But just as incarceration affects the whole family, reentry does as well. For me and my family, much of reentry felt like fumbling in the dark. Obtaining housing brought on entirely new challenges for us. Seeking sustainable employment felt like a maze with frustrating dead ends around every turn. Navigating probation restrictions and unexpected financial challenges often left us feeling stressed and isolated, that we were left to figure it all out on our own. Even with a loving support system, my family had never had interactions with the justice system before and even with good intentions, we all struggled with what to expect or how to support.

But what if there had been a resource available to us to guide us through this process? What if there had been somewhere to go learn how to communicate expectations in advance of an upcoming release? What if there had been a guide to help prepare the entire family not just for the joyous reunion, but for the upcoming challenges as well? What if we could have learned from the honest stories of others?

This is exactly why Flikshop created our Family Matters eBooks. Reentry is difficult, but no one should have to navigate it alone. Hundreds of thousands of families have had to maneuver these transitions across the country, but often fear discussing it due to shame and stigma. We wanted to collect our own lived experiences and incorporate the voices of other families who have navigated reentry together. By compiling lessons learned, practical steps, potential barriers, support services, and stories of hope and success, our Flikshop team is hopeful that maybe the next family won’t feel as lost or alone.

Our eBook series is divided into six separate books all tackling a different piece of the reentry journey. Please let us know your feedback or any stories from your family’s journey that may be helpful for others. We’ve said it a million times, but at Flikshop, we’ll continue to shout it to the rooftops: Strong family connections are proven to reduce recidivism. We pray this is one step closer to supporting the families and community we care about most.

Download the Family Matters eBooks now at Flikshop.com.