NASHVILLE, Tenn., – September 17, 2020 – Dismas, Inc. hosts its first virtual Forgiveness Luncheon featuring a keynote address by entrepreneur, speaker and author Robert Sherrill sharing his message of hope and renewal on Tuesday, September 29, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. CT. The program also includes remarks by Governor Bill Lee, Sheriff Daron Hall, residents and Dismas supporters. Guests will learn about the life changing impact the program has on formerly incarcerated men to transition back into the community.
The Forgiveness Luncheon was created to raise money to support the initiatives of Dismas, Inc. and its positive impact to build communities and unite families. The event raises funds to support the organization’s Four Pillars of Programming: Basic Needs, Health & Well-Being, Life Skills and Legal Support. These services benefit Dismas residents and help them become contributing members of society. In April 2020, Dismas opened its brand new 24,000 square foot campus on Charlotte Avenue in the middle of the pandemic and all programs were transitioned online incurring increased costs for services.
Sherrill is president and CEO, Imperial Cleaning Systems, and CEO of The D.R.E.A.M. (Decreasing Recidivism through Education And Mentorship) initiative. Sherrill knows firsthand the challenges former offenders face upon re-entering society. As a young man, his chosen path led him to the federal penitentiary where he vowed to make a change for his family and himself. In January 2019, he was pardoned by Governor Bill Haslam opening up new opportunities to grow his business.
The Forgiveness Luncheon will be held virtually on Tuesday, September 29, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. To register to attend visit https://bit.ly/Forgiveness2020 or contact Dwanna Hughes at dhughes@dismas.org.
Dismas, Inc., provides a temporary home and support services for men returning to society from 14 Tennessee prisons and jails. Dismas has served more than 1,000 formerly incarcerated individuals. Nationally, almost 80 percent of former inmates are rearrested within three years and 50 percent return to prison. Eighty-seven percent of Dismas program graduates have remained free from 2015 to 2018.
