MISSION AND VALUES

Our mission is to provide the support and services that men and women who have been incarcerated need to rebuild their lives. We work with our clients to develop and strengthen their connections to their families and the community.

We are guided by compassion and empathy for our clients and committed to helping them build the capacity and courage to change their lives—regardless of their past choices, present struggles, or future obstacles.

We tailor our services to clients' unique needs, risks, and strengths. We recognize the importance of evidence-based, culturally appropriate, family-focused, and trauma-informed programs.

HISTORY

mission

History

Our organization was founded in 1969 as the Visitors’ Services Center (VSC) by a small group of passionate volunteers who recognized the difficulty families experienced locating their loved ones while waiting in the D.C. Jail “visiting line.” At its inception, VSC’s focus was to help people who were incarcerated stay in touch with their families and their community. The family connections provided by VSC were a valued source of hope to those incarcerated and their families.

As VSC’s mission expanded to include comprehensive services for people returning from incarceration, collaborative relationships were developed with DC’s criminal justice system and community stakeholders. As a result, in 2015, VSC changed its name to Voices for A Second Chance. VSC continues to work with DC residents incarcerated before and after their release. We have also continued to focus on maintaining and strengthening family and community ties while providing a wide range of reentry services and programs. Our support and services for over 50 years have made it possible for tens of thousands of men and women to rebuild their lives.