WHEREAS, FailSafe-ERA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing transformative services to families and individuals affected by incarceration in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania, Stafford, King George, and Caroline Counties, celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2024; and

WHEREAS, FailSafe-ERA was founded in 2009 by Juanita C. Shanks, whose experience assisting her son, Eugene, through the criminal justice system inspired her to create an organization that would help families navigating the multitude of challenges one encounters when a loved one is incarcerated; and

WHEREAS, the name FailSafe-ERA is an acronym for "Families Affected by Incarcerated Loved-ones Sincere and Forward-thinking Exhorters—Education, Rehabilitation, Adaptation," encompassing the scope and thrust of the organization's mission; and

WHEREAS, FailSafe-ERA was officially launched at what was formerly the Bragg Hill Family Life Center in Fredericksburg in 2009, and the organization formally received its 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization designation in February 2015; and

WHEREAS, as FailSafe-ERA grew, the organization's focus expanded beyond the families of those incarcerated to the inmates themselves, leading the organization to spearhead its prison ministry; and

WHEREAS, FailSafe-ERA's methods have continued to evolve over the years to emphasize a holistic approach to fostering the spiritual and natural development of all individuals touched by the criminal justice system, including the inmate, the returning citizen, family members, and the broader community; and

WHEREAS, FailSafe-ERA effectively advances its restorative justice efforts through a variety of activities that support advocacy and promote moral education and fiscal responsibility, including its Right-Road Reentry and Caring Connections programs; and

WHEREAS, guided by its aspirations to reduce recidivism rates and improve lives, FailSafe-ERA has made a profound and lasting impact on the Greater Fredericksburg community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That FailSafe-ERA hereby be commended for its accomplishments in the area of restorative justice on the occasion of its 15th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Juanita C. Shanks, president and chief executive officer of FailSafe-ERA, as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the organization's contributions to the Commonwealth.