HUMILITY UNDERSTANDING GOD GRACE SPIRITUAL STRENGTH

Our Mission

H.U.G.G.S. is committed to transforming lives and strengthening communities by empowering men and women returning home after incarceration to build healthy, productive, and fulfilling lives.

We provide counseling, education, workforce training, resources, information, and financial assistance designed to address the barriers that can prevent successful reentry. By connecting individuals with the tools and support they need to secure employment, strengthen relationships, access essential services, and build healthy coping and life skills, H.U.G.G.S. helps them build a foundation for lasting success.

Our work goes beyond reentry—we reduce recidivism, promote personal responsibility, restore families, and build safer, stronger communities.

At H.U.G.G.S., we believe everyone deserves a second chance, and with the right support, every individual can become a productive, empowered, and valued member of society.

Our Story

From Experience to Empowerment

When Sherri Jackson, an ex-offender, was released from prison, she encountered many closed doors and very little support from the community. It became clear that individuals returning home from incarceration needed resources, guidance, and support to find their way back into the community and become active, productive citizens.

From that experience, H.U.G.G.S. was born.

H.U.G.G.S. is an acronym for Humility, Understanding, God, Grace, and Spiritual Strength. Founded by Ms. Jackson, H.U.G.G.S. became a nonprofit organization in September 2006. By December 2006, H.U.G.G.S. served 300 clients.

Since its inception, H.U.G.G.S. has grown into an established community-based program dedicated to helping ex-offenders overcome barriers, rebuild their lives, and successfully transition back into the community.

H.U.G.G.S. provides resources, support, education, recovery services, life skills, employment assistance, and community connections that empower individuals to become self-sufficient, productive, and valued members of society.

A Mission Built on Empowerment

What began with Ms. Jackson's personal experience has grown into a mission of hope, empowerment, and transformation.

H.U.G.G.S. continues to help individuals overcome the challenges of reentry, strengthen their families, develop healthier lives, and contribute positively to their communities.

H.U.G.G.S. empowers people to move forward, rebuild their lives, and become productive members of society.

GET IN TOUCH

info@huggstn.org

(615) 270-2641  

Balancing Your Life Program Provides

Functional Skills

H.U.G.G.S. provides comprehensive functional-skills support to help individuals successfully transition from incarceration into stable, independent, and productive lives. Our services address essential areas including home and daily living, family and parenting, employment, community involvement, health and wellness, and functional academics.

Through structured classes and individualized support, clients develop practical skills needed to navigate everyday life and achieve greater self-sufficiency. Our employment-readiness training includes interview preparation, resume writing, job-search strategies, workplace expectations, and basic computer skills.

These services help clients build confidence, strengthen decision-making and problem-solving skills, improve their ability to obtain and maintain employment, and become more actively engaged in their families and communities. By addressing these foundational needs, H.U.G.G.S. helps reduce barriers to successful reentry and supports long-term stability, independence, and reduced recidivism.

Social Skills

Through the Balancing Your Life (BYL) Program, H.U.G.G.S. provides social-skills support designed to help individuals develop healthy communication, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills. The program promotes positive interaction and teaches participants to communicate, relate to, and socialize appropriately with others using both verbal and nonverbal communication.

Participants are introduced to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques to identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors that may interfere with healthy relationships and effective communication. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills help participants manage emotions, practice mindfulness, develop healthy coping strategies, improve interpersonal effectiveness, and respond to challenging situations in safer, more constructive ways.

Through the BYL support group program and individualized peer counseling, participants can practice communication skills, establish healthy boundaries, resolve conflicts, strengthen relationships, and build confidence in family, workplace, and community settings.

The Balancing Your Life Program supports successful reentry by helping participants develop healthier relationships, improve emotional and behavioral regulation, strengthen their support systems, and become more engaged and productive members of their families and communities.

Life Skills

Through the Balancing Your Life (BYL) Program, H.U.G.G.S. helps individuals returning from incarceration develop the practical skills needed to live healthy, independent, and productive lives.

Participants develop skills in decision-making, problem-solving, communication, healthy relationships, emotional management, money management, food preparation, personal hygiene, organization, and time management. CBT- and DBT-based strategies help participants develop healthier thought patterns, coping skills, and behaviors.

H.U.G.G.S. also provides information, referrals, advocacy, and financial assistance to help clients address essential needs such as healthcare, food, clothing, housing, utilities, transportation, employment, driver's license services, and voting rights when eligible, helping remove barriers to successful reentry, increase self-sufficiency, strengthen families, and reduce the risk of recidivism.

Balancing Your Life Addiction Recovery Skills Provide:

The Balancing Your Life (BYL) Program provides practical recovery skills and supportive services to help individuals strengthen their recovery, recognize relapse risks, manage emotions, and build healthier lives.

• Recovery Strategies and Techniques – Practical tools for managing cravings, triggers, stress, emotions, and high-risk situations.

• Stages of Relapse – Education on the stages and warning signs of relapse, helping participants recognize risks early and develop strategies to maintain recovery.

• Therapeutic Coping Skills – Participants learn seven common types of coping skills used for emotional regulation and stress management:

  1. Distraction

  2. Grounding and Mindfulness

  3. Thought Challenging

  4. Emotional Awareness

  5. Social Interaction

  6. Opposite Action

  7. Crisis and Safety Planning

• Group Support – Structured group sessions that provide peer support, accountability, encouragement, and opportunities to practice recovery skills.

• Individual Support – One-on-one support tailored to each participant’s recovery goals, challenges, and individual needs.

Balancing Your Life Program Provides

The Balancing Your Life (BYL) Program provides trauma-informed and evidence-based services designed to support recovery, emotional wellness, behavioral change, and successful reentry.

• Seeking Safety – A trauma-informed, evidence-based program that teaches practical coping skills to help individuals manage trauma, substance use, stress, and other challenges while building safety and stability.

• Motivational Interviewing (MI) – A supportive approach that helps participants strengthen motivation, identify personal goals, and build confidence for positive change.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – Helps participants recognize and change unhealthy thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors.

• Group Sessions – Structured sessions that encourage peer support, skill development, communication, and personal growth.

• Individual Sessions – One-on-one support addressing each participant’s individual needs, goals, and challenges.

• Expanding Services – Additional programs and services will become available as H.U.G.G.S. receives increased funding and community support.