In August 2017, about 10 months after my first wife died of cancer, I received word that the State of New Hampshire was indicting me for a financial crime. The worst time of my life was about to get much worse! In November of the following year I was convicted and began 20 months of incarceration in the state prison system. I was paroled in June 2020, but I had lost my home, virtually all my money and possessions, my professional career and my reputation. I went to live with family in Connecticut. I knew no one and nothing about how to move forward. My counsellor told me about Jeff Grant and the White Collar Support Group. Joining it was the biggest step I’ve taken in getting myself on an upward trajectory in my life.
The first thing I noticed about the group is that they are people like me. When I was “inside” I met many “normal” people who’d made bad decisions, but the white collar folks are people with backgrounds like mine who were trying to start over and willing to help others on their way. Jeff Grant, an ordained clergyman and lawyer, has dedicated his ministry to helping those like us to regain our place in society. He also helps us to understand that we should not define ourselves by our biggest mistakes and failures.
I strongly recommend this group to anyone who is facing incarceration or entanglement with the justice system. I wish I’d met Jeff Grant and the White Collar Support Group at the beginning of my ordeal. I have been in the group for over a year now and seen people come to us who are almost paralyzed with shame and bewildered about what will come next. The group provides them with a safe place to talk about their issues and practical advice about what they face. No one can truly prepare for prison, but knowing something about it, and that there are people who made it through, and will be there with a smile and thumbs up when they get out, is literally priceless. I thank God for calling Jeff Grant to create and sustain this supportive oasis. – Tom Gage, Connecticut