GRANT RECIPIENTS
A portion of LPP's funding goes directly to recently released constituents to assist in their reentry, as well as to the families of our currently incarcerated constituents who are particularly in need of financial assistance while their loved one is incarcerated.
Since 2020 LPP has distributed over $600,000 in grant funding.
You can learn more about our current grant recipients below.
Michael David Knight
In 2006, Michael Knight was convicted of marijuana distribution and sentenced to 262 months in federal prison. In September, Michael's "good time" credits allowed him to transfer to a halfway house, where he will serve the remaining eight months of his sentence.
The reentry funds Last Prisoner Project has provided Michael have allowed him to pay for school, a driver's license, a used truck, and well as eye contacts. Were it not for this support, Michael—who left prison with nothing—is confident he would not be on his current path to success.
Anthony Kelly
In 1999, Anthony Kelly was convicted of trafficking 38 grams of marijuana and sentenced to life imprisonment in a Louisiana state prison. Mercifully, a court reduced Anthony's sentence and he was released from prison earlier this year. Upon release, Anthony—who had nothing to his name—went to live with 75-year- old mother. Only a few months later, a hurricane struck... rendering their shared home virtually inhabitable.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Last Prisoner Project was able to help Anthony buy a car, as well as provide for some of his family's essential needs in the weeks immediately following the storm. Immediately after he finishes healing from a recent spinal surgery, Anthony plans to reenter the workplace.
Michael Pelletier
In 2006, the now 65-year-old Michael Pelletier was convicted of importing marijuana from Canada and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Michael, who has been confined to a wheelchair since enduring a farm injury when he was 14-years-old, had been using cannabis to treat his pain.
On January 20, 2021, Michael was granted a presidential commutation. Upon release, Michael's brother took him in and LPP provided funds for him to buy a bed, laptop computer, clothes, and more. However, Michael's disability made it impossible for him to use the bathroom unless he was carried into it by others.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Last Prisoner Project was able to hire contractors to make the bathroom wheelchair accessible. Having access to an ADA-compliant restroom has tremendously improved Michael's quality of life.
John Wayne Lindsey
After serving 27 years in prison for marijuana distribution, John Wayne Lindsey was released from prison in February 2021. John returned hometown of Granite City, Illinois and reunited with his family. However, Granite City has suffered economic devastation in recent years, and John and his family were having a hard time adjusting to these new expenses.
The Last Prisoner Project helped with John's essential expenses (transportation, rent, etc.) during those first few months post-incarceration. We're pleased to announce that John now enjoys steady work at an eggroll factory and has successfully adjusted to his "new normal", despite having spend nearly three decades in prison.
Rafael Salvador-Alvarez
In 2019 Rafael Salvador-Alvarez, - 54-year-old Cuban immigrant—was arrested and sentenced to prison for his minor role in a marijuana trafficking operation.
His family has attempted to help pay for his wife's medical care during Rafael's incarceration, but the high costs of her treatment have left them struggling to provide proper care. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Last Prisoner Project has been able to help pay for his wife's medical bills, and looks forward to assisting Rafael with other urgent reentry needs once he's released later this year.
