“My name is Andrew Lott, and I was at the Bridgeport Correctional Facility.

It was a unique opportunity in that I could really be in a place that I felt safe and that I felt that I could dedicate my time there to really establishing who I was going to be once I got out: really taking advantage of the opportunities and redeeming the time that I had.

Being able to be at a place that really cared about establishing a foundation for success upon re-entry into society.”

Andrew was part of a faith-based dorm

“Before I was incarcerated, I was a football coach. And I was afforded the opportunity to be an example for a bunch of young men—and I blew it.

If I was going to make a change, I knew I had to be diligent and be obedient. And being that faith-based dorm allowed me to do those things and really allowed me to carry that home and carry that into leading my family. It’s just an experience that obviously I’ll never forget; the bonds and the people that I’ve met while I was at Bridgeport, it’s something that’s changed my life forever.”

He’s been home for three years. Today, he’s a volunteer at the Bridgeport facility.

“It makes a little bit more of a difference when somebody who’s been there comes back. And I knew that whenever I got out, as soon as I could come back, I did.

Being in an MTC facility really, really helps increase the ability to be successful upon your release. They’re always encouraging you to be in the programs and always providing opportunities.

You leave that place better than when you came in.

People that are incarcerated need what’s going on at the MTC facilities. So, please continue to support, continue to encourage, and continue to do exactly what’s been going on because it works. And if you need to know or need proof that it works—I’m sitting right here.”

Today, Andrew is successfully employed as an operations director for a custom garage company.