Our Impact
Scholarships Awarded
Enrolled in Certifications
Parolees Graduated
CIP Graduated
Every graduating class has the power to change a life.
THE CLASS
IMPACT CHALLENGE
Across the U.S., 2.7 million children have a parent in prison and are five times more likely to be incarcerated themselves. Education can break that cycle.
The Class Impact Challenge invites each senior class to take part in one simple, meaningful tradition:
host one annual fundraiser and contribute up to $200 toward scholarships for students affected by parental incarceration.
With 3.6 million seniors graduating every year, even modest participation can create life-changing opportunities for thousands of young people.
A Warden’s Path
New Memoir by Founder Percy Pitzer
In A Warden’s Path: From Tough to Smart on Crime, Percy Pitzer shares four decades of front-line prison leadership and the data-driven insights that inspired the Pitzer Family Education Foundation. Dive into his story to understand why our fight to replace incarceration with education begins at the very top.
Real Stories, Real Change
Hear directly from individuals whose lives have been transformed through the support of the Pitzer Family Education Foundation. These powerful stories reflect the resilience, hope, and opportunity that education can bring to those impacted by incarceration.
I was incarcerated young and felt like a lost cause—no skills, no chances. But Pitzer believed in me, got me into trade school, and now I’ve got the tools and confidence to build a better life.
I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity! I did not know what I wanted to do in school but have truly found my calling! Thank you to everyone at the CCEF, I will be the first college graduate of my immediate family and cannot wait for the opportunities I will be brought!
I would like to give a huge shout out and thank you to Mrs. Marsha and the Pitzer Family Education Foundation for giving me the opportunity and skills needed to open up doors for my future, it has truly been a blessing to be involved with Pitzer Family Education Foundation.
I just want to thank Pitzer Family Education Foundation for providing financial aid towards my college tuition. Their generosity helped me tremendously which allowed me to finish school and receive a degree.
Hi, my name is Jamizion. Pitzer Family Education Foundation and ABC Training Academy helped me become a better person because it helped me want to stay consistent and work hard they taught me how to build scaffolds they also taught me about different types of scaffolds so I want to give a big thanks for them helping me become the person I am today.
I’m very grateful and thankful for this scaffolding training at ABC. I think it will take me to great heights in life because it has taught me a trade of something. I never thought I would do it. This will take me to a better place in life. I have learned so much in a short period of time, and I’m very thankful for this experience. You all are wonderful people and I’m so grateful for y’all. I want to give a big thanks to my instructor for pushing me to my limit. Thank you PFEF for providing this opportunity for me.
I want to thank Mrs. Marsha, Pitzer Family Education Foundation and ABC Training Academy program. This has truly been a blessing to me, and I will not take it for granted. This is an opportunity from god praying for this.
I was incarcerated young and felt like a lost cause—no skills, no chances. But Pitzer believed in me, got me into trade school, and now I’ve got the tools and confidence to build a better life.
I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity! I did not know what I wanted to do in school but have truly found my calling! Thank you to everyone at the CCEF, I will be the first college graduate of my immediate family and cannot wait for the opportunities I will be brought!
I would like to give a huge shout out and thank you to Mrs. Marsha and the Pitzer Family Education Foundation for giving me the opportunity and skills needed to open up doors for my future, it has truly been a blessing to be involved with Pitzer Family Education Foundation.
I just want to thank Pitzer Family Education Foundation for providing financial aid towards my college tuition. Their generosity helped me tremendously which allowed me to finish school and receive a degree.
Hi, my name is Jamizion. Pitzer Family Education Foundation and ABC Training Academy helped me become a better person because it helped me want to stay consistent and work hard they taught me how to build scaffolds they also taught me about different types of scaffolds so I want to give a big thanks for them helping me become the person I am today.
I’m very grateful and thankful for this scaffolding training at ABC. I think it will take me to great heights in life because it has taught me a trade of something. I never thought I would do it. This will take me to a better place in life. I have learned so much in a short period of time, and I’m very thankful for this experience. You all are wonderful people and I’m so grateful for y’all. I want to give a big thanks to my instructor for pushing me to my limit. Thank you PFEF for providing this opportunity for me.
Featured Success Story | Courtney (Texas)
My dad has been in prison for 13 years, and not having financial support from him has taken a real toll on both me and my mom.
Receiving a scholarship from the Pitzer Family Education Foundation has tremendously helped me, and because of it, I’m one step closer to graduating from college. Being raised by a single mother has been a challenge financially—while she’s always made sure I have a roof over my head and the essentials, affording $8,000 a semester for college just isn’t possible.
College has always represented a path to something better for me and my family—a chance to grow, to learn, and to build a different future. There have been moments I wasn’t sure I’d be able to continue because of the cost, but by the grace of God, foundations like PFEF have helped lift that burden.
This means everything to me.
Thank you.
Understanding Addiction,
Inspiring Change
We are honored to feature the thoughtful work of Bella, one of our scholarship recipients, a child of an incarcerated parent, whose recent paper explores the effects of drug addiction on memory, reasoning, and impulse control.
Bella’s research reflects not only academic excellence but also deep compassion and insight into the challenges faced by families impacted by incarceration and substance abuse.
Recognition: Solutions Reentry Project
James Dean, founder of the Solutions Reentry Project, is transforming how we think about incarceration through practical, community-driven rehabilitation. Drawing inspiration from Percy Pitzer’s A Warden’s Path: From Tough to Smart on Crime, his program shifts from punishment to preparation—helping inmates build accountability and skills for successful reintegration. The initiative launches at North Central Correctional Complex in Ohio, operated by Management & Training Corporation (MTC).
Fuel Education, End Recidivism
The foundation’s ability to change lives is only limited by the resources we can deploy. Your support directly funds scholarships and guidance for children of the incarcerated and returning citizens—turning second chances into thriving futures.