Our story
Built by someone who lived it.
The Prison Humanity Project exists to make the first ninety days after release from incarceration less overwhelming.
Why we exist
Every year, thousands of people walk out of prisons and jails carrying everything they own in a small bag. Most are expected to rebuild their lives immediately while trying to navigate housing, employment, identification, transportation, healthcare, probation requirements, recovery, and dozens of unfamiliar systems.
The information they need usually exists — but it's scattered across government agencies, nonprofit organizations, community programs, and countless websites. Finding the right resource can become a full-time job before someone has even found their first real job. The Prison Humanity Project was created to solve that problem.
Our mission is simple: help people understand what to do, where to go, who to call, and what step comes next.
We believe better navigation creates better opportunities. When people can find the right information at the right time, they are better equipped to make decisions that lead to stability, employment, housing, and stronger family relationships.
What the project includes
Practical tools designed for real-world use — built for the person holding the bag, not the policy maker behind a desk.
About the founder
"This project isn't about excuses. It isn't about politics. It isn't about pretending the past didn't happen. It's about helping people navigate what comes next. Because people cannot use resources they cannot find. And sometimes, knowing the next step is the difference between moving forward and starting over."
— Joshua Toney
My name is Joshua Toney. I served ten calendar years in federal prison after making one of the worst decisions of my life. While I was incarcerated, I spent years studying the people around me — not as a researcher, but as someone trying to understand human behavior, institutionalization, and what separates the people who successfully rebuild their lives from those who struggle after release.
When I came home in 2019, I experienced firsthand how difficult reentry can be. I wasn't looking for shortcuts. I was looking for answers. Where do I get my ID? Who hires someone with a felony? What programs are available? Which resources are legitimate? Every answer seemed to be on a different website, in a different office, or behind another phone call.
That experience became the foundation for The Prison Humanity Project. Since then, I've dedicated my time to building practical tools that I wish had existed when I walked out of prison — resources that help people move from confusion to action, one step at a time.
Join the work
Whether you're coming home, supporting someone who is, or want to partner with us — there's a place for you here.