In partnership with the Pure Heart Foundation, SNIPES has built our first Detroit Crack the Code computer lab. The Pure Heart Foundation’s mission is to empower and embrace children of incarcerated parents with hopes of breaking the cycle of generational involvement in the criminal justice system. Currently, over 2.7 million children in the U.S. have an incarcerated parent. Unfortunately, Michigan is at the top of the rankings for states with the most children of incarcerated parents. The stats are scarily high with 1 in 10 children in Michigan having an incarcerated parent, and 4 in 10 children in the city of Detroit. Studies suggest that children of incarcerated parents are seven times more likely to be involved with the criminal justice system themselves. They are also at a higher risk of emotional, social, educational, and financial distress. The Pure Heart Foundation has had a 100% high school graduation rate since it began in 2015, and 0% have entered the criminal justice system.
This partnership with the Pure Heart Foundation will provide students in the Detroit area with a safe space to focus on academic enrichment and career goals. Our computer labs offer community members and students access to iPads, Smartboards, laptops, and printers. This being the first location in Detroit made for a big day for the community as we hope this lab fosters a strong sense of community and support.
In the same weekend, we opened our first home base computer lab in North Philadelphia. This lab is located at the Feltonville Recreation center and was built in partnership with Relentless Community Development. This non-profit organization was created to guide the at-risk youth of Philadelphia and provide them with safe spaces to explore their artistic and creative abilities. North Philadelphia as a whole has been historically neglected by the government, and gentrification is growing by the day. The Feltonville neighborhood is a very diverse population made up of primarily Hispanic and African American Families. The Relentless Community Development Organization is focused on shedding light on the beauty of the community and building space for future generations to connect and grow.
Stay tuned as the Crack the Code initiative has big plans for 2023. For the latest news and sneaker/streetwear releases, follow us on our Instagram read up on our blog posts, and download the mobile app to stay up to date on everything SNIPES.
