Message from the President:

Dear Tampa Bay Community,

As we reflect on the journey of Abe Brown Ministries (ABM), we do so with a deep sense of humility, purpose, and gratitude. For nearly five decades, ABM has been a beacon of hope for individuals navigating the challenging path from incarceration to community reintegration. What began as a calling on the life of our founder, Reverend Abe Brown, has evolved into a comprehensive reentry organization rooted in faith, driven by justice, and committed to life transformation.

Over the past five years, ABM has experienced a period of intentional growth and strategic refinement. Our focus has centered on four key areas: (1) expanding transitional and permanent supportive housing, (2) building career pathways through workforce development, (3) strengthening wraparound services to address social determinants of health, and (4) advocating for systemic change in the reentry and criminal justice landscape. These efforts have positioned

ABM as a trusted leader in reentry services across Tampa Bay and the state of Florida.

As we look to the future, we recognize that the landscape of reentry is shifting. In the next five to ten years, we anticipate growing demand for trauma-informed, community-based responses that address the root causes of incarceration. With criminal justice reform gaining momentum, we must prepare for expanded desistance efforts and a renewed emphasis on equity, mental health, housing access, and economic mobility. Technology, policy reform, and collaborative partnerships will shape how reentry services are delivered and measured.

In response to these changes, we engaged LivingHR to facilitate a shared vision and strategic plan that is human-centered and inclusive, ensuring that the voices of employees, leaders, and stakeholders shape our path forward. We are thankful to LivingHR for their sage expertise and focus on aligning purpose, culture, and business goals by co-creating strategies that are both actionable and adaptable, fostering long-term organizational growth and well-being.

ABM’s strategic plan boldly embraces innovation, sustainability, and leadership development. We are diversifying funding, investing in infrastructure, and cultivating emerging leaders to ensure the continuity and scalability of our mission. Our plan includes expanding housing capacity, deepening public-private partnerships, and elevating lived-experience voices in program design. It also positions ABM to play a leading role in systems-level reform.

The Board of Trustees and I are fully aligned in our belief that ABM must remain visionary, adaptive, and mission-centered. We are confident that the steps we are taking today will sustain and scale our impact for generations to come.

With gratitude and resolve,

Robert P. Blount, III

President and CEO, Abe Brown Ministries, Inc.

Director, inspHire Comprehensive Reentry Services

Ministry Highlights!

ABM Fall Fundraiser! Save the Date!

featuring special guest speaker Olympic coach, former BMX racer, author, and motivational speaker,

Mr. Tony Hoffman

When: Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025

Time: 6:30pm

Where: Hotel Flor, 905 N. Florida Ave, Tampa, FL 33602

For more information on underwriting and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Denise Anderson: denise.anderson@abebrown.org

A message from Fund Development

(ABM Fund Development Director, Col. (Ret.) Denise Anderson, above)

Please journey with us for a moment as we take a quick look at Olympian Allyson Felix—an 11-time Olympic medalist with seven gold, three silver, and one bronze medal. More than just an athlete, she is also an entrepreneur committed to making life better for others.

What does it take to win the gold—on and off the track?

Ms. Felix shares, “I spend around three hours on the track and two hours in the weight room, five or six days a week.” She goes on to say, “Try to think of working out and healthy eating as a lifestyle. Rather than go on a diet or try a crazy exercise routine, try making them something you do every day.”

At Abe Brown Ministries, we understand the value of daily commitment. We prioritize capacity and sustainability, recognizing that social capital—the strength of our physical, fiscal, and relational well-being—enables us to serve the Tampa Bay community effectively.

Just like Ms. Felix, we understand that achieving our mission requires discipline, endurance, and intentional investment. Fiscal capacity and financial health are essential to sustaining our impact.

For runners, a strong core provides stability, power, and forward motion. At ABM, we strengthen our core by:

  • Building strong relationships through community engagement
  • Giving and receiving collaborative support
  • Being intentional, deliberate, and diligent in our service
  • Practicing faithful stewardship that delivers on promises
  • Assertively pursuing opportunities to support and sustain the food insecure
  • Persistently seeking improved career and employment options for our returning citizens
  • Cultivating trustworthy relationships that support our unwavering mission

As 1 Corinthians 9:25 (NLT) reminds us:
“All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.”

At ABM, our “gold” is social capital, fiscal fitness, and well-being—all in pursuit of that eternal prize.

A Season of Friendraising

Our board, staff and senior leaders spent a significant part of 2025 connecting with community partners and hosting supporters on campus. Take a look at some of our friends we’ve been able to host!

Reasons to be #inspHired!

Meet inspHire graduate Mr. Larry Rogers Gilchrist! In this video Mr. Larry discusses how prioritizing mental health and self-esteem is essential for successful reentry.

Reasons to be #inspHired!

inspHire graduate and assistant coordinator for our Transitional Living Program, Mr. David Hill, spent time with our Digital Content and Creative Marketing Specialist to discuss his journey from returning citizen to reentry advocate, and now example of excellence on the Abe Brown Ministries East Tampa campus.

inspHired Impressions: clients take on a new look and a new attitude during Second Chance Month 2025

Former Intake Lead and now Case Manager, Jacob Glover, showed up as our professional headshot photographer during #SecondChanceMonth at Abe Brown Ministries. Clients were outfitted with professional attire, and coached to show off their new attitude as they take full advantage of a new beginning.

Take a look at some of the #insphiredImpressions made by our amazing #insphire clients!

Coming up!