Forever Sober Program
Hello! Lions Heart Fellowship would like to announce its support for the FOREVER SOBER PROGRAM (FSP) on the French M. Robertson unit. Lions Heart Fellowship was established to support peer-led programming within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the Forever Sober Program is 100% peer-led and pragmatically successful in changing the prison culture and the lives of men in the program. The FSP is a carefully designed program that encapsulates TDCJ's markers for a successful therapeutic community, incentivized housing, and utilizes an innovative approach to helping men overcome addictions and a criminal lifestyle. FSP promotes healthy lifestyles, positive transformation, and created a "Citizen Culture" within the prison.
Another awesome aspect of the FSP is the goal for expansion. For sixteen years TDCJ has implemented "Faith-based Pods" as a result of the Faith-based Initiatives Act of 2009 (which was repealed during the 88th Legislative Session). These "God Pods" created an atmosphere for prisoners to grow, but there was no tangible goal for expansion. The consequences were that only a minuscule number of prisoners possessed the opportunity for rehabilitation.
The FSP promotes a vision of creating a prison culture that cultivates citizens that return to society as assets to the communities rather than potential liabilities that need to be observed and put on an technological and/or proverbial leash. As a result of this vision, the FSP seeks to expand to other housing areas as funds permit and take ground in the war on criminality. The FSP lives out the principle that when a person's worldview changes their values, beliefs, and behaviors follow suit. Committing crime no longer is an option because his worldview does not allow it.
It is estimated that it will cost fifty thousand dollars to implement a Forever Sober Program pod on a unit. This covers the equipment, TV's, curriculum, and maintenance. Compare that to the costs spent prosecuting repeat offenders. This program is an example of what the Trump Administration means when he says he will follow Texas' lead on Criminal Justice Reform. The FSP is what being smart on crime looks like. It is cost effective and most importantly....it works.
If you would like to support the Forever Sober Program, please donate to Lions Heart Fellowship. Make a difference today.
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FSP Hygiene Outreach
Imagine going ninety days without the basic dignity of soap, toothpaste, or shampoo. For many indigent prisoners, this is a daily reality. The lack of simple hygiene items often deepens feelings of shame, neglect, and hopelessness. But through Lions Heart Fellowship’s Forever Sober Program (FSP) Hygiene Outreach, something as small as a bar of soap becomes a symbol of care, dignity, and hope.
Incarcerated men and women who are severely indigent—those without funds or family support for over ninety days—face unique barriers to rehabilitation. Without even the means to stay clean, many feel invisible and forgotten. This neglect can quietly reinforce a dangerous message: “You don’t matter.” To break this cycle, we must first meet the most basic human needs that restore self-worth and open the door to transformation.
The FSP Hygiene Outreach steps in to fill this gap with compassion and accountability. Each hygiene pack includes a bar of Irish Spring soap, an 8 oz Colgate toothpaste, a 2.7 oz Degree deodorant, a 22 oz bottle of Suave shampoo, and a few pieces of candy to add a touch of humanity to the moment. Here’s how it works: an indigent prisoner submits a request form (I-60). After verification by an officer that the person has been indigent for 90 days, our team assembles and delivers a hygiene pack every Friday between 10 AM and 12:30 PM. Participants are required to return the shampoo bottle to demonstrate accountability and complete a short survey about their rehabilitation efforts. In some cases, a UA (urinalysis) may be required to ensure continued sobriety and program integrity. This process not only provides relief— it reinforces responsibility, personal pride, and progress toward recovery.
Picture this: a man who once felt forgotten opens a small hygiene pack and sees proof that someone still believes in him. The soap and toothpaste may seem small, but the message is life-changing— “You are worth care, effort, and hope.” That spark can grow into motivation for deeper change—participating in classes, staying sober, and believing that transformation is possible. Over time, these gestures ripple outward— building a culture of dignity, accountability, and second chances within Texas prisons.
We estimate the program will utilize approximately 180 hygiene packs per quarter, each one representing a small but powerful step toward dignity and recovery. Your support— whether through donations, partnerships, or sponsorships— helps restore hope where it’s needed most. Sometimes rehabilitation begins with a simple gesture of hygiene that speaks louder than the negative voices that say they are not worth it and cannot change. At Lions Heart Fellowship, we believe transformation is within reach, and it begins with compassion in action.
FSP Fitness
The following text and pictures are from the French Robertson Unit Facebook page post dated January 22, 2025 @ 7:47p
The Forever Sober program is a recovery program dedicated to holistic lifestyle change. This includes mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health. The program provides weekly opportunities for the participating members to participate in Peer-led fitness training. The training utilizes calisthenics, free weights, battle ropes, weight vests, and everything. It allows men to compete against each other in fitness relays and weight loss competitions, all while encouraging the adoption of fitness as a healthy alternative to substance abuse and harmful lifestyle choices. The Robertson Unit Administration and the unit staff are instrumental in making this program possible, demonstrating their commitment to the well-being of the members.
The motto "just not getting in trouble" is not enough; men must take positive steps in their daily rehabilitation. The administration of the Robertson Unit and staff are interested in more than just creating sober men; they are dedicated to making the physically fit, mentally strong, and spiritually mighty Peer leaders. The goal of the Forever Sober program is to create a positive cultural change, not just within the unit, but throughout the entire system. This change starts with the FSP of the Robertson Unit and is a collective effort: "It takes all of us to make it happen and enforce a positive culture."- Robertson Unit Administration and staff
“Culture does not change because we desire to change it. Culture changes when the organization is transformed; when the leader is willing to be transformed.” -Frances Hesselbein.