October 14th 2024.
Amanda Tarver has been through a lot in her life, but she is determined to use her experiences to make a positive impact. After serving time in prison, she is now on a mission to help other families break the cycle of incarceration. It all started when she was just 22 years old and made what she now refers to as a "youthful mistake" by helping her now-husband sell illegal drugs. At the time, she didn't fully grasp the gravity of her actions and the harm it could cause to others.
Amanda had met her partner, Legend, at a college bar in 2012, and the two of them ended up selling drugs to fund his education and support their household. But their actions were soon discovered by the authorities, and both of them were convicted. Amanda was given a two-year sentence at Coleman Federal Prison Complex in Florida, while Legend received a sentence of 47 months. To make matters worse, Amanda found out she was pregnant just two weeks into her prison sentence.
"It felt like my identity was broken," Amanda recalls. She was transferred to a special unit for expectant mothers when she was seven months pregnant, but it was far from a comfortable environment. She had to endure the stress and anxiety of being pregnant in prison, without her partner by her side. She gave birth to her son, Legend Junior, behind bars, and it was a daunting experience to have a baby in such a terrible institution.
After three months, Legend Junior went to live with Amanda's mother-in-law, and Legend was unable to meet his newborn son. The couple's only means of communication were the hundreds of letters they exchanged during their time apart. "When you're in prison, the only thing you have to look forward to is correspondence from loved ones," Amanda explains. "We were so close, yet so far apart."
When Amanda was released in 2016, followed by Legend seven months later, they knew they wanted to do more than just move on from their past. They wanted to help others who were facing the same challenges they had experienced. In 2021, they launched their charity, 300 Letters, named after the letters that kept their relationship and hopes alive during incarceration.
"We realized that the key to staying out of prison is family and having a support system," Legend says. "Children are six times more likely to end up in prison if one or both parents have been incarcerated. We want to break that cycle." Through their charity, they provide free family therapy, childcare financial assistance, and empowerment support groups for families navigating life after incarceration.
Amanda now works full-time for the charity, while Legend helps fund their work through his job as a lead trainer and operations manager at Legacy Gym. They have already helped over 400 families and 50 caregivers of children with an incarcerated parent, offering everything from toy drives to groceries and emotional support. But their biggest challenge now is finding the funding to keep the charity going.
"We're placing all our bets on getting 300 Letters fully funded," Amanda admits. "Fundraising remains our most pressing issue, and this is our call to action." Despite the challenges, Amanda and Legend find fulfillment in their work and are determined to continue helping families like theirs. "It feels incredible to bring hope to families like ours," Amanda says. "We see the impact every day, and it's heartwarming to know that we're making a difference."
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