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Reentry isn’t a moment, it’s a process. And for many who are returning from incarceration, that process can feel like learning to live all over again, only this time with fewer resources and more roadblocks. Justice Reform advocate I know how hard it is to rebuild your life when every application comes with a background check and every introduction carries invisible weight. But I also know how powerful support can be. A second chance isn’t something you give someone once. It’

I served as a volunteer firefighter with the Westmoreland Volunteer Fire Department in New Hampshire from about 2008 to 2020. It was a...

Years ago, I was introduced to Foundation of Hope Uganda , a grassroots orphanage in the small village of Kagoma. What started as a conversation turned into something much deeper: a sense of connection and responsibility that stuck with me far beyond that first introduction. Let me be clear — I didn’t physically build the orphanage or move to Uganda. But I did what I could by offering support, funding, and advice in order for the orphanage to be a success. Children from the F

There are some causes that speak so clearly to the heart, you don’t need to be convinced, you just show up. For me, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is one of those causes. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the size of the world’s problems. But every once in a while, you come across an organization that’s not just talking about making a difference, they’re actually doing it. Doctors supplies Why St. Jude’s Matters St. Jude’s was founded on a promise that no child should di

When I first started trying to give back, I made the rookie mistake of thinking I had all the answers. I showed up to volunteer projects with solutions instead of questions. I quickly learned that even the best intentions can fall flat when you assume you know what people need. Listening isn’t passive. It’s not about standing there silently while someone talks. It’s about making space, suspending judgment, and respecting the lived experiences of others, even when they challen

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that giving back doesn’t require a title, a platform, or a perfect past. When I first got out of prison, I wasn’t sure I had anything to offer. I felt like my past disqualified me from showing up in places that needed help. But over time, I realized something simple: volunteering isn’t about being perfect, it’s about being present. You don’t have to save the world. You just have to show up where you are, with what you’ve

I’ve always believed that community is built on voices that inform, connect, and challenge us to think differently. That’s why, when the opportunity came to support WSLR in Sarasota, I didn’t hesitate. The Importance of Community Voices WSLR is a listener-supported public radio station that thrives on exactly those values: independent reporting, diverse programming, and a genuine commitment to the people it serves. At the WSLR studio with the News Director and Station Manager

I don’t remember the first time I gave blood. I just remember how ordinary it felt. A folding chair. A needle. A little discomfort. Free orange juice. That’s how it starts: as something small. In and out in under an hour. But over time, those small acts start to add up. Not just in pints, but in perspective. Blood donation A Quiet Way to Show Up There are a lot of flashy ways to give back in the world. Donating blood isn’t one of them. Nobody claps. There are no photo ops. Mo

Together we will change the world I used to be pretty good at rationalizing things. I could explain away almost anything. “It wasn’t really my fault.” “People misunderstood me.” “That’s not who I am anymore.” And sure, some of that might have even been true. But at some point, I realized I was putting more energy into protecting my pride than into actually changing. You have to take responsibility for who you’ve been before true change can take place, and I’ve learned somethi

Mark Edgington picking up trash in Utila, Honduras When I go out for a walk in Utila, I’m usually trying to get into Zone 2. That’s the range where your heart rate’s up but you’re not dying. Forty-five minutes of steady movement, nothing dramatic. Just walking and breathing. But my walks don’t usually go uninterrupted, because every few steps, there’s something on the ground. A plastic bottle. A chip wrapper. The occasional lone flip-flop, for some reason always without its m

But here’s what no one tells you until it’s too late: Shortcuts always come with a cost. And the bill shows up eventually. The Cost of Cutting Corners When I was younger, I didn’t want to hear about discipline. I wanted results. Recognition. Relief. I wanted to feel like I mattered right now , not in some far-off future where I had to earn things. And like a lot of young men with something to prove and something to hide, I made choices that seemed like solutions at the moment

Last week, my mom’s friend went to the hospital due to a heart condition, and her little dog Shotzi was left by himself. This is the kind of dog that is used to getting love from a lady who has nothing else to do but give him her undivided attention. So, he was pretty sad, as you can see in this picture. I decided to spend parts of my days with him while she was gone. I fed him, walked him, and just sat with him while he mourned the absence of his favorite human. During the f

There are a few Honduran families I’m close with who work near the coral restoration site. I see them when I visit, and consider them a part of my own family. I’m happy to announce that two of those families have just welcomed newborns! Aren’t they adorable? I remember when my son was born, and how much familial support meant to me and my wife during those first couple of months especially. Welcoming a new baby is exciting, exhausting, and full of unknowns. One thing that al

I’ve always believed that if you have something useful — tools, time, knowledge, a boat — you ought to share it. That belief is what led me to support a coral restoration effort in Honduras, not as a marine biologist or environmental expert, but as someone who happened to have the right gear, and the desire to help people doing good work. Sometimes your role in a cause isn’t to lead or speak or stand out. Sometimes it’s just to make it possible for others to do what they’re g

When people talk about turning points, they usually picture big moments. Headlines, handshakes, contracts. But in my experience, the things that truly shape a life are much smaller. The time you chose to listen instead of argue. The time you didn’t lie, when lying would’ve been easy. The phone call you returned. The small, steady habits that built or broke your character while no one was watching. I’ve experienced legal consequences that altered the entire course of my future

At 17 years old I made a terrible mistake. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and because of that, I spent my twenties behind bars. Formative years most people spend building careers, relationships, and families. I spent mine learning how to live with myself. Prison has a way of stripping a person down to the studs. There’s nowhere to hide from who you are. And what I found in that place was not a sense of victim-hood, but a persistent urge to become someone better.

I didn’t grow up with a deep understanding of service. I used to think giving meant handing over a check or offering advice. But after prison, when I had almost nothing, I learned the truth: the most meaningful service often comes from giving your time, your energy, your presence…especially when there’s no credit involved. Finding ways to serve, no matter how small, gave me something I hadn’t felt in a long time: a sense that I was useful again. When you’ve done damage, there

Some of the most important work I’ve done in my life happened while I was still behind bars. It wasn’t part of my sentence. It wasn’t something I had to do. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, and someone asked me if I had something to say. I did. And that one moment turned into something bigger; something I now look back on as one of the only redemptive things I had to offer at the time. Speaking From Inside Operation Turnaround was a prison program

Life doesn’t judge us by the past. It responds to the choices we make today. I’ve faced moments in my life where my actions had serious consequences for others. Those experiences taught me a clear lesson: your past does not define your future, but the way you show up now does. Facing the Facts At times, I made mistakes that hurt people and broke trust. There was no shortcut or easy fix. Owning the facts of what happened and understanding their impact became the first step in

Volunteer firefighting is often a quiet, unheralded service. From around 2008 to 2020, I was proud to serve as a volunteer firefighter with the Westmoreland Volunteer Fire Department in Westmoreland, New Hampshire. It’s a community-driven role that many don’t know much about, but it became an essential part of my life. In my uniform Here’s how it all started… One day, on my way to work, I stopped for a milkshake to “settle my nerves.” Suddenly, a man pulled up, asking if I co