Giving People a Chance: Fargo’s F5 Project Helping Former Inmates Strive for Success

The mission of the organization is to keep the past in the past

FARGO, ND — A Cass County organization’s mission is to keep the past, in the past.

The F5 Project works to give former inmates a second chance.

“I am a five-time felon and had the community around me not given me a chance, we wouldn’t be here today,” said Adam Martin, who is the executive director of the F5 Project.

The F5 Project started with a group of people holding meetings in jails and prisons.

“To give the chance to people who need it the most,” Martin added.

It’s an idea that sparked from a few people who believed in the future of the man behind the organization.

“It was kind of the business people that surrounded me and mentored me and helped me with my personal life and my business life, and in turn created something like this,” said Martin.

What was once just one person helping another is now a project that has a mission to transform the lives and minds of those with a criminal history.

The organization also wants to  help get rid of the stigma behind the word “felon”.

“When they’re done serving their time, they are done serving their time,” said Kirsten Huovine, who works with women in the F5 Project. “They don’t have to pay for that over and over again.”

Whether it’s finding a job or a place to live, the F5 Project gives guidance along the way to former inmates.

“My hope one day is that when you say something like, ‘when you want the job to get done, you send the felon’,” said Martin.

The organization officially became a non–profit in February.

Since they’ve been growing so rapidly, they’re asking for the communities help to volunteer different skills.

“Lawyers coming in and talking about family law, or human resource directors coming in and talking about how to answer the felony question,” explained Martin. “People with backgrounds that are successful today that can come in and help mentor these guys when they are coming out.”

F5 stands for a new beginning, just like the key that refreshes your webpage on your computer.

If you’d like to learn more about volunteering with the organization click here.