Prison Entrepreneurship Program (Official Page)

05/27/2026

We’re grateful to the Greater Houston Community Foundation for recognizing PEP alongside incredible organizations like Connective and Grameen America as part of its inaugural High-Impact Grantmaking initiative.

This collaboration reflects what’s possible when organizations come together around bold, proven solutions that strengthen families, expand economic opportunity, and create pathways for long-term success.

We’re honored to be part of this work in Houston and thankful for partners who believe in second chances, entrepreneurship, and transformational impact.

Read more here: https://ghcf.org/articles/from-investment-to-impact-inaugural-year-of-high-impact-grantmaking/?fbclid=IwY2xjawSELvVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFXS1paWTAwR3NjMWVKZDh1c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmY3yTa1xtMgagMrIMgjKHBWCDKs0_uHRqixEKkJtQhruNKJxw5jYsUtlz5I_aem_bP-Ok-CzpVXHY84OIMv-gA

Learn how High-Impact Grantmaking supports organizations focused on economic mobility and breaking poverty cycles in Houston.

05/26/2026

This month’s PEP newsletter is about what happens when transformation reaches beyond one man.

From Michael Etcheson’s powerful Barbed Wire to Business testimony, to the growing need for reentry housing and Life Caddies, to Gerald Dooley’s Mother’s Day reflection on the women who carry families through incarceration, May’s update is a reminder that PEP’s mission is bigger than business plans.

It is about transforming lives, restoring families, and rebuilding communities.

Read the May newsletter:

“I dropped out of school in the 7th grade. And the crazy part is … no one asked why, and no one came looking. Then 2018 happened. What I used to call a charge … I now call a blessing. Because it led me to PEP.”

05/10/2026

When incarceration impacts a family, mothers often carry the heaviest burden quietly.

They answer every phone call.
Drive hours for visits.
Raise children while trying to hold families together.
Carry heartbreak while continuing to show up with love and hope.

This Mother’s Day, we wanted to honor the mothers, grandmothers, wives, and caregivers whose strength is woven into so many transformation stories at PEP.

The words in this reel come from Gerald Dooley, PEP’s Director of In-Prison Initiatives, reflecting on the women who continue believing in their loved ones even through the hardest seasons.

We invite you to read his full Mother’s Day reflection at https://www.pep.org/mothers-day-2026-the-silent-heroes-behind-so-many-second-chances/

05/07/2026

Benjamin Postell’s journey to the Barbed Wire to Business stage didn’t start with entrepreneurship.

It started with addiction, arrests, and chaos.

Raised by good parents and once a standout athlete, Benjamin watched his life spiral into drugs, alcohol, and self-destruction. He openly shares how m**h, co***ne, and crack became his downfall before reaching a pivotal moment that changed everything.

“Sitting in the cop car for the 30th time… I realized everything was in my control.”

That realization became the turning point.

Through determination, faith, and the support system he found through PEP, Benjamin rebuilt his life from the ground up. Today, he owns and operates Postell Property Services, a growing construction company focused on remodels, renovations, and new builds.

Alongside his wife and family, he’s building more than homes. He’s building a future.

His story is proof that transformation is real, second chances matter, and purpose can emerge from even the darkest seasons of life.

05/05/2026

We are delighted to highlight Luis Chavez, the winner of the 2026 PEP B2B.

Luis didn’t begin with a vision for a business.

He began in survival mode, without purpose or direction.

But through faith, mentorship, and the impact of people who believed in him, everything changed. His mindset shifted. His trust was restored. And he found som**hing he never had before… purpose.

Today, Luis is building a business that creates opportunities for others and gives back to his community.

This is what transformation looks like.

05/01/2026

Congratulations to Luis Chavez, winner of the 2026 B2B.

$30,000 in growth capital to scale Innovative Construction Specialists.

From PEP to building a real business rooted in quality, discipline, and second chances.

This is what happens when opportunity meets ex*****on.

04/30/2026

In a few hours, this room fills with som**hing you don’t see every day.

Men stepping forward with real business ideas.
Leaders leaning in.
Second chances turning into real opportunities.

We’ll be sharing moments from the evening as it unfolds.

Stay close. This is worth watching.

04/23/2026

This is what transformation looks like.

PEP’s Winter 2026 graduation at the Estes Unit was featured on WFAA, and it tells a powerful story of men choosing a different path.

Not someday. Right now.

Through the Prison Entrepreneurship Program, these men are building businesses, strengthening character, and preparing for life beyond prison walls.

And next week, that journey continues.

At PEP's annual Barbed Wire to Business event, we will showcase what happens when opportunity meets preparation.

From the unit… to the stage.

Watch the story here: https://www.wfaa.com/video/features/originals/inmates-find-redemption-entrepreneurship-program-sanders-estes-unit/287-50ee2576-8fe7-4784-8f66-4a9efc99ed96

Be part of what’s next at B2B pep.org/b2b

Inmates at the Sanders Estes Unit are transforming their lives through the Prison Entrepreneurship Program, embracing personal growth and future success.

03/20/2026

If you’ve ever thought about getting involved… this is your moment.

The March newsletter shows exactly why PEP works:
- Mentorship
- Leadership development
- Real second chances that stick

And the impact speaks for itself, with strong outcomes in employment, entrepreneurship, and reduced recidivism. 

Read it. Share it. Be part of it.
https://www.pep.org/march-2026-newsletter/

I don’t know who said it, but I have been reflecting on a quote I heard recently: “Every day I wake up with more gratitude than expectations is a good day.” I love this for a lot of reasons, but mostly because at PEP, I have a lot of good days! I count it a privilege to share with others the i...

03/18/2026

From the NFL to a story of redemption and purpose.

Ryan Leaf joined our Houston eSchool participants at the PEP Collider and brought som**hing deeper than a highlight reel.

He brought truth. Perspective. And a time of real conversation that spoke life into our men.

This is what transformation looks like.