Families Beyond Bars
A father and his young son laughing together at a park table

No family
should
miss
a visit.

Get in touch Reaching out is free
Brooklyn, NY · Est. 2026 · 501(c)(3)Visit transportation & family support

Families Beyond Bars provides free, dependable rides to visits and family support services that help children and families stay connected with incarcerated loved ones.

01 — MissionFamilies Beyond Bars

Getting there, together.

Families Beyond Bars is dedicated to supporting children and families impacted by incarceration by providing safe, reliable, and organized transportation services, along with compassionate support resources. Our mission is to strengthen family bonds, foster emotional well-being, and create opportunities for meaningful connection between incarcerated loved ones and their families. Through these efforts, we aim to promote long-term family stability, resilience, and healthier communities.

A mother holding her young son close in a warm embrace
02 — The RideFrom home to the visit and back
A young girl with braids smiling from the back seat of a car

Safe. Reliable. Organized.

By removing barriers to visitation and connection, we strengthen relationships, support emotional well-being, and help build a foundation for long-term family and community stability.

  1. Pickup
  2. The Ride
  3. Visit
A city highway at sunset seen through a car windshield
03 — FamiliesEvery generation

Support for the whole family, every generation.

A grandmother laughing as she holds up her grandchild on a city street
A mother and her young daughter holding hands and smiling on a tree-lined park path
A young couple holding their toddler on a city sidewalk lined with brick buildings

Community

04 — CommunityProspect Park, Brooklyn

July 19, 2026

Encouragement Wall

Smorgasburg’s Great Ice Cream Fair · Prospect Park

See the day on Instagram
The Families Beyond Bars booth on July 19, with a prize wheel and tables under a white tent in Prospect Park
A visitor smiling and holding up his prize at the Families Beyond Bars booth
A hand-lettered Families Beyond Bars sign in rainbow chalk on a black card
A volunteer smiling and handing out a flyer on an outdoor patio
A volunteer and a young boy walking down a Brooklyn sidewalk with flyers
Two women hugging at the Families Beyond Bars booth during the July 19 event in Prospect Park
A father carrying his child on his shoulders on a Brooklyn street near the Manhattan Bridge
05 — Vision

Stronger families. Closer connections.

Families Beyond Bars envisions a future where no child or family is prevented from maintaining meaningful relationships with incarcerated loved ones due to distance, financial hardship, or life circumstances. We strive to build stronger families and more connected communities by ensuring that every family has access to the support, resources, and opportunities needed to sustain healthy relationships and encourage healing, growth, and stability.

Contessa Martin, founder and executive director of Families Beyond Bars, standing with her arms crossed in front of a brick wall
Founder

ContessaMartin

Founder & Executive Director

Founded Families Beyond Bars in 2026

07 — ContactReaching out is free

Get in touch.

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