Building Beyond Bars (3B) is a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to meeting the complex needs of children impacted by parental incarceration. We operate at the intersections of child development, mental health, education equity, and criminal justice reform.

Our guiding belief is that children should not be punished for the mistakes or circumstances of their parents. Yet, thousands of children in Cincinnati experience trauma, instability, and social exclusion due to incarceration within their families. 3B aims to break these cycles of harm and build new ones of connection, hope, and opportunity.

Building Beyond Bars was created by individuals who have lived and worked within these systems; people who have witnessed firsthand how the incarceration of a parent leaves children emotionally unsupported, socially stigmatized, and economically vulnerable. We were founded to provide a child-first approach to reentry, family reunification, and restorative justice.

We believe every child deserves a network of care that includes mental health support, mentorship, safe spaces for expression, academic guidance, and sustained contact with their incarcerated loved ones when appropriate and safe. Our programs are built to address not just individual needs, but also the larger policy and cultural failures that have marginalized these youth for generations.