Seven women and 16 men regained their freedom this Easter thanks to the charitable efforts of T.I., “Love and Hip Hop” star Scrapp Deleon and Georgia’s New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.
On Sunday (April 21), the trio helped bail out the nonviolent, mostly first-time offenders just in time for the Christian holiday. According to Fox 5 DC, the church initially set out to raise up to $40k in donations as a pledge for Lent but was able to exceed its goal when T.I. and Deleon stepped in to help promote its positive mission.
Less than 40 days later, the church reportedly received $120k in contributions. When asked about the former inmate’s reactions to the generous act, senior Pastor Dr. Jamal Bryant told the outlet, “It’s almost like finally meeting the good Samaritan – somebody who you don’t know that you didn’t see coming. They’re appreciative to be able to press the refresh button.”
In addition to securing their releases, the church’s “Bail Out” program will connect each recipient with a mentor for weekly check-ins to facilitate a smoother transition back into society. The church also plans to use a portion of the donations towards college savings for the children of returning citizens.
While T.I. has remained mum about his involvement with the program on social media, the rapper was recently acknowledged for his philanthropic efforts in his community. On March 22, the 38-year-old was honored by State Sen. Donzella James at the Georgia State Capitol.
In her address, James praised TIP for his non-profit organizations like Harris Community Works and For the Love of Our Fathers which helps low-income families and assists those living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, respectively.
Keep reading to see the heartfelt reactions from some of the men and women T.I. helped bail out over the weekend.