February 4: Anthony “AC” Charles

Anthony "AC" Charles

Anthony Charles was born on November 14, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois. After serving with the U.S. military, he relocated to Tennessee where he found himself struggling with addictions that ultimately led to his arrest.

In 2006, while serving a sentence in prison, Anthony “ AC” Charles was interviewed and accepted into the Men of Valor Jericho Project that consists of a faith-based mentorship program. Upon his release in 2010, AC was accepted into the Men of Valor After Care Academy, a reentry support system that included housing, life skills and career training with employment partners, where he successfully graduated and became a mentor for other men both inside the prison and those participating in the organization’s reentry campus.

AC’s testimony and leadership on campus led to his employment with the organization. After serving on the Men of Valor staff for over 10 years in Nashville, he was asked to become the Program Director and lead the charge in opening “Valor Way”, the new reentry facility in Knoxville, TN.

Today, Anthony Charles directs campus life at Valor Way with a core team that makes sure each participant is proactively engaged with life skills courses, Christ-centered Bible studies, and community service. He also provides transportation for the men to go to their place of employment, church and their scheduled medical appointments.

Here are some of the most common mental, physical, and psychological health issues that men released from prison struggle with:

• Depression
  
• Anxiety
• Addiction
• PTSD
• Adverse Childhood Experiences
• Complex Trauma
• Personality Disorders
• Anger Management Disorder
• Suicidal Ideation