Cyntoia Brown’s supporters launch Gofundme

A fundraiser has been set up to help Cyntoia Brown after her release from prison, scheduled for later this year.

Brown, a woman sentenced to life in prison for killing a man when she was 16, will be released from prison in August after Gov. Bill Haslam’s decision to grant her clemency.

Gofundme ensuring Brown gets donations

The decision was announced on Jan. 7, and Brown’s team said online fundraisers began popping up almost immediately.

“We appreciate that many people, as they learn of Cyntoia’s story, are inspired to help her. Many people started Gofundme accounts and many others called wanting to offer help and assistance,” said Zach Hunt, a spokesperson for Brown and her legal team.

Her case caught national attention, including several celebrity proponents, and hundreds of small-scale donations quickly poured into one main Gofundme page in her name.

The page’s original creator handed over the account to Brown’s representatives so the funds could be safeguarded, and all others in Brown’s name have been frozen. The site confirmed to Hunt that any funds given will go directly into a private trust fund to be used as she sees fit upon her release.

“While asking for financial help was not Cyntoia’s intent or interest, we are hopeful this provides a safe way for those who want to support her effort to do so,” Hunt said.

Slow re-entry to society

Brown, now 30, has been in prison for more than a decade.

In the meantime, Haslam is requiring Brown to go through “transition and reentry programming” at the Tennessee Prison for Women.

“(She) is focused immediately on completing her college coursework and taking the steps necessary to transition from prison to the free world in August. Long-term, her interest is helping other young girls avoid the places she has been,” Hunt said.

As part of the conditions of her release, Brown must participate in transition and re-entry programming.

At one point, staff might help Brown get paperwork in order that she will need as a citizen, including an ID and a Social Security card. She also might get group therapy or personal finance training to help her learn to manage her own money and bills once she is released.

During the second phase, inmates typically do volunteer work for nonprofits designed to help them develop interpersonal skills they’ll need to hold down a job.

In the third phase, inmates are allowed to leave prison grounds and save up money for living expenses after their release.

Where to donate to Cyntoia Brown

“Cyntoia’s efforts and that of her legal team are in preparing her to leave prison and help others avoid the same challenges she faced,” Hunt said.

The fund is being hosted on Gofundme, with a goal of $25,000.

Anyone looking for more information can visit the Cyntoia Brown - Post Clemency Life Jumpstart Fund page at gofundme.com/cyntoia-brown-postclemency-life-jumpstart-fund.

Reach reporter Mariah Timms at mtimms@tennessean.com .