Biography

Meghan’s mission is to inspire peace and opportunity for children and youth with incarcerated parents and family members.

Meghan grew up in a historic town about 45 minutes outside of Chicago. She led a happy and stable life, and developed a passion for helping others. In high school, she would work as a camp counselor, and in college, she studied child development and family studies. After graduation, she moved to Chicago. Meghan worked for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) in their Early Childhood Education department. Here, she began to learn the hardships and history of the city, and she did everything she could to provide holistic care to the teenager mothers and families she worked with.

In 2006, Meghan took a leave of absence when her father was unjustly incarcerated in Puerto Rico. Meghan and her family were barred from seeing their father. They did not know what to do. Father Miguel Ferrer intervened and successfully arranged for the family to visit their father in prison. Sadly, after this courageous act of kindness, Father Ferrer passed away a few days later.

When Meghan returned to work after visiting her father, she began to see how many other families and students were impacted by incarceration. Chicago is home to some of the highest rates of incarceration and recidivism in the nation. Meghan started visiting prisons and juvenile detention centers to learn more about their lives. She realized she needed to do more to stop the cycle of incarceration and violence in Chicago, so in honor of Father Ferrer, she founded the Ferrer Foundation to inspire peace and opportunity for youth in Chicago. She wanted the next generation to know that someone believed in them and that they had great futures ahead.

The Ferrer Foundation was founded in 2007. The organization provides programs and services in educational wellness, violence prevention, motivational tools, and mentoring for youth in Chicago. In 2013, they successfully implemented the Keeping The Peace program. In the program’s first year, they helped over 375 youth reduce stress and violent behaviors, improve self-esteem and communication skills, and build trust with their families.