Rapper Tip “T.I.” Harris teamed up with Pastor Jamal Bryant and rapper-turned-reality star Scrapp Deleon to bail out 23 non-violent offenders in Atlanta area jails on Sunday.
Bryant, who is pastor at New Birth Baptist Missionary Church, exceeded his original goal of raising $50,000 for bail money for inmates who are incarcerated due to non-violent offenses and can’t afford bail.
Bryant, left, Deleon and T.I. raised over $120,000 to bail out the 23 mostly first-time offenders so they could enjoy Easter Sunday with their families.
According to Fox 5 News, the fundraising drive at the church resulted in bail being raised for seven men and 16 female offenders.
The extra money will be deposited into a fund for college tuitions for the children of the released inmates.
The program at New Birth also pairs up male and female mentors with the released inmates.
One DeKalb County inmate, Anthony Gordon, was overjoyed when he heard his name called over the jail’s public address system. The South Carolina resident was in jail for stealing a car, and couldn’t afford to pay his bail.
Gordon said he was in disbelief when he heard his name called at midnight, followed by “Hey, pack it up, you’re going home!”
Gordon told Fox 5 he was sure the jailer made a mistake.
“I came back down, and hit the little intercom and said, ‘Are y’all sure you’re calling me?,'” he said.
Gordon reunited with his aunt, Sylvia Gordon, at New Birth Baptist Church, where a chartered bus took him and 22 other inmates to be fitted for new clothes and shoes.
When asked what their plans were, Sylvia and Anthony responded: “Go to church!”
Photos by Prince Williams/Wireimage, Paras Griffin/Getty Images
