Savannah Chrisley Shares How She and Chase ‘Show Up’ for Imprisoned Parents Todd and Julie ‘Every Single Day’

The former ‘Special Forces’ cast member exclusively tells PEOPLE that her parents are “trying to stay positive” — but “some days are definitely harder than others”

Savannah Chrisley and Chase Chrisley are doing everything they can to support parents Todd and Julie during the Chrisley Knows Best stars’ prison stays.

Following her departure from Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test on Monday’s episode, Savannah is giving PEOPLE an update on the latest developments in her life related to her parents’ imprisonment for tax evasion and fraud. Not only did Todd and Julie’s predicament lead Savannah, 26, to push herself by joining Fox’s boot camp-style competition series, but it also inspired her to become a prison reform activist.

“This has been quite the journey,” she says. “I like to say I was tone-deaf to the system. I’m not sitting here saying I am the most knowledgeable person when it comes to that. So what I have done is I’ve taken my hurt that I’ve experienced and I’m trying to take that hurt and make it effective instead of allowing it to eat at me.”

She continues, “I see men and women that are suffering every single day and these families that are suffering. And unfortunately, we live in a world that’s so quick to throw people away because we can always get someone new. I absolutely hate that because these men and women need people to fight for them too. And there is no reason why they should be treated the way that they’re treated and people need to pay more attention to it.”

So Savannah — and her big brother Chase, 27 — have made it their mission to right the wrongs they’ve seen since Todd and Julie’s legal troubles began. The longtime couple, who reported to prison in January and have since had their combined 19-year sentences reduced, are still in the process of appealing their case.

“Me and Chase, show up for them every single day, and I am the one [of my siblings] that’s in charge of all of their legal stuff,” she explains. “I speak to attorneys every day. I make sure they have what they need while they are in prison, and I show up for them. So I am the most knowledgeable when it comes to that.”

Savannah has been caring for younger siblings Grayson and Chloe (her brother Kyle Chrisley’s daughter who was legally adopted by Todd, 54, and Julie, 50) while her parents are incarcerated. Being a surrogate single parent is “definitely not easy,” she admits, but the trio “get to learn and grow together.”

“For that, I’m grateful for and I have made it a point to make sure everyone is in therapy. We’re doing things to better our lives every single day. Cut out the negativity and just try to love each other and love each other well,” she shares. “And I have great friends in my life and great people that have just shown up for me. They’re like, ‘Savannah, you’re always showing up for other people, let us show up for you.’ And I’ve allowed that to happen, and I’m just so grateful for the people that I do have that show up.”

As for how her parents are coping, overall, the Unlocked podcast host shares that Todd and Julie “realize that everything that I’m doing, they have to be uncomfortable to make lasting change, then they’re on board because they see how people are suffering every single day.”

She continues, “They see it, so they’re like, ‘If we can help fight against this and make change, then maybe that’s what God’s plan for us has been.’ So they’re trying to stay positive. Some days are definitely harder than others.”

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