Helping Hands & Cleansing Streams

Marcel Barnes is one of the thousands of American citizens who received a harsh prison sentence for nonviolent drug-related crimes such as the 100-to-1 crack cocaine law in the 1980s. There have been several attempts to change the law such as reducing the sentence to 18-to-1 in 2010 under the Obama Administration. However, the way the law was crafted, it did not help very many people. The FIRST STEP Act which was passed into law on December 18, 2018, is the only law at this time that comes close to having the kind of impact to affect the number of people needing a difference to be made in their sentencing. This new law provides an opportunity for people who are 60 years old and older to get out of prison by sending them home on home confinement for the duration of their sentence.

The problem that most of them are facing is the slow process involved with the delays in the filing of the petition. We want to assist these particular inmates with getting legal service to aid in the expeditious filing of the petition for release.

This is an ongoing project to assist these men and women in attaining legal counsel and in their plea for freedom. Marcel has a special interest in aiding women who have been away from their children for many, many years. Helping Hands & Cleansing Streams funding will provide an opportunity and avenue for these people to escape the murky waters of injustice. Please pledge a monthly amount to help with this project whether it be $5.00 or $500.00. Every dollar counts!!!

The benefit of organizing such a task is the satisfaction of knowing we have participated in a productive relationship, aided in the healing of many weary hearts, and the knowledge that we have helped someone get past hopelessness. We will also donate funds to those who need monetary assistance while incarcerated.

With your help, Marcel Barnes will be one of the first recipients of this effort. He is 65 years old and has served nearly 30 years in prison. His mother is 96 years old and counting. We need to make the first  donation by the end of March 2019 or sooner. There are others who are waiting in the battlements to receive orders to move forward in their quest. Their names will be released as funds are accrued. The funds will be released in increments necessary to pay for legal representation.

There will be an update of all fund distributions and outcomes with full disclosure of how your donations are used. Thank you for your monthly commitment! We anticipate great things!!!