Building Connections around Reenty!
Donation protected
Imagine you are an incarcerated person from the District of Columbia, If you have been convicted of a felony, you have been sent to prison up to 500 miles away from home. If your family and loved ones want to visit you, they will have to figure out gas money, accomodation, and food for the trip. When you are released, you will walk out of the front gate of the prison with a small amount of money,a few possessions, and no way to get back to where you come from. Regardless of whether you went to jail or to prison, once you are released, you will have to navigate a network of different agencies and offices throughout the city to meet the requirements of your parole, get access to housing and other services, and stay in good standing with your case manager, often without a full transition plan. Due to the lack of clear and consistent links for post-release access to necessary services and support, returning citizens often find themselves in a revolving door within the criminal justice system. As a result , in 2016 the D.C. Jail had a 12-month reincarceration rate of 20% and a 3-year reincarceration rate of nearly 50%. The National Reentry Network is seeking to bridge these gaps and meet the transportation need for returning citizens and their families through the purchase of an 18-passenger van. This van will supplement our existing work to support returning citizens, by helping loved ones to visit incarcerated family, members, helping newly released people to come home, and helping those in transition to navigate the system and avoid reoffending. The van will be owned and operated by the Reentry Network, and running costs will be covered by our operating budget. It will be a vital asset in our programs for the returning citizens to foster mentorship, assist with access to employment and housing, and build a strong network. We as a community need to come together with having this transportation for families to connect with loved ones and also for these incarcerated individuals to have a reliable safe return home to the District of Columbia.
The Natonal Reentry Network has committed itself to empowering returning citizens who have been historically oppressed, marginalized, and ignorged by the local political structure. Throughout the network, members have achieved success in family reunification, job retention, running businesses, and in local criminal justice reform efforts. The Reentry Network has focused on "bottom-up" community organizing and encourage neighborhood engagement through mediaton and restorative justice community and peace circles. Please donate and help us achieve our goal!
To learn more, please visit our website: https://thenationalreentrynetwork.org/
The Natonal Reentry Network has committed itself to empowering returning citizens who have been historically oppressed, marginalized, and ignorged by the local political structure. Throughout the network, members have achieved success in family reunification, job retention, running businesses, and in local criminal justice reform efforts. The Reentry Network has focused on "bottom-up" community organizing and encourage neighborhood engagement through mediaton and restorative justice community and peace circles. Please donate and help us achieve our goal!
To learn more, please visit our website: https://thenationalreentrynetwork.org/
Organiser and beneficiary
Courtney Stewart
Organiser
Washington D.C., DC
Patricia Stewart
Beneficiary
