labor Welcome Home

Many of our returning citizens are ill prepared for the tough road ahead of them, meeting conditions of their release, reuniting with family and loved ones, securing employment and stable housing. The prison system normally releases them to a parking lot miles away from where they are from and expects them to figure the rest out on their own.

Courtney Stewart The National Reentry Network for Returning Citizens
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As the holidays approaches this is the time of year that we come together gathered around dinner tables eating turkey and exchanging stories of years past. We are settling down for old man winter, decorating trees and our homes, playing Christmas Carols, attending church celebrating the birth of Jesus. Exchanging cards and gifts and making a list of New Year resolutions.
When I was much younger this was a sad time of the year for me, because I was either locked up in somebodies institution or I was recently being released from one. I was sad because I was alone, isolated and young, my false pride, false image wouldn’t allow me to tell people I needed help, I needed love, I needed shelter and care. No I was told  “grow up, you are a man” but I wasn’t a man far from it, I was 18, 19, and in my early twenties and I had untreated and UN-diagnosed trauma and mental illness. I remember I was in Lorton Reformatory on Christmas and I was being escorted in shackles from solitary confinement to the mess hall and they had this huge pumpkin contest and you had to guest the weight of the pumpkin to win, I quickly jot down what I thought the weight was before the guard could catch me. Days past and I totally forgot about the pumpkin contest, but one day a shout came down the tier I had a visit, ( I never got a visit in prison) it was the warden with a carton of Newport cigarettes in his hand and he told me I won the contest.
I’m sharing this story because that was my first experience I can remember when I became hopeful, I didn’t feel like a loser, I felt like a winner, I could do better and get better. Man, I know many of you who are reading this can relate to that decisive feeling of hope that really confirms life, liberty and the true meaning of freedom. This is what winning a carton of Newports can do for a person in prison and solitary confinement :).
President Obama commuted 944 sentences and allowed those inmates to be home before Christmas, I’m asking that we think of the many men and women who will be coming home some who already came home this holiday season.
“To keep what you have you have to be willing to give it away”
     
This holiday season The National Reentry Network for Returning Citizens along with our partners, want to be there for our citizens who are returning to our communities from institutions all over the U.S. We want this to be a special holiday for our senior citizens( 55 and older) who need assistance with some essential items like (Coat, Hat, Metro Smart Trip Card, shirt and tie, pajamas, towel, wash cloth, soap, toothpaste, Women’s Toiletry Kit, stockings, shaving kit,  a $50 gift card, etc.).
Meet Victor 61 years old, been away for 40 years for a crime he did not commit, came to the Network looking for assistance, staying temporarily with his sister who has no running water in the house, Victor has to go to the nearby strip mall to bath in one of the bathrooms. How about Sam 57 years old who lives in the shelter and has no relatives who can help him. Sam says the shelter is worst than prison, sometimes he doesn't want to report back there some evenings, but he knows he will lose his bed if he doesn't.
These are just a few of the stories, many of our returning citizens are ill prepared for the tough road ahead of them, meeting conditions of their release, reuniting with family and loved ones, securing employment and stable housing. The prison system normally releases them to a parking lot miles away from where they are from and expect them to figure the rest out on their own. We at the National Reentry Network would like to help both Victor, Sam and many other returning citizens have a Merry Christmas and a Welcome Home care package full of love and concern! With a little bit of help we can. Thank you for your contribution and consideration! 
* Here is the link to: GoFundMe.com/welcomehome-org  or you can make a donation at www.thenationalreentrynetwork.org
   

If you’d like to be a drop off center, where we can place a box for people to drop these items off please let me know. Much love and respect to all! Happy Thanksgiving!

peace, 
Courtney Stewart
Chairman/CEO
The National Reentry Network for Returning Citizens
3227 Dubois Place S.E.
Washington, DC 20019
202-584-1000 office
"Any system that allows us to turn a blind eye to hopelessness and despair, that's not a justice system, it is an injustice system,"

President, Barrack Obama