| Project LIFE (Life In Freedom Eternally) |
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The transition from prison to life on the outside is often overwhelming. Many inmates exit incarceration with the clothes on their back and $100 from the prison system. They have difficulty with housing, employment, and cutting through the red tape to get started back in the community. The transition can be so difficult that they are highly vulnerable to recidivism during the first several months after release. Project Living in Freedom Eternally (LIFE) addresses this high rate of recidivism by providing spiritual and functional support before, at and following release from the Community Corrections Center-Omaha.
While in prison, inmates make approximately 10 decisions a day. On the outside, former inmates will need to make about 450 decisions each day. Life on the inside is highly structured and supervised. Life on the outside is not. Housing, meals, and medications are provided for inmates while they are in prison. Once released, former inmates must manage to provide for themselves.
The Project LIFE model is based on the understanding that former inmates have a better chance to succeed on the outside when they have a safe place to stay, a job, a strong support group and a faith community. If these things are not in place, former inmates often return to old habits and frequently return to prison. The goal of Project LIFE is to empower former inmates to live freely and successfully in society. The objectives toward reaching this goal are to provide transitional housing for former inmates, assist them in finding a job, provide a weekly support group led by a professional counselor, and provide a solid faith community.
Participants must apply for the Project LIFE program. They agree to take care of the apartment, attend our weekly counseling sessions and worship services, maintain employment, pay their program fees in a timely manner, remain clean and sober, and meet the other conditions of their release. Project LIFE is available to former inmates upon their release from incarceration and until they can transition to fully independent living.
Project LIFE ManagerIn April, 2008, Tim Locatis was hired as half-time Project LIFE Manager. In this role, Tim manages our housing program, provides transportation and support for former inmates, serves as a mentor to inmates and former inmates, and assists in daily decision making during the period of transition to day to day life in the community. Because of an increase in demands for his time as LIFE Manager, Tim was hired on a full-time basis starting in November, 2008.
Tim has provided or coordinated transportation for former inmates for job interviews, meetings with parole officers, community services, medical and counseling appointments, support groups and service projects. He has helped guide former inmates through some of the red tape to facilitate their life in the community. Tim assists participants with goal setting and planning to help organize their transition. Safe HousingParticipants in our Project LIFE Program are provided safe housing and utilities in a furnished home or apartment without the need for an up-front deposit. Having safe housing is often a requirement for release. Our program is available upon release from incarceration and until former inmates can transition to fully independent living. Our requirements for timely payment of program fees and care and upkeep of their apartment help participants establish a habit of responsibility to assist in achieving independence. EmploymentProject LIFE participants are required to maintain gainful employment while in the program. This is essential to provide financial resources for the participant and foster a sense of self worth. After a period of incarceration, employment and interpersonal skills are not sharp. The Project LIFE Manager assists program participants in searching for a job, in resume writing and interview skills, and with transportation for interviews and initial employment. Bus passes are also available for the first two weeks of employment. CounselingEvery Sunday morning former inmates attend a support group led by volunteers Mike Rush and The Rev. Roy Fox. Project LIFE program participants are required to attend and several other former inmates continue to participate to receive ongoing support. Mike also provides former inmates with one-on-one counseling as needed. Inmates are also required to attend other counseling and group sessions as may be required as a condition of their release. WorshipProgram participants are required to attend Crossroads Connection worship services on Sunday evenings. We feel that establishing and maintaining a faith relationship helps provide some stability and guidance for the day to day challenges faced by former inmates. Additionally, the fellowship during the meal following worship provides opportunities for networking and serving as a mentor to inmates working toward release. Remain Clean and SoberSubstance abuse has been a root cause of many former inmates’ offenses. Project LIFE program participants agree to remain clean and sober while in our program. To help insure this accountability, program participants understand that they may be drug tested at any time while in the program. Clothes ClosetNewly released former inmates and inmates often have limited access to warm clothing. Crossroads maintains a clothes closet where warm coats and other clothing items can be obtained. The clothes closet is stocked mostly by clothing contributions from participating churches. Carol Cherek organizes and coordinates our clothes closet. Food PantryNewly released former inmates often have limited funds to purchase food items until they receive their first paycheck. The Crossroads food pantry can help provide necessary food items until payday. In addition, the pantry provides some personal care items to former inmates and inmates. The pantry is stocked by gifts of food items and cash from sponsors, individuals and partnership churches. Mary Ann Fox coordinates our pantry. |