W. H. O. L. E.

 

        Waukegan Holistic Organization

               for Life Empowerment

       

•Mission statement-

 

•WHOLE is a non-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide education, counseling, and lifestyle transformation for prisoners, ex-prisoners, their families, and other needy families.

Incorporators are: Curtis Pride, Sr., James Chapman, and Walstone Francis

•

Although Illinois ex-prisoners are allowed to vote, they are:

*  more likely to be denied access to employment with livable wages

*  denied work in most government jobs, hospitals, nursing centers, and nursery schools

*  barred from becoming foster parents and adopting children

*  denied federal grant monies for college

*  denied access to public housing

 

        We are aware of the many ramifications that these denials have, and the impact they make on our community.  Ignoring these needs will only compound an already detrimental and escalating situation, like a time bomb ready to explode.

        Those individuals are released into our communities and without the assistance we can give them, they may revert to whatever means necessary to survive, even committing crimes, if necessary.

        It is our commitment to reverse this cycle.  We are ready to make things W.H.O.L.E.!

 

•Our goals are:

 

•To network with other social agencies to facilitate our purpose;

 

•To support ex-prisoners with special needs and concerns, by providing transitional assistance;

 

•To help prisoners prepare for release by enabling them to integrate back into our society;

 

•To support families of prisoners and ex-prisoners.
 

 

 A Word of Reflection:

 

        It has been our desire for  long time to be proactive in addressing the unmet needs and problems facing prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families.  We have grown tired of the passive, reactive position of watching things happen and only responding with rhetoric and empty dialogue that only resulted in heightening our blood pressure rather than having  a viable plan to respond with action.

            Like an untreated cancer, this problem of recidivism, the atrocious injustices, alone with the escalating growth in the prison population is eating away at the health of our families and communities.  Its deprivation to the family and its devastation to the community can no longer go unchecked.

            In many cases, the cream of the crop, men and women with great intellectual, mechanical, technological and other skills, has fallen victim to this system.  They are caught in the vicious web of recidivism and a system bent on its perpetuation.

           Rising costs, hidden laws, and acts of discrimination head the list of the many problems one faces.

            There needs to be a voice to communicate the needs of these individuals and to fight for their rights, vision to strategize and collaborate with other interested and committed persons and organization to respond to these needs, and  vitality to face the forces determined to bring serious opposition to this effort.

            It is W.H.O.L.E.'s commitment to be both the voice and the vanguard for this awesome cause.  We are having this community forum "to educate and involve the community about the impact the criminal justice system has on our way of life."

 

            We intend to education the community on:

            1)  Prison issues as they impact the community (the prisoner, the released prisoner, the families of prisoners, and the community at large)

            2)  How the community can be become involved in these issues in meaningful, righteous and effective ways.

 

          For more Information Call:   847-578-7507

 

                  Curtis Pride, Sr.

                 President, Incorporator