What {I} say

Let me give you some insight on what I actually needed when I was released in February 2003.

There are 9 key components that ex-offenders need when they are released from prison.

Here are some of the reasons that I needed these services:

 Housing: Upon release, I lived at My aunts house with four other people, not including my oldest daughter whom my aunt had custody of. In the beginning it was o.k. but within 4 months I was looking for somewhere to go because I couldn't save money to start over again. I moved with my "friend" who told me that I didn't have to pay anything so that I could get on my feet but all the friendly things went away soon as she started having problems even though my mom, who was on a fixed income and diagnosed with breast cancer, loaned her $300 after I moved in, to pay a bill that I had nothing to do with. My friend, the good Samaritan, and going out buddy turned into someone else. Needless to say we parted ways and I ended up back at my aunts house, Oh My GOD!!! I stayed there for a few months and by then my love, Steven Craig Hill came to rescue me and moved me in with his extended family Ray and Kaye we had our own room, Craig paid our portion of the bills, and I paid for our food. I hope that Ray and Kaye know that I really appreciate the hospitality and courtesy of opening up their home to me. 

Governments financial support: Upon release, I applied for assistance with Texas Department of Human Services, but without my aunts financial statements I could not receive the TANIF, I did receive the FOOD services. That was going alright at first until my aunt allowed my 5 year old cousin to get the mail from the box and my appointment to go to the employment class was lost and there went the financial assistance out the window and nobody cared and when I would try to call  TDHS there was no answer or I would get transferred to another department, or I would leave a message and no one would call me back. When I reapplied I was denied services I still can't tell you why that was. This form of financial assistance was not a help but a hinder to my reintroduction into my community.

Re-introduction to my children: Upon release, I just came home and jumped back into the hustle and bustle of life's situations and I didn't get the chance to lay down my plan to my children and how we were going to make our family work. I should have let them know that certain things would not be tolerated and lay down some of my laws and install some of my morals and what we as a family could do to better our family and strengthen our bond. Instead I really had no say just pay. My aunt, my sister, and a who ever else had to contradict what I said to my children. I feel like this don't let your family help raise your children too much because eventually the children feel like they are being told what to do by too many people and won't listen to you the mother. At this time I have no contact with my daughters because they have disrespected me to the fullest and I have severed all contact at this time. I know it's harsh but think of the worst thing that you could do to your mother and realize that, that's what they did to me. All I can do is pray to GOD to give me the ability to forgive them or move them in the right direction, until then I'm trying to keep women who are like me from making the same mistakes upon reentering their communities.

Life skills: There are just some things that are offered in prison rehabilitation programs that doesn't apply to real life situations for instance what's the reason for teaching a class to offenders how to do taxes when statistics state that we probably will have a hard time finding employment opportunities anyways plus there are tax preparations companies everywhere! Instead perhaps the Life Skills program should consist of what I needed: Info on why it may be better to find employment within 30 minutes from your home, more time on the subject of budgeting, maintaining your household, and information on proven programs that are actually helping our ex-offenders reenter their communities, credit counseling including but not limited to, How to boost your credit score?

Last but not least, Productive JOB Referrals: I went to every temp agency that I could get to and was denied service and everywhere else that I applied turned me down this went on for over a year until I was hired on at the mall in my area at an ice cream booth. The pay was very small $7.00 an hr and not even 20 hrs consistently  a week. With the new job came transportation issues the bus didn't run where the job was located so what was I  to do with the barely there income? I had to put most of it in the gas tank and at that time it was almost $3.00 a gallon that was in 2006 and the reason for letting me go was because my Afro was too big and I took a jug of  lemon-aid, which really was a way of telling me that I was too old to work for them because they couldn't just tell me anything because I know the labor law and they wanted me to just jump at anything they said, of which I did not do. That led me to trying to work at a salon shop which was keeping me away from not only my children but life. The hours were ridiculous and the pay was very ridiculous. Now I know that the most needed component for the life skills program for myself was information on self employment / entrepreneurship. If I had these components offered in one place that would have helped me reenter society with a smoother transition without all of the separation of family and heartache.

My life's experiences have led me to a better place in life, I have used very few of the government and states resources because they are too hard to get accepted, and too hard to get to. Perhaps this foundation will discard a lot of the unnecessary obstacles and the  blocking of opportunities needed to reenter their communities and society. I am willing to offer helping hands and heart to get women who are like me get back on their feet successfully and productively.

Kimberly Harrison, ex-offender