Saturday, March 17, 2007

New Ex-Offender Re-Entry Initiative

In case anybody has been wondering what "the Major" has been doing recently here's to ease your curiosity. He has been out for the big $$$ in order to feed certain projects, maintain and sustain the ongoing Z The Legal Monthly (newsletter) because these things do not grow without time, effort, and of course $$$.

Also, a new Maryland Re-Entry aka CBAC (see below) initiative is in the works in partnership with certain yet unnamed heavy-hitting foundations and government agencies. Alas, for now, the bulk of his efforts at this time must be in fundraising. Let it not be said that he is not doing his part in helping the economy, as well as the ex-offender and the communities to which they will return.

Substantial technical assistance is on the way. Remember that old sling? "HELP IS ON THE WAY!" Just ask and you shall receive. Somebody famous said that, too, I just can't remember whom at the moment. It does work. In reverse it goes like this: If you don't ask you don't even have a prayer of receiving. The other old saw I like is this: "You can lead a horse to water, but ..."

So now you have it. All the wisdom fit to print.

The CBAC initiative:

The Community Business Action Cooperative (CBAC) vision is a prisoner re-entry program that matches up ex-offenders with services as they strive to rejoin their communities. CBAC will help ex-offenders as follows:

a) accessing basic life services in partnership with community agencies,

b) providing ongoing support in the form of job placements, employment, housing, education and family reunification opportunities,

c) providing assistance and a forum for self-empowerment of ex-offenders to pursue grievances appropriately, leading to greater success in mounting legal challenges and other obstacles preventing reintegration into their communities.

CBAC programs will include outreach efforts to help educate businesses, family members and the larger community about ex-offenders, provide ways to support reintegration, reduce the social and economic costs of incarceration, make a contribution to the corps of activists dedicated to the expansion of equal justice, fair opportunity and devoted public service, as well as to making improvements in the quality of life in the community.


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