May Program with Andrea Altheimer on the Prison to Community Pipeline

A larger-than-usual group of members and guests gathered at the Northwest African American Museum in Seattle’s Central District to hear about the amazing work the group headed by Andrea Altheimer is doing with Community Passageways Re-entry Program. Their purpose is to provide dignity and action for released prisoners who are making their way back into the community.

Most prisoners live with a lot of traumas from childhood, from prison then getting out of prison has its own traumas. Andrea and her team accompany those newly released from prison and help them through the many hurtles they must face.  Each person is assigned to a staff member who is always on call to help with getting identification, housing, clothes, and make the connections they need to bring them back into the world that has greatly changed during the time they’ve been incarcerated.

Over a hundred people have been successfully reintroduced into a productive life by the Re-entry program. Only one person has re-offended; without this kind of support, 50% of released prisoners end up back in prison so they’re definitely doing something right. Connections make all the difference. Community Passageways – Re-entry program not only provides resources but walks their people through the resources making their progress much more successful.

Andrea spoke movingly about the great-hearted and talented women she met in prison and called them her sisters, who are never forgotten.  Andrea stands as a beacon of hope and change, ensuring that those often overlooked by society have the resources, advocacy, and support needed to rebuild their lives -  www.communitypassageways.org.