Gig Harbor Rotary Women’s Prison Program
The Rotary Women’s Prison Program primarily serves women incarcerated and those released from the Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) in Gig Harbor, WA. Five (5) programs are offered:
- Reentry Employment Training courses to WCCW women while incarcerated.
- Continuing education scholarships to WCCW women before & after release.
- Online Reentry Coach-Mentoring to WCCW women following release.
- Help with a vehicle, license & insurance for WCCW women after release.
- Website information on resources available to WCCW women after release.
Reentry into society after incarceration can be a huge challenge, especially for women. The issues faced can be overwhelming—leading many back to prison within a few years. With over 1,000 inmates, the WCCW is the primary state prison for women in Washington State and houses women from every county. Approximately 40-45 women are released every month.
Preparation for reentry is critical and ideally initiated long before the actual release date. The Rotary Club of Gig Harbor partners with the Department of Corrections (DOC) to offer an intense, 7 week, Reentry Employment Training (RET) program to WCCW women. Team-taught by Rotarians with incarcerated women from the Village, over 800 WCCW women have now graduated from the RET course since it began in 2013.
Continuing education is a major factor impacting the recidivism of released prison inmates. Research clearly shows that inmates who continue their education either during or following incarceration do not reoffend. In 2014 the Women’s Prison Program and Scholarship Fund was created for women released from the WCCW. Scholarships are given to women still incarcerated to pursue correspondence or other training inside the prison and to those released to go back to school, either college or trade/professional school. Scholarships have been awarded to women attending a wide variety of institutions: UW, WSU, TCC, numerous community colleges, Evergreen College, Gene Juarez Beauty School, Washington Technical Institute and other schools. Scholarships do not cover all education costs, but rather serve as an incentive to continue the process.
Online Reentry Coach-Mentoring endeavors to pair a woman released from the WCCW with a person who can be supportive in approaching the issues associated with reentry, including many of the practical but important aspects of daily living and readjusting to society, family and friends.
Cars4Change is a program that provides vehicles especially for women lacking employment-related transportation to/from work. Assistance securing insurance and obtaining a driver’s license can also be provided.
A website to help with locating and securing resources following release is the sole purpose of this website for WCCW women. This website is intended to be a source for locating and obtaining resources of all types, and will be updated periodically with the latest information. Documents and LINKS to other websites can be downloaded or accessed from this website.
What is Rotary?
Rotary is an international organization of professional men and women who serve around the world as volunteers. We are not paid for our services. Our local Gig Harbor Rotary Clubs support the women of the WCCW because we care about you and want to see you succeed before and after you release.
Rotary began in 1905 and are now a global network of some 1.2 million men and women active in over 200 countries around the world. We work with people of all ages, races, languages, cultures and creeds without discrimination. We are nonpolitical and nonreligious in our service to others. The simple but powerful Rotary motto that drives us is “SERVICE ABOVE SELF.” Perhaps someday you too might become a Rotarian and serve others.
Rotary members believe we have a shared responsibility to take action on our world’s most persistent issues. Our 35,000+ clubs around the world work together to promote peace, fight disease, provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene, save mothers and children, support education, and grow local economies. Supporting the women of the WCCW is part of that shared responsibility.
About the Rotary Clubs in Gig Harbor
The heart of our 3 Gig Harbor clubs is our members–dedicated people who share a passion for community and international service and friendship. Our Gig Harbor Rotary Clubs are neighbors, friends, and leaders in our community, uniting for the common good. At the heart of our clubs are dedicated people who share a passion for community service, friendship and laughter. We share ideas, make plans, hear from the community, and catch up with friends during club programs that fuel the impact we make.
The Gig Harbor Rotary Club website describes in detail our work and activities, along with those of our various Foundations. The website link is: https://gigharborrotaryfoundation.org
Donations to the Rotary Women’s Prison Program may be made via the above website, at the following link:
https://gigharborrotaryfoundation.org/foundations/prison-scholarship/
