I'm thinking about publishing a newsletter for Michigan Families. My goal for the newsletter is to help people find rides, give them support, and assist with other help along with artwork, poems, etc from our loved ones in prison.

There would have to be a lot worked out and people would have to pay for the newsletter....a nominal fee of $3-5 a year for printing fees, postage and I just foundout that a P.O. Box is $40 a year!!! I think maybe the ride services might pay to advertise...if they would then I may not have to charge at all, especially if I can find other advertisers.

I'd like some input on my thoughts and ideas.

Another goal I have is to publish a book about prison/prisoners and start a schloarship (BOY I KNOW I SPELLED THAT WRONG) fund for children of prisoners!!!

INPUT PLEASE!!!

Mrs. Dragon

How did I miss this? I'm interested in hearing more in regards to this. Good ideas here and it's needed here for people in Michigan. We all know that.

Deb

That sounds like a great idea - if you need any help, please let me know - no matter how small or large!

Thanks Deb and Marie!! I want to pursue this. A lot of people out there still do not have access to places like PTO and I want to be able to reach them. I'll be working on this. I can't do anything until I get the P.O. Box and that just isn't in my budget until I find a job to supplement my retirement.

If anything, I'll publish a first 1-2 page newsletter and send it out randomly to prisoners in hopes I can get it going.

I won't let this fall to the ground and do nothing. THis has been on my mind for a LONG time!!!

MRs. D

Great idea that you have there. I am sure that it would be a good service to have..... Keep us posted!

Hugs,

Jodi

Ok...not letting any more ice gather under my feet....

What do you think of Michigan Prison FAmilies as the name???

I'd like to list the various organizations around the state that help with prison issues.....I need your help on this. I'd like to spotlight CURE but I don't have a lot of info on them.

Also....please let me know what different columns should be included. For those who are offering to help, I'll PM what I have typed so far to you in a few days....

LETS GET THIS GOING!!! I'm even willing to stopdrinking Coke to pay for the p.o. box!!! If you knew me you would know what a BIG sacrifice this is for me!!!

Mrs. D.

Sounds like a good idea. If I can help in any way, just let me know. MiCure has alot of stuff in it, Dale sent me an issue last month, and I'm gonna get a subscription to that. Here's the info for Mi-Cure, if you need it.

PO Box 2736
Kalamazoo, Mi, 49003-2736

(269)383-0028

Jodygirl

thanks Jodygirl!! I foundMIcure on the web and set out a check for membership for my hubby and I...

When I went to visit my hubby yesterday, I picked up flyers from two ride companies...I'll be contacting them in the next day. If anyone knows of other ride services besides D and D, and Jackie...please let me know!!

MRs. D

Okay... I've had the day off and I'm meddling. As it happens, I now live in the backyard of criminal justice bureaus and associations...DC Metro.. That's where they keep the BIG Dept. Of Justice and whatnot...

The non departmental folks who put time/energy into programs and whatnot for prisoners are generally either just plain decent, or in the business of seeming 'liberal' and are padding their resumes to jump off into the lucrative 'Private Prison' business, or they are what I'd call, Missionaries.
CURE are Missionaries. (I never will get used to being called an Errant, thank you..).. Anyway, they have feel good programs and cometojesus meetings, and if that appeals to you, go for it. Becoming allied with them will cast a wider net for your program, (they'll put it in THEIR newsletter) but you may put off some folks who'd use the service and could live neatly without the religion. Another group who have good programs (but are just as biblethumping and pure..) are the Family Corrections Network. They are a really interesting group. I was brought in to the focus group to sort out proposals for FCN's North American Conference a few years back. I wouldn't jump into bed with either group, personally, but rather than fronting cash to CURE to 'join'...and hear their sermon... you can at least read about the programs that FCN has a hand in online. They might keep you from having to invent your own wheels... There are some in motion.

www.fcnetwork.org Happy Hunting.

Life,
I am confused...what exactly does your group have to do with a Michigan newsletter being sent out or not? And what exactly does you "group" do? Are you suggesting you can help. I hope that is the angle you are heading towards as PTO is a place for support.

Life-
As a member and former state chairperson of CURE, I can assure you they are not "missionaries", although in my opinion if they were, that would not be a bad thing. They are a legitimate national group that advocates for and has made significant social changes. They also have strong alliances with many political figures. CURE does not preach to anyone that I am aware of. I have been a member for years and have never had ANYONE from CURE preach to me about anything, and I have had many conversations with key CURE people including Charlie Sullivan. I am not sure where you got your information but I feel the need to dispute it. I also know there are many members of PTO involved in CURE. MI CURE has a very active CURE group and I have met Kay Perry (Michigan chair)-in fact she led a seminar I was in a few months ago- and she is very committed to prison reform. I have nothing but GOOD things to say about CURE. Your comment about "fronting money" to CURE puzzles me also as a prisoner membership is $2.00 or the equivalent in stampsand $10.00 for one on the outside. I can tell you firsthand these dues do not even begin to cover even the mailing costs and I can assure you CURE is not in business to make money.

Charlie Sullivan was on the focus panel with me. The panel was run by Jim Mustin who started FCN.
The comment I made was that --in my opinion- the folks who aren't Criminal Justice Agency employees--generally come to the cause for other reasons. I said that there were at least 3 motivations... Decent folks,... Liberal folks... and Missionaries. Again. Missionaries is my take on it. The point being that unlike the other two groups they come to it as a matter of doing good as part of being a good religious sort.
I did say that allying whatever Dragon's activities may be with CURE will be likely to get that information in CURE's national newsletter. I also said that some people who the programs would help--might not be enthusiastic about the secular overtone. -- The 2 bucks to join wasn't the point,... The point was that the FCN site would show Dragon a list--for free- of programs (3 in Michigan currently) which she might find useful when planning whatever she winds up doing. She may find that the sort of thing she wants to do may be working in another state on the list, and give her a place to start and contacts who've worked the kinks out of such a program.

I've been out since '96 and have spent a lot of my spare time sussing out the lay of the land. I have sorted through national groups, state groups, splinter groups,..Advocates in all shapes and sizes. My own personal take is that I realize that 'missionaries' are doing a service, I --personally-- do not have much to do with them.


I didn't intend to offend your sensibilities about the place for religion. I was commenting on 2 existing groups who could be of some use (in theory or practice) to Dragon as she asked for input.

I did intend to give some useful input (including my own comments) to Dragon.

Bella, have you looked at the FCN site? Directory of Programs

PS... for future reference...What, in my book, defines a Missionary group automatically is very simple.

Do their meetings begin or end with a prayer?
Is there a Reverand on the speakers panel...?
Are clutches of the attendees folks from the same church?

These are not the things you find at meetings of other advocacy groups.

Life....I'm going to publish an informative newsletter for ALL. People can decide for themselves if they want to align themselves with a particular group.

I don't put others down for what they believe in even if I disagree. Before I publish any information about ANY group, I will certainly investigate their motives.

BUT in my PERSONAL OPINION...So WHAT if groups start and end their meetings with a prayer. I just bow my head and while they are praying to their God....I say a little prayer to mine.

MRs. D

Perhaps all that should be discussed in its own thread so that Mrs Dragons thread wont be diverted from. Just a suggestion in order to keep Mrs Dragons thread on focus.

http://www.fcnetwork.org/

http://www.curenational.org/

mrs. dragon--here is a link to FCN and CURE


good luck with your newsletter- i think it is a great idea

Okay all I want to know is where do we stand with the newsletter. I am not in Michigan but Baby Boy is so I would be very interested in ride services since I normally stay with his sister in Detroit and she can normally take me to see him one day out of the weekend but not both. If I am going that far I want to see him both days.