WISH LIST $100: fuel for 2 weeks of transportation to and from job fairs; $500: 1 month of daily breakfast and lunch served to clients; $1000: 1 month's security deposit and moving expenses for a needy family; priceless: donated space for expanding programs

Every year over 2,500 former prisoners return home to the District of Columbia—many suffering from limited education, joblessnesss, low self-esteem, substance abuse problems and, to complete the picture, HIV. What’s worse, a profound distrust of social service organizations prevents them from seeking help. Given obstacles like these, it’s no wonder that over 2,000 will return to the lives that landed them in jail in the first place. Begun by a former counselor with the DC Department of Corrections who was frustrated by the lack of services for ex-offenders, EFFORTS takes a unique approach to this alarming problem: almost all staff members are themselves former offenders or substance abusers. They serve 1,500 ex-offenders annually, providing services that address the underlying problems: counseling, HIV/AIDS services, addiction programs, housing assistance, domestic violence prevention programs, and even aftercare services for children of ex-offender clients. Literacy and job readiness classes, and transportation to other services (and parole meetings), put clients on the road to achievement. EFFORTS’ success rate is an extraordinary 83%, compared to a District-wide recidivism or failure rate of 80%. Consider the alternative.

Rachel L. Morrison, Executive Director 1612 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 202-232-7320 www.effortsdc.org