Wings for L.I.F.E. Vision Statement:
Impart Life-skills for Inmate Families & Education
Wings for L.I.F.E. Mission Statement:
Building relationships with families, probationers, and former inmates through discussion, mentoring, empowerment, and support by:
- Teaching life-skills and addressing unique needs of family members of incarcerated individuals
- Strengthening families by building Search Institute’s® 40 Developmental Assets®
- Mobilizing and networking community stakeholders to identify and reach families in need. Stakeholders include Congregations, Corrections, School Systems, the Justice System, and community programs such as Big Brothers Big Sisters.
What Happens at Wings for L.I.F.E:
A Wings for L.I.F.E meeting is a place to meet other people who are facing the same challenges we deal with every day. We practice skills that help us get along in the world. We have speakers who share information about important life topics, such as finances, legal issues, and family problems. We discuss these topics, ask questions, and help one another with what we have learned. Some meetings are set aside to do community assistance projects and special activities. We have mentors who work with young people and child care for the little ones. Snacks are always provided.
Why this is important—
In our society where children are all at risk i one way or another, children whose parent(s) are in prison face even more challenges.
- Children of incarcerated family members are 10 times more likely to end up in prison.
- Over 50% of the children who have a parent in prison NEVER visit their parent in prison.
- 1 in 10 American children has a parent under penal supervision.
- 1 in 33 American children overall and 1 in 8 African American children has a parent behind bars today!
- If current trends continue, 1 in 15 Americans will spend time in a State or Federal Prison
- In California, 50% of all boys who have a parent in jail or prison will also wind up serving time behind bars.
2006 Statistics
Discussion Topics:
- Single parenting
- Finances
- discipline
- Acceptance issues
- Reporters & media
- Prison visits
- Homecoming
- Holidays & special occasions
|
- Public Defenders
- Substance abuse
- Finding and keeping a job
- Emergencies
- Legal issues
- Work/home/school
- Topics of interest to the group
|
Be A Mentor
- Be trained and matched with a child 6-18 years of age by a community mentoring program such as Big Brothers Big Sisters
- Meet child at Wings for L.I.F.E. twice a month in a group setting for activities.
- Call or meet child on alternate weeks.
- Be a friend & role model to child & family.
Comments about Wings for L.I.F.E.
I like it because:
- It's always so informative & people are really nice.
- It is FUN! We support each other.
- It saves families and gives hope.
- I wanted to be around people that are going through the same thing.
Some of the things I have learned are:
- We are more alike than different.
- We all need friends no matter what our lives are like.
- There is a need to keep families with someone incarcerated in a family-friendly environment.
- Every step makes a difference.
List
of Resources & Phone
Numbers
For your convenience, we are making available a helpful list
of Organizations, Services, and Toll Free Telephone Numbers for
Motels
and Hotels
in the
United States to be used as a quick reference. Click
here to download this list which is an excerpt
from
the
book, Family Arrested, How to Survive
the Incarceration of a Loved One, by Ann Edenfield.
Wings for L.I.F.E. is open to all. Wings for L.I.F.E. does not advocate, support, or practice discrimination based on age, ethnicity, gender, national origin, disability, race, size, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background. Wings for L.I.F.E does not propagate a belief in a specific faith.
The following are registered trademarks of Search Institute: Search Institute® and Developmental Assets®
