Hey there! I've sent some emails to some organizations that may or may not help you. I'm hoping they'll contact you soon.
One of them already got back to me. Here's what they said:
"Donny Welch can find assistance in Beeville by contacting Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend.
They have a career center in Beeville located at 3800 Charco Rd, Beeville, TX 78102. You may contact them at 361-358-8941 or 800-666-0479. The center offers support services for job seekers, including those with criminal backgrounds."
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I don't know if you have contacted them or not, but there is a nonprofit Texas organization that claims to help people in your situation. Maybe give them a shot.
I'll copy and paste their information here for you. Good luck! Don't give up on yourself!
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Texas Inmate Families Association TIFA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Our mission is to break the cycle of crime by strengthening families through support, education, and advocacy. TIFA also provides parole workshops as well as online resources for our members.
What we do TIFA provides support, education, and advocacy for our members through monthly chapter meetings, this website, a quarterly newsletter, and access to the executive director of TIFA. Some of our accomplishments and services:
* Provide several different types of workshops that orient new families to TDCJ and that answer questions about parole and how to assemble a parole packet * Provide webinars to our members who cannot attend chapter meetings because of distance or their schedule * Launched new chapters and increased new memberships and renewals * Send holiday cards with inmate-specific greetings from local chapter members to their loved ones and others without outside support so they know they are not forgotten during the holidays * Send weekly Constant Contact email messages to keep members informed about important issues, conditions and changes * Distribute, free TDCJ approved clear coin purses for member use when visiting loved ones * Locate inmates who have been transferred from county jails to TDCJ for anxious families * Represent members in discussions with TDCJ and legislative officials * Provided ongoing updates about the Texas Legislature * All of the above items were provided to members as a part of their memberships in TIFA.
Texas Inmate Families Association P.O. Box 300220 Austin, TX 78703-0004
I talked with my State Senator Patty Schnachtner (she was the surprise Democratic winner last year who got Sheila Harsdorf's seat when she left to be Secretary of Agriculture)last week about what I thought she might champion as prison reform issues. Even tho she's a Democrat with a Democratic Governor who talks a good talk....she's consistently disappointed me with her "politically correct" answers. She's not interested in championing anything when it comes to prison reform...and totally refuses to talk about the mandatory 3-year minimum sentence for possession of child porn. I suggested that a practicing pedophile is a different situation than a no-contact-with- the-outside world porn addict (technology addiction in John's case)...but she won't talk about the subject at all. Says the topic is just too "sensitive".
I'm meeting with my Republican Assemblyman Shannon Zimmerman on Wednesday in person...I've known him for several years through his business connections prior to his election. He's made some prison reform comments to me in passing...so I'm anxious to hear his thoughts on what John and others at Stanley see as topics worth consideration in prison reform. He's on the Joint Finance Committee so has risen through the ranks quickly to a position of power so could affect change should he so choose. He was in lock step with Walker on most things in the past so will see how he walks his bi-partisan talk now that he has a chance.
I'll keep you posted on what Zimmerman has to say. Ironic that the Democrat wouldn't meet me in person and isn't interested in what I had to say...and at this point the Republican is willing to meet me in person. Hopefully he will listen to what's come forward as topics from the guys John knows at Stanley. I'd be thrilled (if I were him) to have access to the truth from the real world inside the system...not just what others think the legislature wants to hear.
I'm also meeting with a former judge to talk about the porn addiction education program I'd like to bring to our area next fall. He's been identified as an advocate for education, prevention and rehabilitation rather than incarceration....I'll see what he has to say.
Keep up the blogs...glad the tablet is making your work easier, quicker and cheaper. John says you'll be seeing changes with canteen and phone system vendor switches....hopefully they get the bugs worked out quickly as I'm sure there will be some.
RSS
One of them already got back to me. Here's what they said:
"Donny Welch can find assistance in Beeville by contacting Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend.
They have a career center in Beeville located at 3800 Charco Rd, Beeville, TX 78102. You may contact them at 361-358-8941 or 800-666-0479. The center offers support services for job seekers, including those with criminal backgrounds."
===
I don't know if you have contacted them or not, but there is a nonprofit Texas organization that claims to help people in your situation. Maybe give them a shot.
I'll copy and paste their information here for you. Good luck! Don't give up on yourself!
===
Texas Inmate Families Association
TIFA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Our mission is to break the cycle of crime by strengthening families through support, education, and advocacy. TIFA also provides parole workshops as well as online resources for our members.
What we do
TIFA provides support, education, and advocacy for our members through monthly chapter meetings, this website, a quarterly newsletter, and access to the executive director of TIFA. Some of our accomplishments and services:
* Provide several different types of workshops that orient new families to TDCJ and that answer questions about parole and how to assemble a parole packet
* Provide webinars to our members who cannot attend chapter meetings because of distance or their schedule
* Launched new chapters and increased new memberships and renewals
* Send holiday cards with inmate-specific greetings from local chapter members to their loved ones and others without outside support so they know they are not forgotten during the holidays
* Send weekly Constant Contact email messages to keep members informed about important issues, conditions and changes
* Distribute, free TDCJ approved clear coin purses for member use when visiting loved ones
* Locate inmates who have been transferred from county jails to TDCJ for anxious families
* Represent members in discussions with TDCJ and legislative officials
* Provided ongoing updates about the Texas Legislature
* All of the above items were provided to members as a part of their memberships in TIFA.
Texas Inmate Families Association
P.O. Box 300220
Austin, TX 78703-0004
Phone: (512) 371-0900
Email: tifa@tifa.org
I talked with my State Senator Patty Schnachtner (she was the surprise Democratic winner last year who got Sheila Harsdorf's seat when she left to be Secretary of Agriculture)last week about what I thought she might champion as prison reform issues. Even tho she's a Democrat with a Democratic Governor who talks a good talk....she's consistently disappointed me with her "politically correct" answers. She's not interested in championing anything when it comes to prison reform...and totally refuses to talk about the mandatory 3-year minimum sentence for possession of child porn. I suggested that a practicing pedophile is a different situation than a no-contact-with- the-outside world porn addict (technology addiction in John's case)...but she won't talk about the subject at all. Says the topic is just too "sensitive".
I'm meeting with my Republican Assemblyman Shannon Zimmerman on Wednesday in person...I've known him for several years through his business connections prior to his election. He's made some prison reform comments to me in passing...so I'm anxious to hear his thoughts on what John and others at Stanley see as topics worth consideration in prison reform. He's on the Joint Finance Committee so has risen through the ranks quickly to a position of power so could affect change should he so choose. He was in lock step with Walker on most things in the past so will see how he walks his bi-partisan talk now that he has a chance.
I'll keep you posted on what Zimmerman has to say. Ironic that the Democrat wouldn't meet me in person and isn't interested in what I had to say...and at this point the Republican is willing to meet me in person. Hopefully he will listen to what's come forward as topics from the guys John knows at Stanley. I'd be thrilled (if I were him) to have access to the truth from the real world inside the system...not just what others think the legislature wants to hear.
I'm also meeting with a former judge to talk about the porn addiction education program I'd like to bring to our area next fall. He's been identified as an advocate for education, prevention and rehabilitation rather than incarceration....I'll see what he has to say.
Keep up the blogs...glad the tablet is making your work easier, quicker and cheaper. John says you'll be seeing changes with canteen and phone system vendor switches....hopefully they get the bugs worked out quickly as I'm sure there will be some.
Evy