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About 99% of men and women who are sentenced to prison get out at some point, and the support system they have upon re-entering society varies considerably. It is often difficult for them to find acceptance, including in churches, and difficult to find employment. Although they have been punished for their crimes, many find that society continues to punish them through exclusion. In Michigan, the Prisoner Re-entry (PR) program has been assisting men and women at the beginning of their parole with housing, a Bridge card (“food stamps”), and other basics to help them start a new life. At First United Methodist Church in Escanaba, we have been working with the PR agent for this area in providing a work experience at the church.

Our program involves a church member working with a parolee for two hours per week, with the main job to clean the nursery thoroughly. This takes about an hour with two people working together, and the second hour involves a variety of other jobs that need doing – other cleaning, garden work, changing lights, raking, etc. Payment is $10 an hour plus a bag of groceries or its equivalent (ex, some paper products and a gift card to the Dollar Tree store). The benefits to the worker are to gain work experience, to establish a work record and references for other employment, to make connections with positive people at church, and to have some extra money and items for household/personal needs. The benefits to the church are to gain a part-time worker, to support a returning citizen, and to break down social and emotional barriers. When a person finds regular employment, the church work experience can be offered to another individual working with the PR agent.

Both of the returning citizens who have been at First UMC since starting the program in March 2011 have been very good and dependable workers. They have done additional work for the pastor and some church members, and have volunteered time as well. Both have been assisted with putting together résumés, and the second person has been assisted with renewing his driver’s license (often a job requirement). The second person has also gotten involved with volunteering at the local animal shelter. By working with PR and the parole agents, there is support and feedback for all involved.

Half of the funding for the program has come through an Emerging Ministries grant through the Marquette District Office of the UMC, and this amount ($500) is matched by First UMC.  This is a one-year grant that can be renewed for another two years.  

All are hurt when a crime is committed – the person who does the crime, his/her victim, and both families. The church can be a place of healing for all.  For more information about PR, go to the Michigan State Department of Corrections website and click a sidebar “prisoner reentry” to get to a page with publications including a 2010 report. For more information about the program at First UMC, contact Barb Snyder at 906-789-0325 or email .