Day 33: A Second Chance

Some people have the gift of seeing individuals apart from the circumstance they find themselves in.  Seeing the value that each person possesses.  Even those considered the least in the eyes of society.  Sister Teresa Fitzgerald is one of those people.  She is an advocate for women and their children, fighting to maintain those precious relationships when the moms find themselves in jail.  

""I was just moved to think a child was ripped apart from their mom," Teresa said. "The more I talked to the mothers I realize the mothers just needed a chance."  Hour Children meets moms in some of the toughest jails in New York. They offer women a fresh start." CBS News   Hour Children is committed to the compassionate and loving care of children of incarcerated women.  Their outreach includes support and empowerment for mothers upon reunification with their families.  All persons are encouraged to live and interact with dignity and respect.  Hour Children website

""No woman comes out of prison and says 'gee I really want to mess up,'" she said. "They just don't have the skills and they have to learn the skills."  On one block in Queens, Fitzgerald, or "Sister Tesa" as she's called - provides free housing and daycare, and thrift stores where former inmates can work and shop...Next door to the store, there's computer training and job placement...One of the main goals is making sure the women don't end up back behind bars. In New York state, more than 30 percent of female ex-convicts get arrested again. But the rate for Hour Children's is only 4 percent."  CBS News

A second chance with fantastic outcomes when given the support to succeed.   

Twitter Updates – Follow Good News for Isla on Twitter.

RSS Subscription – Subscribe to Good News for Isla via RSS in a reader.

Email Updates – Sign up for email updates.