Murphy signs bill to release thousands of N.J. prisoners early beginning the day after Election Day
On October 19th, Governor Murphy signed legislation to free those trapped inside New Jersey jails, prisons, and halfway houses, where they face the worst COVID-19 outbreak of any prison system in the country. We anticipate that over 2,000 men and women within 8 months of their release date will gain relief from Public Health Emergency Credits, and will be released in the first week of November.
All too often, people are released with little more than a bus ticket and what remains of their commissary account on a debit card. To succeed in their next steps, especially in a world that, this year, looks entirely different to the one they left, many individuals will need access to basic resources and services that the state will not provide them.
NJ Prison Justice Watch (formerly known as NJ CAIC), a coalition of people with lived experience fighting for the dignity and human rights of currently and formerly incarcerated people, is partnering with the American Reentry Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, to introduce the Welcome Home Initiative. We seek to coordinate the efforts of concerned citizens across the state to provide comprehensive support and services to every returning citizen in New Jersey.
In addition to launching the first state-wide Welcome Home hotline to help individuals navigate the services in their area, we are also developing a network of distribution partners across the state where we can provide those recently released with the essential resources they need to start the next chapter of their life.
We need all the help you can provide to ensure we meet the needs of returning citizens in this historic moment: a release on this scale has never been attempted in the state’s, and perhaps even the country’s, history, and its success will depend on the generosity of the community members willing to step up.
Here’s how you can help:
- Support the General Fund
Help us respond to immediate needs and keep the program running by donating to the initiative's general fund, from which we will purchase debit/gift cards, phone plans, and the infrastructure needed to keep this program running. Donate via the paypal link here: paypal.me/AmericanReentry
- Donate Prepaid Debit & Gift Cards
Enable returning citizens to immediately get exactly what they need by donating either prepaid debit cards or gift cards to major retailers like Walmart, Target, ShopRite, NJ Transit, and more. Fill out the form below.
- Donate New or Used Cell Phones
Cell Phones are desperately needed to contact loved ones and access essential services as many offices are closed during the pandemic. We will accept new or gently used cell phones with chargers, as well as prepaid SIM cards. Fill out the form below.
- Donate Goods and Services
If you are or know a business owner who could donate services like haircuts, financial planning, or medical care, or have access to a bulk surplus of PPE, toiletries, or other essential goods, we need you! Fill out the form below, and we will contact you about how to collect and distribute these to returning citizens.
- Donate Your Time to the Cause
We need volunteers to make this historic effort happen! If you can volunteer on the hotline, help us with donor outreach, serve as a distribution point, offer rides and transportation, and/or greet returning citizens at Transit Centers, we need you! Fill out the form below.
Fill out the support form here to indicate how you can help: bit.ly/NJWelcomeHomeDonorForm
and Donate via the paypal link here: paypal.me/AmericanReentry
More NJ families now eligible to get money to help with child care. Here's how to apply
New Jersey families earning up to $150,000 a year are now eligible to apply for a child care subsidy program to offset costs as many schools shift to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Department of Human Services opened the program recently to families with incomes up to $75,000 but announced Thursday that it would double the cap amount to aid more families.
Tuition assistance will be available through Dec. 30 for eligible residents with children 5 to 13 years old. Families can get up to $1,900 in full-time child care assistance during this period. Part-time assistance is also available.
The NJ Bill of Rights for Children, Youth and Families
Join us in the fight for the rights of EVERY child and family in NJ by signing and sharing this petition supporting enactment of a Bill of Rights for Children, Youth and Families. Thousands of New Jersey families lack the basic supports and opportunities they need to successfully raise their children from birth to adulthood. The Family Success Institute and our collaborative partners in the Learning Community have launched a campaign to make the essential pillars of support so many of us have enjoyed a RIGHT – not just a privilege – for every child, youth and family in New Jersey.
If you agree that our state must confront the social and economic disparities that divide us and assure that EVERY New Jersey family has the resources and support they need to succeed, then sign this petition. Our goal is for New Jersey to adopt this Bill of Rights as law and to commit the resources needed to achieve for all what so many of us take for granted.
Read more and sign here.
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