For some formerly incarcerated people, especially if they are addicted drugs or alcohol, venturing more than a few blocks can be a struggle, according the Rev. Michelle Simmons.
So Why Not Prosper, the Germantown-based women’s reentry program she founded, now has a van. The Rolling Engagement Van, which officially launches this weekend, will offer mobile resources to those impacted by the justice system, in an attempt to reduce recidivism.
“We have so many models where we’re asking people to come to us,” Simmons told Metro. “It’s very important to be able to bring the services to the hood, because some people are stuck in a radius. They’re not coming. They’re not going.”
REV is a partnership between Why Not Prosper and the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) of the city’s MacArthur Foundation Safety and Justice Challenge program, which provided a grant for the vehicle – which is more like a RV and costed upwards of $100,000, Simmons said.
Charlotte Brickhouse, the committee’s chair, said members were examining ways to eliminate barriers for those returning after serving their sentences. CAC’s goals include reducing the prison population and tackling racial, ethnic and economic disparities in the criminal justice system.
Everywhere the van stops, members of Why Not Prosper’s Sisters with a Goal (SWAG) team will be offering SEPTA passes, clothing, bags with sanitary products, food and vouchers to help people acquire identification cards, organizers said.
REV, on a week-by-week basis, will be teaming up to provide additional services, Simmons and Brickhouse added. Sometimes, a pharmacist will be in the van to offer vaccinations; or a mental health professional may be on board for therapy; or a public defender providing legal assistance may be riding along.
“We are going to have individuals who are going to partner with us every week, who will be on the van to provide that support in real-time to the individuals in the community,” Brickhouse said. “I’m not sure if it has ever been done this way before.”
Though Simmons has dedicated more than two decades to helping formerly incarcerated women, REV services will be open to all genders.
Brickhouse said the longer-term hope is that additional funding becomes available to allow for the purchase of more vehicles.
“One van canvassing the city of Philadelphia is probably not sufficient,” she said. “So our hope is that in the near future, we will be able to expand the services, be able to go into more communities”
The initial van arrived in November, and, thus far, REV has visited two or three locations, Simmons said.
Currently, the van is set to be deployed two or three times a week, and Simmons said REV is interested in adding more community partners across the city.
“We’re looking for people to call us,” she said. “We’re looking for people to invite us. We are open and available to come to your location and be a blessing to your community.”
Any individual or organization interested in collaborating is encouraged to contact Why Not Prosper at 610-716-1113 or whynotprosper@aol.com.
Anyone interested in the project is also invited to a launch event at noon Saturday, Jan. 27, at Why Not Prosper’s office, 717 E. Chelten Ave.
