X, inc.



am I forgiven®








Each month thousands are released from federal, county & juvenile jails, federal, state & juvenile prisons. This group of citizens face under-employment, poverty, under education, substandard housing, homelessness, lowered physical and mental health, substance abuse, and domestic abuse. Often, they find housing and support networks among others that are distressed and in crisis. Their problems intersect and commingle with homeless veterans, youth graduating out of the foster care system, and persons struggling with addictions. Several studies have shown the strongest predictor for successful re-entry is housing. The foundation for building healthy communities is stable housing. X, inc. wants to help.



The Program





X, inc. is an aspiring housing idea, that wants to be a boarding school for highly functioning adults with life challenges. Including women and men released from prison & jail, veterans, the homeless, and those needing addiction recovery in the Chicago land and Atlanta metropolitan area.


Eligibility: Once fully established we will accept persons with past or anticipated release from state prison, federal prison, county jail, or being at-risk of participating in unlawful acts - for women, men, and emancipated juveniles - with no age limit.


Excluding: Convicted Sex Offenders Substance abuse detoxification and Severe mental and/or physical disabilities.



Incorporated - 2012



the Mission





Our mission is to end negative effects caused by the disparity in convictions and sentencing imposed on many African American, Latino and Low-income families. We will fill the need for housing, education and mental health that men, women and emancipated juveniles released from prison and jail need to function and thrive.


Furthermore, we will address the stigma of conviction through public enlightenment and public education to cure the curse of discrimination against those with fully executed sentences.



Approved 501c3 - 2015



The Founder



Mr. Melvern Williams grew up in Robert Taylor homes on Chicago’s southside. He learned at an early age about the disproportionate representation of Blacks in the criminal justice system. He has been involved in prison ministry since 1999 on Chicago’s southside. Mr. Williams has worked 5 ½ years as an adult educator for women and men in Chicago’s Cook County jail, and has visited various State, Federal and Juvenile prisons. Prison ministry exposed him to problems faced by returning citizens. Mr. Williams learned that housing for returning citizens is in great demand and underfunding causes programs to be ineffective and unpredictable. Mr. Williams worked 5 years in construction and project management. He is a licensed architect, a LEED Green Associate ®, and a licensed tower crane operator. He currently works as a heavy equipment operator.



How You Can Help





With my Sincere Gratitude





If you, or anyone you know, might be interested in supporting this program,

please email mw@exhouse.org or call 773.206.8769



Financial Support





• Grant/Loan for minimally viable program

(4 staff & 6 students):

• New Facility

$154,660.00

• Annual Operating Expenses

$353,914.00

• Start-up furniture, equipment and supplies $88,465.00



Support via Resources





• Land donation or land-use agreement

• Furniture & Appliance Donations

(Home, Office & Classroom)

• Supplies, Equipment, Hardware & Software Donations

• Automotive donation or use agreement

• Donated advertising space



Introductions





• Community health investors: high yield loans against new facility

• Fundraising experts

• Grant writing experts



Supportive Prayer





• I (we) will pray for the success of X, inc.

• I (we) will share your needs with a friend, family, colleague



Problems with Current Post Release Policies



Office of Minority Health



US Department of Health & Human Services
Reentry Resources
minorityhealth.hhs.gov


95% Eventually Return: Each year roughly 600,000 individuals return to our neighborhoods after serving time in federal or state prisons and 11.4 million people cycle through local jails. Nearly everyone who goes to jail and approximately 95 percent of persons in state or federal prison will eventually return home.

Dec 2, 2019



Problem 1



Citizens are released under harmful, yet preventable conditions



Each month in your metropolitan area thousands of citizens are released from prison and jail under harmful conditions that we know tend to cause social maladies and adversely affect communities.



Problem 2



Well meaning citizens passively accept neglect and social exclusion



Many citizens passively or directly condone never ending, extremely punitive and humanity reductive, social exclusion. Family members have been pressured into promoting punitive solutions instead of healing and preventative options. Unfortunately, bias, norms, shame, and indifference guide our post release policies



Problem 3



The response to social inequities has led to low functioning neighborhoods



Harsh convictions that lack parity and nearly impossible-to-satisfy post release policies have led to saturated social conditions that have crippled neighborhoods. Such as high concentrations of: substandard housing, homelessness, unemployment, substance abuse, domestic violence, and mental health maladies



Problem 4



Healing solutions have been excluded from our discourse and fiscal budgets



Not enough attention and resources have been allocated to address the acute and chronic need for housing and treatment of a population in crisis. A population that intersects, and affects, every other social disorder in our communities



Problem 5



Many want to distance themselves from the work needed to build healthy communities



Many want one-size-fits-all post release policies and want to distance themselves from the necessarily untidiness of healthy solutions. Service providers will be exposed to harm and disappointment. Effective solutions will be iterative and nurturing, with modest outcomes. The solution will be uncomfortable, disquieting, and beautiful



Services at launch





Housing



Education



Mental Health



Public Enlightenment



Contact Us



Mr. Melvern Williams

7527 Roswell Rd. NE. 566-414

Atlanta, GA. 31156

mw@exhouse.org





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am I forgiven®



the neglected. the marginalized. the excluded. exhouse.org