The Brooke House staff received this letter from a former resident, who wrote to extend his thanks for the team’s commitment to his success.
The letter, written by resident Mr. Wallace (not his real name), began as many stories of the formerly incarcerated do, by describing one’s search for their place in a new world.
Mr. Wallace wrote, “Ironically, when I first came here, I wanted to go right back to prison rather than being free. I simply didn’t feel as if I fit into today’s world,” and acknowledged his personal struggles, writing, “I recognize that I may not have been the easiest guy to initially deal with. Some might even characterize me as acutely hard to deal with.”
Consistent with the CRJ’s mission to support our most challenged citizens by offering an array of innovative services delivered by a highly skilled staff, the Brooke House team learned that their efforts had a tremendous impact on Mr. Wallace.
“I actually kind of like this being free thing, it grows on you,” wrote Mr. Wallace, who went on to say, “When I needed to hear the right words, to keep myself from crashing, you gave them to me. You helped keep me focused on what is important…”
“My goals were simple – I’m not looking to sail the seven seas or invent the next big thing,” he wrote. “I just want what everyone else wants. I want to be with my family, know happiness, and have peace of mind.”
The post-incarceration experience of Mr. Wallace is one that is shared by thousands of individuals each year. At Community Resources for Justice, we strive to ensure that every person we work with has the opportunity to design their own future, a sentiment highlighted by Mr. Wallace’s closing words.
“Never forget,” he wrote, “some of us do want to change.”