Success Stories…
“Without Friends Outside, most inmates will continue to go in and out of the jail’s revolving door.”
–Captain William Martin, Retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
“Friends Outside assisted me with getting into recovery for drug abuse and then helping me attain my first job. Five years later, I am now the Director of a substance abuse treatment program.”
—Laurie L.
“Because of the services at Friends Outside, I was accepted into a temporary shelter after I got out of federal prison. Four months later, the staff helped me find employment.”
—Salvador S.
“Dealing with a drug problem can be very difficult for a family. My husband is fighting a drug addiction problem. However, because of Friends Outside my husband is in a drug treatment program. Without Friends Outside, my husband would have just been sitting in jail and not facing his real problem. Your services are important for many families.”
— Veronica
“I am a medical social worker at a hospital in West Covina. Recently, I needed to assist a patient’s gravely ill son. Your case manager was very helpful with facilitating arrangements so his incarcerated family member could be notified and involved in a life and death decision regarding his son. This is a very valuable service for families. I hope that funding will continue to be provided to programs like this one.”
— Nancy S.
“Friends Outside helped me get a job when I was pregnant and my husband was in prison. They also helped with bus tokens, food, stamps, paper and envelopes so I could write to my husband. Those letters helped keep us together. They seem like little things but they were big to me at the time because I was living on pennies. Friends Outside provided a safe place for me to talk about very private issues and I was never judged.My life has changed. I am now stable and self-sufficient. I have a good job and I can give back to the community. I am taking what I received when I was a client and using my knowledge and new skills to help others.”
— Leticia
“I had been in and out of city, county, and state facilities for 20 years. I am an addict. It is very difficult to make any arrangements or attain assistance (while in jail). Some facilities had “Friends Outside” from which inmates could attain services– family contact, children’s services, and referrals of many kinds. Their people are indispensable. Without their services, I would not have found out about recovery services that are available to me and about a life that is possible after jail. It was through Friends Outside people, both inside the facility and outside in the community, that I got assistance getting into recovery and attaining my first job.
It is now five years later. Instead of doing time, I am running a residential program and attaining a master’s degree. Without Friends Outside I would probably be back doing time. I will be forever indebted to the dedicated people working at Friends Outside.”
From Prison Numbers to Success by Laurie L