Coffee Creek Quilters is honored to be featured on the website of Wisconsin-based quilting supply store Nancy’s Notions as an outlet for “Creative Kindness.” Creative Kindness is a book and DVD series that is part of Nancy Zieman’s long-running TV show, Sewing with Nancy (29 years and counting!). The book helps connect quilters and other fiber-artists with worthwhile projects for their creative energies around the world.
Over the past ten years, the number of women inmates in prison in Oregon has jumped 86 percent, due to new laws mandating prison for non-violent crimes. (For men, the increase has been just 28 percent.) Hannah Hoffman’s excellent article in Willamette Week offers a detailed look at why women are the fastest-growing group of inmates in Oregon, and the effects of this criminal justice trend.
The article points out that female inmates cost the state more than male inmates, requiring more staff, medicine, programs, counselors and caseworkers. Hoffman writes, “According to [Department of Corrections] statistics, about a third of female prisoners have not completed high school. More strikingly, the vast majority are diagnosed at their medical evaluation as having mental-health issues. Sixty-four percent of the inmates at Coffee Creek have “serious and persistent mental health diagnoses,” such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and chronic depression, according to the DOC. And 89 percent of the inmate population entered prison addicted to drugs or alcohol.” And since about 75 percent of the women are mothers, the State must also pay for foster care for many of their children.
CCQ was honored to receive a $1000 grant from IBM’s On Demand Community, which supports business solutions for organizations in which the corporation’s retirees volunteer. CCQ board member Martha Messa is an IBM retiree, and the grant was awarded thanks to her efforts.