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Private group steps up to fund a bus trip so kids can visit their imprisoned moms

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Illinois

With no state budget, a program that would bus Chicago kids to visit their incarcerated mothers stalled months ago. To Pearl Mullen, who’s taking care of her grandchildren while her daughter is in prison, it’s meant her grandkids haven’t seen their mother in four months. WBEZ’s Tony Arnold has been keeping in touch with Mullen over the last few months, and found out there’s a new bus program starting up.

The program was run by Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, which laid off 40 percent of its staff last year.

Go listen to the interview.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 14, 16 @ 9:35 am

Comments

20 years from now, those kids will look back fondly at the ’short term pain’ Rauner inflicted upon them, and maybe even write him a short thank you note.

Not.

Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Apr 14, 16 @ 9:43 am
And bless those that arranged the bus trip. Unfortunately, I feel as though Sandack, Randango, and Rauner will feel this as a vindication of their ’starve the beast’ strategy as pointing to a groundswell of private sector paying for what the public sector should be doing.

They will twist this kind gesture into some kind of vindication for the destruction they are bringing to the social safety net.

Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Apr 14, 16 @ 9:49 am
Rauner may see a new business opportunity here. Let’s do some math. $1500 to rent a 56 passenger bus to go round trip. Charge $50 per ticket, that comes to $2800 dollars….do that about 35 times a year and you can pay for a $100,000 dollar per year wine club membership!

Comment by Saluki Thursday, Apr 14, 16 @ 9:51 am
How Ironic +1

Comment by HPSS Thursday, Apr 14, 16 @ 9:54 am
==20 years from now, those kids will look back fondly at the ’short term pain’==

20 years from now, those kids will likely look back fondly at very few aspects of their mother’s incarceration during their childhood.

Youcaring, the wonderful group running this, also says this ==An estimated 80% of incarcerated moms in IL state prisons have children who are minors==. This involves a lot of kids.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Apr 14, 16 @ 10:12 am
“I am personally committed to making Illinois the most compassionate state in America, and the most competitive state in America”

How we doin’ on that?

Comment by LizPhairTax Thursday, Apr 14, 16 @ 10:22 am
@FKA “20 years from now, those kids will likely look back fondly at very few aspects of their mother’s incarceration during their childhood.”

You are correct, but I’m sure they will be especially excited to remember the Gov that successfully removed their ability to meet their incarcerated parent on the few occasions where it was possible.

Of course, this is just ’short term pain’ right FKA? No biggie for the Gov. Just ruining lives all in the guise of making the 1.4% just a little bit easier w/out all the pesky problems.

Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Apr 14, 16 @ 10:22 am
Really. This is not a service which should be provided by the State — it is not an essential service.

Comment by Really Thursday, Apr 14, 16 @ 11:13 am
“This is not a service which should be provided by the State — it is not an essential service.”

Illinois’ Cycle Rider Safety Training Program, which provides free motorcycle lessons, would get an extra $633,000 under Bruce Rauner’s proposed 2016 budget. The program was allocated $11.2 million in 2015 but is expected to use only $3.6 million this year. Next year’s allocation would be $11.9 million. https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150301/news/150309942/

The Rauner administration lifted a freeze on $100 million in business tax-incentive deals to fulfill “commitments made by the Quinn administration” to companies including eBay, Capital One, CDW and SAC Wireless. http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150409/BLOGS02/150409776/despite-spending-freezes-elsewhere-rauner-oks-corporate-tax-breaks

Yes, Bruce has ushered in a golden age of essential services.

– MrJM

Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Apr 14, 16 @ 11:46 am
Thank the Lord for the private sector stepping in to attempt to fill the void in so many important programs trapped in the impasse.

This story is a great example. We’ve also previously discussed the sexual assault crisis centers-over in Champaign, hundreds of UI students have raised over $40,000 in the past few weeks and are still going in an effort to keep RACES going.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, Apr 14, 16 @ 4:00 pm
@Really “Really. This is not a service which should be provided by the State — it is not an essential service.”

You’re absolutely right. Probably would just be easier to forcibly require any incarcerated adult with children to give them up for adoption.

OR maybe even better, force the children to serve hard time with their parents, so we don’t have to worry about any pesky ‘visitation’.

It’s people like you that I worry about in life. Not the person that made a mistake and want’s to see their children (and that very child MAY affect if the person is re-incarcerated after release).

It’s the cold, heartless ‘compassionate’ folks that keep me awake at night, worrying about the country.

I’m pretty sure it’s Jesus’ own words that go something like “And remember though sins may be forgiven, even in prison a mother should cast out memories and love for her child, for that child must not feel loved or bond with the sinner” or something like that.

Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Apr 14, 16 @ 4:58 pm