MEETING MINUTES for April 10, 2010

Meeting convened at 1:30 P.M. at the Juliette Hampton Morgan Library, 245 High Street

 

1)  Updates and upcoming events:

 

	Clinic Escort – Report by Amy Applegate.  More volunteers needed.
	Diaper Bank – Report by Shirley Ann Rawls.  Possible partnership with AL Children's Rehab Service (CRS).
	May/Jun Montgomery AIDS Outreach Springfest? Not yet on website. We usually have a booth. Stay tuned.

	National NOW Conference in Boston, 2-4 July- anyone interested in going should contact Shirley Ann at mgmalnow@gmail.com
	Alabama NOW State Conference – will be a one-day event on September 11 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Montgomery – working on theme, speakers, events

 

2)  Alabama NOW Membership Drive – April 1 - July 1

ANYONE can join a NOW chapter in Alabama for only $10.00 for the first year.

Note: This is for new members ONLY and does not apply to renewals.

To be eligible for this rate, new members must have paid the $10.00 by July 1st.

Application should be handed to a current NOW member or mailed DIRECTLY TO:

Alabama NOW
PO Box 4184
Montgomery AL 36103

GRAND PRIZE: The chapter or current NOW member with the most new members by July 1st will earn $100!  Keep track of new members you recruit.

 

3)  Guest Speaker: 

Karen Carr, Re-Entry Coordinator, Aid to Inmate Mothers (AIM)

DID YOU KNOW?

• 1,900 Women are incarcerated in Alabama.

• 70% of the women in prison are mothers.

• More than 40% of imprisoned women have experienced physical, sexual or emotional abuse.

AIM was started in 1987 as a program to help children visit incarcerated mothers.  The visits include food, transportation, picture taking, and birthday celebrations.  The program has expanded to include helping families with school supplies and uniforms, holiday gifts, and sending kids to camp.

• Inside prisons, AIM offers a number of classes to help women work through the issues that brought them into prison, as well as storybook sessions (mother reads a children's book and includes a song or personal message to be included on a tape sent to her child) to help support children emotionally and maintain the bond between mother and child.

• Karen's own work is with AIM's aftercare program, Project Reconnect, which helps women with the very challenging transition from prison to the community outside.
  Women who are close to their release date receive help to secure jobs, find housing and make the community connections vital to success post-release.

• AIM works with the Women's Health Initiative For the Incarcerated (WHI-FI) and with the Domestic Violence Coalition.

• Karen gave us a great handout with ways we can help AIM – be sure to see it!

 

4)  MID-SOUTH NOW E-MAIL GROUP:  Your opportunity to VENT! in an effort to communicate across the region (AL, AR, LA, MS, TN).  Learn more about Mid-South events and fun stuff!

JOIN NOW ...

	Click on the URL below…
	In the SUBJECT block of the email type:  ADD ME TO MIDSOUTH GROUP
	Ensure your full name is in the body of the email before you hit send
	The moderator will send you an email with instructions
	CLICK - midsouthnow-owner@yahoogroups.com
	Holla if you have any problems

  

Next Meeting: June 12, 2010 - same time, same place, something new!