I am currently a resident at Wilmington Residential Facility for Women. Due to the proposed state budget cuts, our facility is in danger of being shut down. This unit houses 36 women who have earned the privilege of work release. Out of the 36 women here, 32 actually work full time off-site. We each pay $360 per four-week period to reside at this unit. This amounts to roughly $185,000 per year.
As well as paying rent, most women have restitution that comes out of their earnings. This could not be possible if they were not employed. Most of the six minimum custody facilities have very limited work release slots. If the 36 women here were moved to any of these units, the possibility of getting a job would be lessened because the women currently at the other facilities are already on a waiting list for employment.
This being the case, all 36 women would basically be living off of the state with no income to contribute to our necessities, restitution or to child support. Not only do some of the women here work but they also attend Cape Fear Community College and are in the process of obtaining degrees.
Most of these women have children. If they are unable to procure their degrees or retain their current employment upon release, then welfare will be their only resource. We contribute to the community in many ways, such as in our use of public transportation, paying taxes and donation of our time in programs such as Think Smart, The Linus Project, feeding the homeless, as well as donating our money to charitable organizations.
Think Smart is a program that allows us to go into schools and to the police department to speak to high risk kids regarding their choices and consequences resulting from those choices. The Linus Project is an awesome chance to give back to someone less fortunate. We have a quilting class every Tuesday and make quilts for the use of children involved in a trauma situation such as fires, car accidents and abuse.
This is the only facility for women in the southeastern region. The majority of the women here are closer to home. Moving us to other minimum custody units would not only be a detrimental decision for us but also a hardship on our families. We have community support here. We have contracts with 12 work release employers. One work release site obtained close to 400 signatures in just a week alone to keep Wilmington Residential Facility for Women open.
Monetarily this budget cut would be less than beneficial to the state and would be demoralizing to the women who have struggled to earn this privilege. Please help us keep our facility open. Be a voice for us!
Kimberly Hawley
Wilmington
