The Reentry Program concept was born over 15 years ago during one of the Annual Prison Dawah Conferences held at Masjid Bilal in North Houston by Dr. Laeeq Khan. Salaam founder was assisting at the registration table. Everyone who came to the stage including Ms. Ortiz, then director of TDCJ Rehabilitation Division said “YOU MUSLIMS DON’T HAVE A PLACE FOR MEN AND WOMEN BEING RELEASED , WHERE THEY CAN GO TO TRANSITION IN THE FREE WORLD.”
Founder with salaam’s current president Badar Alam rented a home in SW Houston for returning citizens in 2010. Gradually one of the residents took over the lease and we moved to a bigger property with accommodation for 20+. It was a learning experience since we didn’t have our ducks lined up. No cooperation from Parole Supervisors or networking with others in the Transition community, no one experienced to manage residents. We ran out of funds and could not extend our lease. Imam Ali Kemal Civelek at the Turquoise Center started Salaam House with our founder as their Reentry Coordinator. We had to move out of there after a year as well because of the neighbors not wanting us.
Joseph Clark joined Salaam Reentry Board around this time. He has been serving the 5th Ward Community for over two decades. Ironically, Br Joseph got his first Quran from Dr Khan’s Masjid Bilal. Joseph Clark and many Peer Mentors and have been serving the ex-incarcerated without any bias to their personal faith. In fact, he learned the philosophy and practice of care-giving to the drug and trauma afflicted from the leaders in the larger community that he is still very much part of. Please watch the less than minute visits to get a better feel of risk and needs of the ex-incarcerated.
You must have the evidence based system in place before you acquire a transition home physical facility. Operating Halal House successfully for over two years without any consistent community support, I learned that Shifa House and Salaam House were flop houses, place for them stay, eat and do what they used to do that got them in trouble. This is only possible because of Br. Joseph and his community’s sheer devotion to the cause and love for humanity. In order for the community to organize and operate a model Texas Reentry Program, community leaders must educate themselves or staff members working in collaboration with dedicated individuals and organizations actually doing it without community financial responsibility to invest the Imana’ of Zaka’ equitably.
Founder with salaam’s current president Badar Alam rented a home in SW Houston for returning citizens in 2010. Gradually one of the residents took over the lease and we moved to a bigger property with accommodation for 20+. It was a learning experience since we didn’t have our ducks lined up. No cooperation from Parole Supervisors or networking with others in the Transition community, no one experienced to manage residents. We ran out of funds and could not extend our lease. Imam Ali Kemal Civelek at the Turquoise Center started Salaam House with our founder as their Reentry Coordinator. We had to move out of there after a year as well because of the neighbors not wanting us.
Joseph Clark joined Salaam Reentry Board around this time. He has been serving the 5th Ward Community for over two decades. Ironically, Br Joseph got his first Quran from Dr Khan’s Masjid Bilal. Joseph Clark and many Peer Mentors and have been serving the ex-incarcerated without any bias to their personal faith. In fact, he learned the philosophy and practice of care-giving to the drug and trauma afflicted from the leaders in the larger community that he is still very much part of. Please watch the less than minute visits to get a better feel of risk and needs of the ex-incarcerated.
You must have the evidence based system in place before you acquire a transition home physical facility. Operating Halal House successfully for over two years without any consistent community support, I learned that Shifa House and Salaam House were flop houses, place for them stay, eat and do what they used to do that got them in trouble. This is only possible because of Br. Joseph and his community’s sheer devotion to the cause and love for humanity. In order for the community to organize and operate a model Texas Reentry Program, community leaders must educate themselves or staff members working in collaboration with dedicated individuals and organizations actually doing it without community financial responsibility to invest the Imana’ of Zaka’ equitably.
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