Organizations Filed Purposes:
LETS START AIMS TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF INCARCERATION IN FAMILIES BY WORKING WITH FORMERLY INCARCERATED WOMEN AND THEIR CHILDREN TO SUPPORT RE-ENTRY AND RECOVERY, MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF PARENTAL IMPRISONMENT, EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND INFORM POLICY
2) 12 BUS TRIPS WERE PROVIDED TO THE WOMENS PRISON IN VANDALIA, MO, WHERE CHILDREN ARE ABLE TO VISIT THEIR INCARCERATED MOTHERS. 96 CHILDREN AND CAREGIVERS PARTICIPATED IN THESE FREE BUS TRIPS. 35 CHILDREN PARTICIPATED IN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP THERAPY SESSIONS. THESE ARE PROVIDED BY A CONTRACTED THERAPIST WHO SPECIALIZES IN ADDRESSING THE TRAUMA AND INSTABILITY THAT CHILDREN OF INCARCERATED MOTHERS EXPERIENCE. 100% OF KIDS SAID THEY WERE HAPPY WHEN VISITING THEIR MOTHERS. 81% OF CHILDREN REPORTED POSITIVE FEELINGS SUCH AS FEELING PROUD, HAPPY AND LOVED AFTER THE VISIT WITH THE MOTHERS. 83% OF CAREGIVERS SAID TAKING BUS TRIPS HAS HELPED IMPROVE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CHILDREN AND PARENTS. 100% OF CAREGIVERS IDENTIFIED CHILDREN RECEIVING BENEFITS OF A BIGGER SUPPORT SYSTEM AND AN IMPROVEMENT IN BEHAVIORS AT SCHOOL AND AT HOME.
3) THE WOMEN WHO PARTICIPATE IN THE LETS START PROGRAM PROVIDE NUMEROUS TALKS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE IN DIALOGUE ABOUT ISSUES THAT LEAD TO INCARCERATION, AND THE IMPACT OF INCARCERATION ON FAMILIES. LETS START RECOGNIZES THAT THE INCARCERATION OF WOMEN AND ITS IMPACT ON THEIR CHILDREN IS NOT ONLY A FUNCTION OF PERSONAL CHOICES, BUT ALSO A DIRECT RESULT OF SOCIAL POLICIES. LAST YEAR, LETS START PARTICIPANTS SPOKE TO OVER 1000 MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH STATE-WIDE CONFERENCES, CHURCHES, AND SCHOOLS. THE WOMEN SHARED THEIR PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT THE IMPACT OF INCARCERATION, ADDICTION, MENTAL HEALTH, RACISM, AND POVERTY.
1) DURING THE YEAR, OVER 600 UNDUPLICATED WOMEN PARTICIPATED IN THE WEEKLY GROUP MEETINGS AT ST. VINCENTS CHURCH, THE ST. LOUIS COUNTY JAIL, AND THE MEDIUM SECURITY INSTITUTE IN ST. LOUIS CITY. 100% OF WOMEN SURVEYED IN SUPPORT GROUPS REPORTED THAT THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE LETS START PROGRAM HELPS THEM MAKE POSITIVE CHOICES ABOUT DRUGS AND/OR ALCOHOL USE. OF THE WOMEN SURVEYED, 97% SAID THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH LETS START HAS HELPED THEM FEEL MORE CONFIDENT IN PROBLEM SOLVING, AND 94% REPORT HAVING A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR FAMILIES. LETS START CONTINUES TO PROVIDE FREE CLINICS INCLUDING LEGAL, COUNSELING, CHILD SUPPORT, AND A PARENTING CLINIC TO CONNECT WOMEN WITH PROFESSIONALS WHO CAN HELP THEM ATTAIN THEIR GOALS. FINALLY, 73% OF WOMEN SAY THAT SINCE ATTENDING LETS START THEY HAVE REACHED OUT FOR POSITIVE FINANCIAL, MORAL, SOCIAL, AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT.
Executives Listed on Filing
Total Salary includes financial earnings, benefits, and all related organization earnings listed on tax filing
| Name | Title | Hours Per Week | Total Salary |
|---|
| Rachel S Cramsey | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $60,923 |
| Lucy Liggett | VICE PRESIDENT | 2 | $0 |
| Catherine Keefe | PRESIDENT | 2 | $0 |
| Aisha White | TREASURER | 2 | $0 |
| Martha Whitted | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | $0 |
| Susan Walker | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | $0 |
| Debra Dixon | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | $0 |
| Jill Evans Petzall | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | $0 |
| Regina Heard | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | $0 |
| Yolanda Baker | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | $0 |
| Jackie Toben | BOARD MEMBER and FOUNDER | 0.5 | $0 |
| Stephanie Kut | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | $0 |
| Lakesha Robinson | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | $0 |
| Faye Abram | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | $0 |
Data for this page was sourced from XML published by IRS (
public 990 form dataset) from:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/irs-form-990/201940359349300419_public.xml