Milwaukee's Convergence Resource Center Hosts 8th Annual Fundraiser Celebrating Women In Pursuit Of Life After Prison

Once released from prison, studies show that most former inmates will return to prison and continue fueling negative socioeconomic cycles like single-parent homes, foster care and generational poverty.

In addition, female prisoners reenter society with a unique set of needs ranging from children and family issues to employment and substance abuse. But, thanks to organizations like the Convergence Resource Center, many former female inmates in the greater Milwaukee area are avoiding these pitfalls and turning their lives around.

March is Women's History Month (http://www.womenshistorymonth.gov/) and Milwaukee's Convergence Resource Center is busy making history this month and throughout the year by assisting phenomenal women working to overcome obstacles in pursuit of a positive life after prison.

The Convergence Resource Center (CRC) is a not-for-profit, 501(C) 3 faith-based, community service organization whose mission is to provide services to women who have formerly been incarcerated by providing resources including life skills, job readiness and job training with the goal of deterring re-incarceration.

In recognition of these women and the obstacles they continue to overcome, the Convergence Resource Center will host its 8th Annual Fundraiser Banquet appropriately titled 'Laughing through the Storm' April 27 at 6 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel, Milwaukee West, 2303 N. Mayfair Rd. This year's event will be hosted by multi-talented comedian Jonathan Slocumb.

Slocumb has been bringing fun back to the family for more than a decade. He has hosted many national events including the Essence Music Festival and his refreshing sense of humor has been featured on Meet the Browns, the Steve Harvey Show and BET's Comic View.

"We are extremely excited about this year's event," explained Dr. Debbie Lassiter, CEO and Co-founder of the Convergence Resource Center. "We are looking forward to Jonathan Slocumb helping us laugh through the storm, and the highlight of the event will be sharing the success stories of the women we service."

The Banquet is sponsored in part through funding provided by the Convergence Resource Center, Triumph Enterprises, LLC. and Lassid Ministries Inc. Event sponsorships and tickets are currently available. Please call 414.393.1325 or visit http://bit.ly/y7uYOW for more information.

"We believe these women are Works of ART," said Carla McKiver, Co-founder and Co-Executive Director of the Convergence Resource Center. "Our programs help these women gain job skills; we also provide them with appropriate clothing for job interviews and help them secure housing and employment. By providing a helping hand to these women, we are allowing them to overcome several of the key barriers and making their transition from prison to the real world much smoother."

About the Convergence Resource Center
The Convergence Resource Center (CRC) is a not-for-profit, 501(C) 3 faith based, community service organization, established in April 2004. Guided by the belief that many of the challenges facing the community can best be corrected when those who live in the central city and urban communities assume greater personal responsibility for their quality of life when we strive to make a difference. Although all of our services are provided free of charge to the women, we fully expect them to work harder at their advancement than we do. To learn more about the organization, please visit http://bit.ly/wosqsI or call 414.393.1325.


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