2017: Transitional Work

The Department of Justice says that Oklahoma incarcerates more women, per capita, than any other state in the nation. Alarmed by that statistic, The Junior League of Tulsa took action.

It’s easy to forget that most imprisoned women, in Oklahoma and elsewhere, have children they leave behind. Many incarcerated women have also suffered from poverty, domestic violence, child abuse, and an environment of excessive drugs and alcohol. Upon release, most will not have housing, a job, transportation, or even a driver's license.

That’s why JLT has partnered with Tulsa’s Resonance Center for Women, which helps nonviolent female offenders successfully transition out of incarceration.

For 10 years, JLT members have provided holiday events for Resonance clients and their families, hosting graduation ceremonies, and interacting with the women through done-in-a-day projects.

2016 was marked by the opening with Resonance of a full-service lunch restaurant called Take 2 Café that offers six-month employment and housing for recently released women. Take 2 now averages 120 customers each day, grosses monthly proceeds of almost $30,000, and has housed and employed dozens of women who are looking to get their lives back together after prison.