At their September board meeting the Directors of Our Brothers’ Keepers made a strategic decision to move forward their plans for prisoner reentry in East St. Louis. Readers of this newsletter know that for several years our fledgling ministry has been focused on property acquisition and construction plans. It has been a long and arduous process, with both advances and setbacks, to do so legally and properly.
Since quality reentry services are so urgently needed, a decision was reached to place first priority on providing the program for returning citizens and that this outweighs any considerations of land and buildings. Accordingly, both in its fund-raising efforts and in its ministry planning, OBK will give its first attention to delivery of case management, employment readiness, personal counseling, and other services vital for the return to society. It is estimated that about $100,000 must be raised to launch the first year of operation.
The search for a physical location goes on as we continue our conversations with the officials and citizens of East St. Louis. Perhaps it is the Lord’s will that Our Brothers’ Keepers experience their own homelessness before attempting to solve that of others.
OBK Board of Directors