Carol Boss (OPOP Team Member for St. Paul’s Episcopal, Mt. Vernon) extends an invitation to any in the diocese who might be interested in homelessness, prison/criminal justice reform and programs to help our siblings returning to their communities upon release from prison.

The mini-conference held in Mount Vernon for OPOP teams from Skagit and Whatcom Counties in November 2023 was attended by 80 individuals, including formerly incarcerated friends who gave powerful testimonies about their journey from prison to being reunited with family and their community.

So many of our released friends experience homelessness because it is difficult to obtain employment and housing with a criminal record – resulting in an outrageously high rate of recidivism.