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Who We Serve Disadvantaged women of African and Latino descent are disproportionately incarcerated. 80% of women incarcerated in the United States were subjected to domestic abuse or some violent act. It is practically impossible for a person to maintain their residence while in prison, which results
in homelessness upon release. Formerly incarcerated people are often unemployable due to felony convictions that make it difficult to not only find work, but also to gain access to public housing, welfare, food stamps, drivers’ licenses, passports, and voting. For the 600,000 prisoners who leave
correctional facilities each year in the United States, re-establishing healthy and safe relationships back home is often the fulcrum upon which successful reentry is balanced. WHEW realizes that women who are formerly incarcerated, homeless, and victims of domestic violence have converging
issues that make them ill-equipped to advocate on their own behalf.
There are few, if any, programs in the Sunnyside and Third Ward areas in Harris County that address these converging issues. WHEW’s target objectives are to service these women and tosupport them in not returning to prison, abusive relationships, and homelessness. WHEW seeks to address key problems such as employment, job skills and training, and other essential needs for this disenfranchised clientele. Moreover, WHEW seeks to meet the needs of clients who appear to be undesired by other institutions. In addition, WHEW empowers women globally by creating employment and projects that are beneficial to their communities of origin.
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