CHILDREN OF INCARCERATED PARENTS...

Shekinah Prison Ministries

Doris Riley, Co-Founder
Board Chair

My Story

At the age of 18 months, my father was unjustly removed from my life; as a result my childhood was spent in poverty, living in the backwoods of Arkansas. My mother was left with two very small children; myself only 18 months, my brother three years old and she was 4 months pregnant with another child.

Although we were able to visit my father in prison, the visits were infrequent because my mother could not drive nor had the financial means to pay others to take us. I remember vividly as a little girl becoming familiar with the routine of visitation within a jail. Often my brothers and I were faced with mockery from the other children at school and the shame of our father's confinement in prison.

There were many, many challenges that we faced as a family just because we were left behind. It seemed no one cared or understood the affects of losing our father. How he was suddenly snatched from the lives of his wife and three small children and how a mother in her twenties without a high school education had to be the sole provider for her family. I thank God today that He was faithful to take care of us and we survived.

In 2004 one of my brothers (the one my mom was pregnant with) was incarcerated and left behind a 2 year old daughter, and two sons 9 and 17 years old. When this occurred my husband and I began to assist my brother's family financially, emotionally, and with much prayer. We also provided the children with gifts during the Christmas season.

This incident triggered the memory of my childhood and my heart began to feel the pain and feelings of abandonment of children all over this country. After much research, I was shocked and appalled at the high percentage of children who are left behind. My husband Joseph and I felt impressed of God to help the many children all over this country who have a mom or dad incarcerated.

Shekinah Prison Ministries' Staff

Joseph & Doris Riley, Founders

Joseph Riley, President

Konstance Riley, Account Executive

Sonia Morris, Regional Service Coordinator


Mission

Shekinah Prison Ministries is a non-profit organization that assists children/families of those incarcerated nationally. We serve as an emergency support to the children and families through out the year and provide gifts during the holiday season. Our goal is to be a support to families who suddenly find themselves as sole caregivers of children related to an incarcerated spouse or parent.

What We Do

We are dedicated to establishing a relationship with families of those incarcerated to provide support and to connect them with needed resources of survival as a family. Shekinah Prison Ministries specialize in minimizing the impact of incarceration to the families that are left behind. Services offered:

• Assistance with clothing and school supplies
• Emergency Financial Assistance
• Gifts during the Holiday Season
• Training: Anger Management, Financial Management & Drama Classes
• Resource Referral

BECOME A VOLUNTEER!
MAKE A DONATION...

P. O. Box 278
Olive Branch, MS 38654
United States
ph: 901-848-2914
fax: 662-504-4234
www.shekinahprisonministries.org
shekinahprisonministries@yahoo.com