White Feather Re-Entry is the original Fresh Start Housing organization created and run by Lesta Rogers in the Tacoma area.
Knott Enterprises Foundation is claiming, on their website, to be a part of Fresh Start Housing founded by Lesta and that they are approved by the Department of Corrections through Fresh Start Housing.
These untrue statements are obviously intended to deceive the public with their fictional ties to Fresh Start Housing and Lesta.
We are in NO WAY assoicated with this organization. Beware of this and other organizations claiming to be tied to Lesta and Fresh Start Housing. They are trying to capitalize on Lesta's success.
You are currently on the "official" website for Lesta's housing organization.
Making a Difference in Our Communities!
Over 90% of those who are incarcerated will eventually be released. Our choice is not ifwe receive them, but how we receive them.
Our objective is to provide the best opportunity for their success while maintaining neighborhood safety.
Generally, "success" means a safe place to live, a job, reconnecting with family, and becoming an asset to the community.
Many of us know someone who has been incarcerated. Each month men and women are released, homeless, from prison. Citizens may be unaware of how many homeless people are wandering around in search of food and a safe place to sleep. Some recently released individuals are among these people, which puts the community at risk. White Feather Re-Entry is pre-approved Department of Corrections (DOC) housing.
Weprovide that stable address in Washington's Puget Sound area for qualified people re-entering the community from incarceration.
The role of White Feather Re-Entry is to facilitate the re-entry process. We work in conjunction with the DOC to monitor behavior and maintain sobriety. Random urinalyses and other tests are conducted, and the results are reported to the supervising Community Corrections Officers (CCO).
Our policy is to maintain an open door policy with the DOC, encouraging random visits for inspection and information sharing. After serving a prison sentence, transition presents challenges. Our Housing and living conditions are structured and supervised both by the DOC and our staff. This makes the transition less overwhelming.
Public Safety
We are all concerned about public safety and public safety is our number one priority. In a safe and structured environment, prisoners returning to us have the best chance to participate effectively in the community.
Public safety is improved if newly released individuals are clearly under the supervision of both the DOC and the community itself. A stable address forms the basis for effective supervision and safety for all involved.
A close working relationship with the DOC and other agencies helps insure safety in the Our communities. On rare occasions, when an incident occurs, the appropriate authority is contacted immediately for quick resolution.
Helping Those in Need
Community service groups and individuals help meet many of the immediate needs of recently released prisoners. Those needs include practical things such as furniture and personal items. Personal communication, encouragement, and help in making a new life are also important aspects of helping.
Volunteers give freely of their time and energy to support the re-entry process, because they understand the importance and complexity of that process. For more information, click on the "How Can I Help" tab.
For detailed statistics related to Washington State prisons and prisoners go to the DOC website http://doc.wa.gov
Offender Release Plans
Offender Release Plans required by legislation passed in 2007 are used to determine the post-housing needs of each new resident in our houses. Lesta wants to provide additional services such as educational programs, mentoring, job coaching, job placement, and counseling to residents as they make their was back to new lives.
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A message from Lesta Rogers
We are all interested in safety, and this is one of he primary concerns of White Feather Re-Entry. People are being released from prison whether they have housing or not. We must decide how we will receive them.
There are many challenges a newly released prison has to meet. The most important challenge is housing; without a place to live, obtaining employment is difficult.
White Feather Re-Entry provides an opportunity for a new beginning. We welcome them cautiously back into our communities by working closely with the Department of Corrections. We do random drug testing, working directly with the Community Corrections Officers who supervise those we accept into our houses. We emphasize the importance of meeting their individual conditions of release, and of remaining in compliance at all times.
At White Feather Re-Entry we assist with residents' basic needs. We help with paperwork, appointments, job leads, transportation when possible,and connections with various providers of services. Among these providers are Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Chemical Dependency Counseling. Personal and family counseling is also made available when possible. White Feather Re-Entry is dedicated to assisting in the successful re-entry of selected individuals who choose to begin new lives after incarceration.
