All women deserve to live fulfilling lives.
Women with a history or risk of incarceration have the potential to change their lives for the better – to stay safe, plan a better future, and contribute to their communities. WIND is here to help that happen.
More than 36,000 women are released from Illinois prisons each year, with many more waiting in jail to resume their lives and reunite with family. With your help, WIND can reach out to more women in need.
WIND inspires women with a history of incarceration, in prison, or at risk of incarceration to design a thriving life journey using newly learned tools and strategies for success.
WIND helps women in reentry or currently in jail overcome severe challenges so they can design a stable life using new skills and a different mindset.
In Illinois, there is a profound lack of support for women in prisons, jails, or reentry. Over 36,000 women are released from incarceration every year in Illinois. These are primarily women of color, mothers of young children, who urgently need more support than their communities offer. WIND was started in 2018 to address that need.
WIND provides tools to help those women build a different future for themselves — a direction and focus that provide hope and reduce recidivism. We provide practical job skills, but so much more than that. Women impacted by the criminal justice system need social and emotional support to show up for work and be there for their families every day.
WIND is helping them heal and grow – and so can you! Please help create a new path and positive mindset for these women by donating today.
“Re-entering the community after time spent in prison is overwhelming. Many times, women are afraid of the unknown as they face extremely difficult barriers to securing living wage employment, safe housing, reuniting with their children and access to healthcare. Our rapport with WIND has helped to diminish some of those fears by providing our residents with tools that strengthen their confidence and outlook for the future. We applaud the commitment of WIND.”
— Tammie Morris, Former Program Director, St. Leonard’s Ministries – Grace House
Women’s incarceration has grown at twice the pace of men’s incarceration in recent decades, according to Prison Policy Initiative, and a “staggering number” languish in local jails, without even having been convicted. WIND’s jail workshops offer meaningful opportunities to make the most of their time in incarceration, learning from and connecting with their feedback coaches.
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We are thrilled to share WIND’s 2024–25 Annual Report, highlighting a year of growth, impact, and community. From reaching over 400 women—our largest cohort ever—to expanding the Bridge Program and deepening leadership opportunities for justice-impacted women, this report celebrates the dedication of our team, volunteers, and supporters. Read the full
In our WIND workshops at Cook County Jail and a local transition home, system-impacted women have shared their thoughts, feelings, recollections and dreams. Their writingprovides a window to each woman’s individuality and shows how, by getting to know eachother, we can all broaden our understanding of each other and cross
Read our interview with Penny Hirsch, a founding board member of WIND, who spoke with us about the organization’s mission, her passion for helping justice-involved women, and future WIND plans!