Stride assists federally sentenced women to make the difficult, often traumatic transition from prison into the community by engaging and involving the community.  Stride utilizes principles of community engagement and restorative justice to promote successful reintegration.

 Did you know that of women in conflict with the law:

70-80% are survivors of physical and/or sexual abuse

69% have children, 75% of whom are under age 16

67% were unemployed at the time of their offence

66% have not completed high school, 30% haven't completed grade 10

33% have reported suicide attempts 

Women in, and leaving, the prison system are often isolated from caring supports.  This presents many barriers to the process of healthy community reintegration.

" I know what it is like to walk out those doors and have nothing."  Stride Circle's client 

Stride's Vision: We envision supportive, responsive community partnerships, working with Women serving a Federal Sentence to facilitate their return to the community and empower them to improve their quality of life, resulting in healthier families, neighbourhoods, and communities.

How did Stride begin? 

Stride began in 1995 in Kingston, Ontario, as a telephone support service for federally sentenced women in prison and on parole at the infamous Prison for Women (P4W). The Founder was herself a former inmate of P4W and started the program with start-up funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation as Project Another Chance (PAC).

In 1998, with the opening of the new federal prison for women in Kitchener, Grand Valley Institution for Women (GVI), Stride moved under the umbrella of Community Justice Initiatives operating for the first 5 years as Providing Alternative Choices for Women (PAC). In 2003 the program name was officially changed to Stride. 

Stride's focus evolved to reintegration support for women using principles of Restorative Justice promoting community engagement, capacity building, social justice and accountability. Stride developed and implemented a nationally recognized Circles Program matching trained community volunteers with women wanting support with re-entering the community. 

To facilitate these positive volunteer relationships, Stride started the Stride Night Program, a social recreation program offered to women inside of the prison. Crafts, sports, games, and coffee nights provide the backdrop for interaction.  Community volunteers and agencies visit the prison, providing experiences and relationships constructive to the positive and successful reintegration for the inmates into the community.

Stride challenges and inspires the community to get involved, to be part of a solution instead of the problem.  We strive for healing, not only of broken people and families, but also of communities at large.

Stride’s exciting partnership with RareFunk, a unique consignment shop located in downtown Kitchener, has allowed this tie with the community to expand even further.  With the birth of FRESH START CREATIONS, the women of GVI are able to give back to the KW region by creating funky products to be sold at RareFunk, the proceeds of which will be donated to a local women’s or children’s charity.  So far the women of GVI have raised $500.  To learn more about this partnership click here  Fresh Start Creations 143.95 Kb 

Celebration!  After struggling for funding to provide this much-needed service, Stride is celebrating full funding for the first time in history, with the bulk of funding being stable for the next three years.  This funding will have a huge impact in the service we are able to offer and their impact on the women we serve, their families, and the communities to which they are moving to.  Stride is grateful for funding received this year from: The United Way of Kitchener-Waterloo; Correctional Services Canada; Bridgeway Foundation' House of Blues Concerts Canada (Live Nation); The KW Maycourt Club; Zonta; The Samuel Rogers Memorial Trust, and other corporate and individual donations.  Thank you!

 Community Foundation Grant Saves Stride 29.80 Kb

 A Positive Impact 27.85 Kb

 Art Night For Inmates Creates More Than Meets The Eye July 3rd, 2010 95.06 Kb

 Listing of Research and Publications 89.49 Kb

 Social Justice and Women Leaving Prison 125.49 Kb

 The Record: Need for a Halfway House Feb 18 10 43.03 Kb

 Waterloo Chronicle: Lack of Resources feb 17 10 16.49 Kb 

 Stride Receives Full Funding sept 2007
 
http://news.therecord.com/Opinions/article/268555

Uncertain Futures: Women Leaving Prison and Re-entering Community

 Stride_Circles_2005 338.67 Kb

 Red Road2008 1.26 Mb

 CJI PAC Exec Summary Pape Preliminary 03 findings 59.12 Kb

 Kitchener Community News_0808 79.22 Kb

 Stride 10 year May 23 final 1.80 Mb

News-Bridgeway Foundation-Article on Stride-2009

 Locked In-final 2.61 Mb

A Preventable Death

  For more information about Correctional Services Canada click here.