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 systen 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 commuity 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.

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!

stride receives full funding sept 2007 

http://news.therecord.com/Opinions/article/268555 

Uncertain Futures: Women Leaving Prison and Re-entering Community

http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/search/article/124341 

For more information about Correctional Services Canada click here.