Letter from Executive Director

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STEP BY STEP OF ROCHESTER, INC.

A Letter from The Executive Director

Step by Step assists women who are, have been, or are at risk of being incarcerated to rebuild their lives and the lives of their families through strength-based programming.

228 South Plymouth Avenue

Rochester, NY 14608

Phone (585) 224-0763

Fax (585) 288-8026

info@stepbysteprochester.org

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In 1992 Margy and I shared a dream to work with women in poverty. Little did we envision what would grown out of that talk over a cup of coffee in Central Park Zoo when we were both studying in NYC! Step by Step now offers eight workshops a week at five different sites and over 4,000 women have participated in our programs over the years. On this site you will learn about who the woman in prison is.

You will also read about the highlights of the last year, one of the most exciting being the results of a study by the New York State Department of Corrections that showed the recidivism rate of Step by Step women at Albion Correctional Facility is a third less than women in NYS in general. This validates our belief that we have a unique and worthwhile program. Our goal is to do further research (which we have already begun with the University of Rochester) to demonstrate the causal relationship between Step by Step programming and a reduction in recidivism.

On this site you will read the stories of women who have benefited from Step by Step programming. We know that the road for each woman in our programs is long and hard and involves many setbacks. But we believe that we plant seeds and that those seed will eventually sprout and grow. These women witness to this truth with their stories.

We are humbled by all the support and encouragement we have received over the years to help make this dream come true. It is clear to us based on our program outcomes that Step by Step is on the verge of becoming a well recognized program for women in prison It has been an unbelievably wonderful, exhilarating, grace-filled fifteen years made possible only by the love and support of so many people in ways both big and small. We look forward to the next 15 years and hope that as you learn more about us, you will want to join us in the journey.

Sincerely,

Pat Merle

Patricia M. Merle, LMSW, PhD

Patricia M Merle

LMSW, PhD

Executive Director

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