(mellow piano music) - [Voiceover] Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home & Crematory have been serving Quad City families and veterans since 1889.

Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Homes are located in Rock Island, Milan, and Reynolds, and are proud supporters of WQPT.

- [Voiceover] At IHMVCU, we've always been here for you.

You are, and always will be, our top priority.

We care about your financial and physical health.

And we are here.

IHMVCU is a proud supporter of WQPT.

- [Voiceover] Alternatives is a proud supporter of WQPT, and has been serving our community for 40 years.

Alternatives provides professional guidance to maintain independence and quality of life for older adults and adults with disabilities.

- Getting out of prison, never to return.

It's a goal one group says it's trying to meet to make society better.

Plus a resource that's invaluable to the LGBTQ community, in "The Cities".

(energetic music) In "The Cities", Clock, Inc is moving into bigger facilities to better meet the needs of the LGBTQ community.

But what are those needs?

More in just a moment.

But first, getting out of prison and staying out.

The White House announced new plans to improve the chances that a person convicted of a crime doesn't return to jail, or prison cells, that held them once before.

Easier said the done, especially when as many as four out five convicts find themselves back in trouble within 10 years.

But that has a heavy cost in society.

So a group called Safer Foundation is trying to make a difference in the cities, and is marking 50 years of doing so across Illinois.

We talked with the Director of the Safer Foundation, of the Quad Cities, Erica Lee.

Erica, I mean, you've heard what the White House has to offer, kind of a way of getting these people, who have been incarcerated, back into society and stop recidivism.

This is what you've been doing for a long time.

- Yeah, we're really excited and eager to hear that the White House is backing an initiative to help fund, you know, reentry housing and jobs.

It's so needed in our community and across the United States.

- Well, let's talk about that, "It's so needed", but I mean, there's millions of dollars that's poured in, as far as the prison system is, there's educational opportunities there.

So why is it not necessarily working?

- I wouldn't necessarily say that it's not working.

I think that there are more and more programs happening within, inside the correctional facilities, but not every correctional facility has the same opportunities, even within the state of Illinois and the state of Iowa.

Kind of depends on what correctional facility you're located in.

But I think there is something to say about the reentry piece of this.

So as people get out and, you know, where are they coming back to?

What type of support do they have, to keep that good work that might have happened in the correctional institution, flowing in the community?

- Because let's be honest, when you are in a correctional facility, it's very regimented.

And when you get back out into society, you might find yourself with the wrong elements again, so to speak.

- Yeah, that's very true.

When you're inside a correctional facility, they're telling you what to do.

You have very little control of your day-to-day, right?

And so once you get into the community, and you're back out, you know, you have to have the right supports in place.

And not everyone has the family, or positive caring adult in their lives, that can kind of help mold them and navigate them.

And so it's so important and so crucial to have agencies, like Safer Foundation, to be there, to walk alongside of you, you know, all along the way.

There's lots of barriers that people face when they get out of correctional institutions.

And we wanna just make sure that we are here to help them, you know, with education, jobs, housing, really, anything that they need, you know, we're here to walk alongside them.

- One of your spokesmen, Jack Folscher, is a person who has been in the system.

I mean, since a teenager, in a way, and he was pointing out that, like so many different people, it's really up to you.

He said, "You gotta do the work, it's up to you to actually improve your lot in life, it's up to you to make good decisions."

And how do you get that to occur?

I mean, some of these people that have been in and out of the justice system have been making bad decisions for a very long time.

- Yeah, it's true, a lot of people that have found themselves into the criminal legal system didn't have the right supports growing up.

You know, lots of trauma that they might have faced, adverse experiences as a child.

And so, you know, they might not have learned the right way to make it successfully in the community.

And so what Jack said is true, you know, you don't always get what you want, but you can get what you work for.

And getting connected with providers like Safer, where we're here to help you, you know, break down whatever barrier is in your way.

We can't do the work for you, but we can be here with you.

And, you know, I think that's a very important message for people to hear.

- It is kind of depressing to see some of the statistics that are thrown out there by the Department of Justice, as far as people who have committed crimes and commit crimes again.

I'll just repeat this one.

The DOJ, Department of Justice Report released last year, found that 2/3, 66% of prisoners released from 24 states in 2008, were arrested again within three years.

That's 2/3, and 82% arrested within 10 years.

That's a tough number.

- Yeah, I think those stats are staggering.

You know, and it's hard to hear, but it's real, you know, there isn't a lot of support agencies like Safer out there.

I think, in the Quad Cities, we're the only one that really has an expertise in reentry.

And so the... if you don't have the right support coming out, I've heard so many kind of war stories of people who have got out of prison with a bus ticket and $20.

And like, "Hey, meet us at the probation office in a week."

You know?

And so if you don't have an ID, if you don't have a car, if you don't have housing, you know, it's just those types of barriers that really hold people back.

And if you don't have the right support, you end up going back to what you know, and unfortunately, it's not the best choices sometimes.

- And the key really, I mean, as far as you are concerned, so often, the key is education and employment.

Those are the two things that you see, as key elements to keep people from reoccurring crimes and going back to prison.

- Yeah, definitely, Safer really has taken a stance on ensuring that our participants have employment, but not just transitional employment, but you know, have a pathway to a successful career.

And along the way, education is a large part of that.

There's a lot of people that come out of prison that still don't have their high school equivalency diploma, or their GED.

And so that's one of the first things that we try to tackle for folks.

It's definitely... those two things are critical pieces.

Housing is another piece, and in the Quad Cities, housing is a large barrier, that we, not only at Safer, but other agencies across the Quad City area, are trying to tackle.

- Well, when we're talking about employment, I mean the White House initiative is calling for greater employment opportunities, also greater employment opportunities within the federal government, perhaps in construction fields, as well as more computer-based or digital employment as well.

Trying to get people into the 21st century workplace.

Is that easier said than done, or do you see that being possible, day in, and day out?

- Well, actually Safer has just launched our Department of Labor Grant, "I Matter".

And we just started enrolling in February, and that grant is serving about 117 people, in both Rock Island and Scott County, with this exact same target.

You know, we're trying to get people connected to employment, connected to training opportunities, within our community colleges at Black Hawk, or at Eastern Iowa Community College, in those high growth, high demand sectors.

You know, we're really trying to get them connected, and with the way the job market is currently, I think that that's a really doable goal.

We just have to have the right access and the right backing to get that to happen.

- Well, and as you said, you just started the program basically in February.

It is under a three-year grant, I believe.

So how are you gonna measure the success of this?

- Yeah, we track data, data's important, really, to see, you know, where the people that we're serving are coming from, but also, you know, what their needs are, what other barriers are they facing?

And so, you know, we definitely maintain information on all our folks that are coming in.

So when that next grant comes, you know, like you said, this grant's a three-year grant, that we can reapply, get another grant, so we can continue that much needed service.

- We're talking about like, the person who's been incarcerated and comes out.

What about the opposite end of the spectrum, the employer?

I mean, there's a stigma, I would think, as far as employing somebody who has a criminal record.

- Yeah, what I would say to those employers are the people that have an arrest or conviction record are generally ones that know that they have to work the hardest, right?

And they are willing and ready to show folks that they, you know, maybe made a bad decision, but are wanting to get back on the right track.

And we have lots of employers, even in our area that say, you know, "They're one of the hardest working people that we have here."

And they look for us to send them more.

So, you know, it might have a stigma to it, but give 'em a chance, give 'em the opportunity.

And you could really see the good work that our people can do.

- Well, and as you well know, there's so many employers that are looking for work...

I mean, just bodies right now.

I don't mean to diminish the skills of people, but there are places that are willing to train you if you don't have enough experience.

Are you finding that, because of the tight labor market right now, that it is helping you find jobs for people who were incarcerated at one time?

- Yeah, definitely.

I think that the pandemic has been a gift and a curse.

And one of the gifts of the pandemic has been kind of this labor shortage, because companies that historically had doors closed to our people, you know, are in heavy need of people.

And they've been a lot more willing to open their doors, and give us a chance, and prove to them that, you know, just having an arrest or a conviction record doesn't mean that you can't work, and you're not willing to work.

So that was definitely a gift of the pandemic.

- When it comes to the Safer Foundation, I know that you train people, you try to get people into jobs or to educational opportunities.

How do you follow them through?

I mean, do you keep up with these formerly incarcerated people?

- Yeah, so as an agency standard, we follow people for 12 months after we've placed them in employment.

So we do different retention checks, I would say.

So at the 30, 90, 180-day, and then at the 1-year mark, we're checking in with them, and the employer to see, "Hey, how are things going?

Is there anything we can help support you with?

Is there additional barriers that have come up we didn't think about, that we can help break down for you, wrap you around supports?"

Make sure that things are going well.

So we talk to not only our participants, but also the employers to see, "Hey, how's it going?

Is there something we can do to help?

Is there a problem that we can help solve?"

And I think that they really appreciate that too, knowing that they have somebody to call if something does come up.

- Throughout the year and every month, you have kind of, "Know Your Rights" webinars that have been going on.

I've seen some of the topics, including such things, as you said, getting a driver's license, licensing.

Also, family members that are incarcerated, how somebody who is in prison or jail, and the impact it has on the entire family.

Plus, like you said, housing's a huge issue.

How important are these webinars?

- I think they're so important and so critical, not only for different service providers, or community members, but for people that have an arrest and conviction record.

You know, for them to fully understand the resources and have some knowledge about, you know, what goes into these various things, like you mentioned housing, or how to get your record expunged, you know, what rights do they have?

And so, you know, giving them the tools and the resources that they need to be able to be their own advocate, I think, is really important.

- Erica, the other thing that's important is you're celebrating an anniversary.

This is a 50 Years of Safer Foundation, Chicago based, but with a big footprint in the Quad Cities as well.

And how important has the last 50 years...

I mean, how do you know that you've made a difference?

- Yeah, like you said, we've been... we're celebrating our 50th year anniversary, our headquarters in Chicago's.

And so for 50 years, you know, we've been working with people, about 5,000 each year, in the last few years across Chicago, and the Quad City sites here.

In the Quad Cities, about 600 people we impact each year.

And you know, it's just so fulfilling when you do have people like Jack Folscher, who can come out and say, "Hey, this is how you helped me, this is how I'm moving forward," and is willing to be a voice, right?

For other people to say, "Hey, if you need help, Safer's here for you."

- And also for the families, right?

- Right, definitely for the families as well.

We oftentimes get a lot of our referrals from family members, from a girlfriend, or from a boyfriend, and saying, "Hey, I have this person, I think they could use your assistance, can you help them?"

And that's one of our number one referrals, actually, is community members, family members, that say, "Hey, I have this person, how can you help?"

And then we're here for them.

- And what does a person do?

Do they just knock on your door, make a phone call?

I mean, how does this...

I'd assume there's some kind of an entry interview.

- Yeah, definitely.

I mean, we get a lot of phone calls.

We get a lot of people that just walk into our doors, and say, "Hey, how can you help?"

You know, we don't really turn anyone away.

Safer actually has launched a Safer Return website.

And that is another just entry point through the internet.

Where if you go to our website, you can register for services, let us know what you're interested in.

And then we can help assess what programs and what service offerings we have, and the best way that we can serve you.

- Erica Lee, Director of the Safer Foundation of the Quad Cities.

Welcome to the month of May, and even better weather for all of us ready to go out and about, but where to go?

Luckily we have Laura Adams here to help us decide.

(funky music) - [Laura] This is Out and About from May 6th through 12th.

Shop, dine, and unwind in downtown Muscatine, May 6th, with extended evening hours and wine samples at your favorite local shops, beginning at 5:00; get your tickets.

The Goldenleaf Banquet Center host a spring craft and vendor show, the 7th, from 9:30 to 3:30.

The Beaux Arts 2022 Spring Art Fair takes place the 7th and 8th at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds.

On the Circa '21 Stage, "Just Desserts", a musical bake-off continues.

And for the kids, the musical, "Grace For President".

Both shows close on May 14th.

The Threepenny Opera takes the stage at the Brunner Theater Center through May 7th.

"A Murder is Announced", based on Agatha Christie's story, takes the stage at Playcrafters Barn Theater, opening May 6th and running through the 15th.

While Timberlake Playhouse in Mt.

Carroll opens their concert series May 7th, with the Rock River Jazz Band.

The Soulful Sounds of Motown perform at the TaxSlayer Center May 7th at 7:30.

And The Spotlight Theater host "That 80's Burlesque Show" on the 7th at 8:00.

Or enjoy the Rootabaga Jazz Festival with Matt Wilson at the Galesburg Community Center May 6th at 6:00.

Dylan Scott performs at The Rust Belt May 7th at 7:00.

And there's comedy on hand at Tom Foolery on Tremont at Renwick Mansion.

Myq Kaplan performs on the 6th, with Rachel Mac performing on the 8th.

For more information visit WQPT.org.

(funky music) - Thank you, Laura.

A group that focuses on issues impacting the LGBTQ community has found a new home, but it's more than bricks and mortar for Clock, Inc. At a time when gay rights are being questioned in some communities, and education and books are being challenged in some schools, Clock, Inc says it's finding its role is needed even more for some people in our community.

We talked with its director, Becky Castandeda.

So Becky, the Clock's new Rock Island location, I mean, you've got a lot of extra floor space right now.

What are you gonna do with it?

- Yeah, yeah, we do.

So we pretty much quadrupled the space that we were in previously.

We have...

I mean, we just got done with a really cool computer lab to make technology accessible to the people who don't necessarily have it.

We have three new offices, Chase, of course, has his.

And then we have a few more that we can utilize for employees, or interns, counseling interns, once we get those.

We finally were able to build the trans-clothing swap closet of our dreams.

We had a company come in and help us get it organized, and it just turned out amazing.

So, you know, we've been able to come up with a couple of ways to use the new space.

It's been a lot of fun.

- Well, you mentioned Chase, Chase, of course, is the founder of Clock, Inc. Has it grown into what he, and you, want it to be?

- Yeah, I think it has.

I mean, with getting this new space, we've really been able to put a lot of the ideas that we've been, you know, kind of coming up with, on the back burner, into fruition.

And it's been incredible, because I'm not sure that he and I could have even dreamt of anything better.

And, you know, Megan, our Chief Operating Officer, she has been in it since day one.

And I think the three of us kind of get together sometimes, just, you know, shake our heads at how incredible it is.

- Well, let's talk about two different aspects of the same question.

LGBTQ rights, and the efforts of the gay community for greater acceptance, has changed dramatically over the last 20 years.

I mean, you see a greater acceptance among some people, but we're also seeing a greater backlash, perhaps right now.

So let's start with the greater acceptance.

I mean, you think back 20 years ago, do the kids of today have it easier?

- I wouldn't say they necessarily have it easier, Jim.

I think that they... You know, going through it when you're young is difficult, no matter what.

Just because you have, you know, internal turmoil you're going through, and you're trying to figure out who you are.

So I wouldn't necessarily say it's easier, but I will say that now, compared to 20 years ago, you're seeing a lot of the kids who get some negative things from their peer group, but kind of also see some really great things too.

- Well, there just does seem to be more support, if anything else, there's more people coming out.

So there are more, I don't know, just simply support groups available.

- Absolutely, absolutely.

And I mean, that is one of the great things about Clock, is that, you know, there are obviously kids who are going through this in every city, throughout the country, the world.

And we don't have spaces like this available.

So it's definitely a privilege to be able to, you know, provide some of that positive that you're seeing now.

- I'm kind of a student of history, and I'm a really strong believer in pendulum swings.

That society goes one way, and then there's a bit of a backlash that goes the other way, and then that's the way we get forward progress, is kind of that pendulum keeps moving us forward.

Do you think that's what's happening right now, when you do see some of the backlash, some of the people that don't believe that a gay agenda, so to speak, should be in public schools or in libraries?

- Yeah, and I surely hope so.

I think so, because, you know, realistically, like you said, 20 years ago there was also backlash, but there weren't nearly as many allies helping push it forward, regardless of the backlash.

So yeah, absolutely.

I think that that's a good way to look at it, and I surely hope that that's the reason that it's happening now.

- Well, I kind of think back 20 years about gay marriage, where even President Obama, at the time, you know, when he was first running, wasn't necessarily for it.

He certainly didn't push it.

And then look what happened in the state of Iowa, as well as, and I can't remember, it was an Eastern state, I wanna say New Hampshire or Connecticut, that drove gay marriage and the legality of it forward.

And now you kind of look back, and it's accepted in so many different ways.

- Yeah, absolutely.

And like I said, what's really incredible is the allies, because, you know, LGBTQ+ individuals have always existed, but what hasn't, have been the allies.

So it's really cool to see.

I mean, you know, obviously our focus is on the youth, and you see it there, but it's with adults too.

And adults who were around, you know, for the 20 years ago that we're talking about.

And I think that that's really incredible to see, is not only the newer generation, but the older generations who are able to accept it and support us.

- Well, in some ways it seems that, over and again, when you talk about the older generation, when it's something abstract, you're kind of against it.

But if it's your own family member, your own flesh and blood, all of a sudden, you think things in a different way.

And I wonder if the fact that so many people have come out, and that they have been seen as accepted by so many other people, that it does make it easier for families, or people that had, I'll just say, negative perspectives of gay people, that somehow that changes, because it's your own flesh and blood.

- Yeah, absolutely.

And I think that there's so much strength in coming out to a family that you know might not respond positively.

And I think there's a lot of strength in the families that have the ability to educate themselves, and then support those family members.

And you're absolutely right, it really changes the trajectory of their thoughts on the subject in general.

- Well, Becky, let's talk about Clock Inc in particular, because you are now located in brand new digs, so to speak, in the area of the old Kmart of Rock Island.

What services do you offer?

Well, let's start with the youth, what services do you offer to young people?

- So we have a few support groups that are specifically for the youth.

We have a junior high group, and then we have a high school group.

So we kind of cover the spectrum there.

We, of course, offer counseling.

And then some of the fun things that that can be, you know, kind of attributed to that, is the events that we have, the majority of them are family friendly.

And we encourage our kids to come to all of them.

We also have workshops, where we're able to give them certain life skills, or teach them about other LGBTQ+, you know, successful... we bring LGBTQ+ people who are successful in their current life, and show them that it's possible.

So, you know, we offer quite a few things, from learning their coping skills at group, to learning how to be a successful person in society.

- And then that progresses, also, to adults that are also seeking help from you.

What do you offer for the adult population?

- Yeah, absolutely.

So one of the groups that we're actually gonna be... it's gonna be coming back up again here soon, is a Parents and Allies Group.

So it's a group where parents of kids who are LGBTQ+ come, and they educate each other, and they kind of share experiences, where they're able to support their kids better.

On top of that, for the adults in general, we have a few events that we're coming up with for this year that are gonna be adult, you know, 21 and over.

So that we can kind of start creating a space where adults, who don't necessarily enjoy going to the bar, can get together and do the same thing.

You know, create connections, and friendships, and things like that, so... - Well, and you've heard from critics, time and again, is, one person's education is another person's indoctrination.

What do you say to those critics that say that you're just not doing what's right in society?

- I would say... That's a tough one, only because it's... You know, I feel like sometimes there's not much you can say, but I would say that educating yourself about what it really means.

And how it really doesn't necessarily affect you, as a person, to let other people love who they wanna love, and live their truth.

I think that... Well, kind of like we talked about earlier, Jim, you know, what if it were your daughter, your son, your nephew, niece, you know, that sort of thing?

It's not just the sentiment of being LGBTQ+, but you know, we're all people, and we all just wanna be happy, so... - Let's talk about the future of Clock, Inc.

I mean, you've got the new building, you've got the programs.

What do you see for the future for the next few months, if not a year, or a year-and-a-half from now?

What exciting new adventure do you think you're gonna be in?

- Well, right now, we're kind of nailing down a few details with a mentorship program that we're really excited about.

And I won't give away too much, only because I wanna make sure that we have those details nailed down first.

But that is one big thing that we've been working towards.

Chase, and Megan, and Adam, down at the center, have been, you know, working extensively on it.

And we're really excited to offer something else for the kids.

On top of that, like I said, we're looking to make a lot of partnerships in the next few months, year, where we can collaborate on events, and make things even more fun for the people who have been supporting us so far.

- Becky Castaneda, Director of Clock, Inc. On the air, on the radio, on the web, on your mobile device, and streaming on your computer, thanks for taking some time to join us as we talk about the issues on "The Cities".

(mellow music) (quiet piano) - [Voiceover] Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory have been serving Quad City families and veterans since 1889.

Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Homes are located in Rock Island, Milan, and Reynolds, and are proud supporters of WQPT.

- [Voiceover] At IHMVCU, we've always been here for you.

You are, and always will be, our top priority.

We care about your financial and physical health.

And we are here.

IHMVCU is a proud supporter of WQPT.

- [Voiceover] Alternatives is a proud supporter of WQPT, and has been serving our community for 40 years.

Alternatives provides professional guidance to maintain independence and quality of life for older adults and adults with disabilities.