Prison Build - Partnerships

Prison Build Program, Michigan Department of Corrections

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Partnerships

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Growth Through Partnerships

Since 1999, The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) has provided grant money to Habitat for Humanity to pay for building and horticulture materials.

Also since 1999, The Michigan Army National Guard has been picking up and transporting wall panels to Habitat build sites from Ontonagon to Detroit. Soldiers fulfill military obligations by making these extraordinary runs and Habitat for Humanity has saved thousands of dollars annually in transportation costs.

In 2002, the then Department of Career Development, now part of The Department of Labor and Economic Growth, established a special link for the resumes of program inmates to be accessed by potential employers.

In 2003 the Bureau of Constructions Codes approved the Program to build complete housing on a regular basis at the Saginaw Correctional Facility. Oversight and inspections will be provided by the staff at the Bureau.

Great successes have developed through partnerships dedicated to providing decent and affordable housing to Michigan's low-income citizens, and to assist in the reentry of inmates into society. These partners provide products, services, and their expertise to the Prison Build Program. We are grateful. A brief introduction is provided on who are partners are, and what their contribution, as well as a further link to their websites is provided.

Our desire and ability to partner with a variety of organizations is based on a win-win approach. Without this integrated approach, the system is interrupted. The following major players assist in this endeavor:

Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC): Wardens and staff have implemented a build and delivery system not previously in place; building trades instructors not only teach course content, but orchestrate the actual building of housing components; chaplains assist in the re-integration of the parolee into society.

Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA): Provides grant money to Habitat for Humanity to assist in the purchase of materials for the program. More than $600,000 dollars will have been allocated to Habitat for Humanity and the Prison Build Program by the end of 2001.

Michigan Department of Career Development (MDCD): Provides the infrastructure necessary to link inmate resumes to private sector employers.

Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth (DLEG): Through its division of building codes, works with staff to build quality housing for Michigan low-income families.

Department of Information Technology : Works with staff to make sure we are able to deliver our message and product to Michigan citizens.

Habitat for Humanity of Michigan (HFHM): The state organization provides the link to 85 affiliates. Through its organization, HFHM allocates the grant money received from MSDHA, markets the program, and assists in the logistical operations pertaining to production and delivery.

Habitat for Humanity International: Building decent and affordable homes for more than 25 years, Habitat for Humanity International is a vibrant force in 76 countries. Here in America, Habitat International and its Prison Partnership program work with the Prison Build Program to provide inmates an opportunity to learn new skills and to give back to their communities.

Army National Guard: Michigan soldiers fulfill military obligations by picking up the completed housing products at the prisons and transporting them to Habitat for Humanity construction sites throughout the state. These civilian soldiers to date have delivered nearly 200 sets of complete housing walls. They traveled thousands of miles to every region in the state, and saved Habitat for Humanity more than $100,000 in transportation costs.

Building Trades and Landscape Industries: Through the requisite state-wide trade associations, these industries have participated in the review of our vocational curriculums. They will be a part of our program to link trained parolees with employers.

Faith-Based Organizations: Four Michigan organizations, Exodus of Grand Rapids, Transition of Prisoners (TOP) of Detroit, Higher Ground of Holland, and the Nehemiah Group of Saginaw provide after-care support for parolees.