“Love your neighbor as yourself — that’s missing in our world today.”
Dennis Holliman, SILO board member
Second chances are taking root in a modest gray building on Military Road in Columbus. The peeling, faded paint is gone. Choking weeds are a thing of the past. The roof leaks no more. This building is experiencing a rebirth. It’s what the hands and hearts behind SILO Inc. hope for every former inmate who walks through the doors.
SILO — Supporting Inmates and their Loved Ones — is a nonprofit support group for convicted felons trying to transition from incarceration to society.
Its primary goal is to decrease rates of recidivism by providing case management, support services and resource coordination that offers alternatives to habits and choices that lead to criminal behavior.
Quincy Brooks of Columbus founded SILO in 2013. This year, it’s hitting its stride. With a building to now call home and a diverse board from the realms of business, finance, education, municipal leadership, the justice system, county governance and more, it has the fuel to move forward.
Brooks’ motivation in establishing the support network was deeply personal. She remembers her shock seven years ago when her own son, at 19, was sent to prison for a drug offense. It was something even her background in psychology and years of experience working at Community Counseling Services did not equip her for.
“I didn’t know what to do or where to go,” Brooks recalled. Thrust into a new reality, she became increasingly aware of issues that too often seem to pave a path to a revolving prison door. That led her to establish an organization that would help offenders become responsible, contributing members of society. The ultimate benefit is a win-win for not only the former inmate and his or her family, but the community and state as well.
Staying out
Dennis Holliman has volunteered with a local prison ministry for 19 years through his service as a Gideon. He and the more than 90 area men he serves alongside have seen the prison turnstile firsthand.
“The rate of recidivism is horrific,” Holliman said. “We’ve seen that often the same people are coming and going all the time.”
The math alone is compelling. United States Department of Justice figures for 2013 cited Mississippi’s prison population at 28,800 — or 1,270 prisoners per 100,000 people. Those numbers at the time ranked third highest among all states, behind only Louisiana and Oklahoma. As of Aug. 7, the Mississippi Department of Corrections website showed the state’s prison population at 20, 647.
A 2008 U.S. World and Population Clock report cited that the country, with less than five percent of the world’s population, had the highest incarceration rate, 23 percent.
“We can’t build a big enough jail,” said Holliman, also noting the annual cost to counties and states to house prisoners. “We need to work on the real problem — and that is giving them some hope. Many of them come out and have all intentions to start over again, and everything seems stacked against them.”
Michael Jago is president of SILO’s board of directors. The businessman, fairly new to Columbus, brings with him considerable experience with 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations in other parts of the country. He got involved with SILO through his own work with the Gideon prison ministry and a friendship with Holliman.
“We were helping in the prison, but also knew they had great needs when they got out and we needed to help them there, too. Life happens when you get out,” Jago said.
Jobs = Hope
Jobs are often at the crux of the problem for released felons. Employers are understandably reluctant to hire them. Without income to cover even monthly supervision fees offenders must turn over to their parole officers, much less pay assessed fines, they can end up back behind bars. And with no work, too many eventually resort to illegal means in order to pay for even basic necessities.
One of SILO’s goals is to educate the community about incentives such as WOTC — the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program providing businesses with substantial tax savings for each new hire from targeted groups of job seekers. Those include ex-felons. Another resource is the national H.I.R.E. Network. Established by the Legal Action Center, it helps those with criminal records re-enter employment.
Anthony Williams knows the challenge of trying to start fresh.
“Sometimes it’s very discouraging,” the former inmate said. “I don’t ever want to go back (to prison),” he added, shaking his head from side to side. When a friend, Aaron Pulsifer — also a former prisoner — first told Williams about SILO, he paid attention.
“I had a lot of stuff on my mind,” the Columbus man shared. “It’s something you can’t talk to others about who haven’t been down that road. When Aaron told me about it, I felt like I really had others I could talk to.”
Williams’ and Pulsifer’s help has been a great asset in coordinating the support group that meets the first and third Thursdays of each month at 6 p.m. at the SILO building at 516 Military Road. Gatherings are open to the community, convicted felons and loved ones of those incarcerated. In Starkville, SILO conducts meetings at City Hall on the third Friday of every month from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Support can include anything from referral services for employment or housing, clothing and food to court outreach and help with family reunification.
After resurrecting the exterior of the building, organizers are eager to complete indoor renovation so they can devote all time, muscle and resources to outreach.
Phase 2
“It’s time for Phase 2,” said board member Nicole Clinkscales, looking around the facility interior and its floors to be stripped, ceilings and light fixtures to replace and walls to paint. Volunteers have labored tirelessly to gut the inside and prepare it for transformation.
With help from generous sources including Hollis Roofing Co., who applied a new roof, and Military Hardware, which provided some of the renovation materials, progress is visible. On Wednesday, Holliman and Pulsifer prepared to drive to Starkville to pick up an office desk donated by the law firm of Ross, Kelly and Martin. The company has already donated a copier.
“People have been gracious and giving. We’re so thankful for those who have helped us get where we need to go so far,” praised Holliman. “It’s really been a community effort.”
Brooks serves as executive director of SILO. The current board includes Jago as president, Timothy Bourne, Nicole Clinkscales, Holliman, Lisa Younger Neese, Jimmy Sanders, Willie “Sonny” Sanders and Nancy Wicks. They share the commitment to defined goals that even include establishment of a halfway house that can help prisoners transition successfully. The closest one now is in Jackson, said Brooks.
SILO hopes to help convicted felons stop the revolving door, to become members of a community rather than members of a prison population.
Williams summed it up. “Sometimes you’ve just had no hope, and that’s what this is for … to give them hope.”
Editor’s note: To learn more about SILO, or to volunteer assistance, contact Quincy Brooks at 662-425-0560.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.