September 2, 2025
Blossoming Beyond Bars is an annual trauma-informed reentry conference designed to support formerly incarcerated women as they transition back into the community. This collaborative event is led by Winning Ways Inc., Quality Counseling, and JGH Justice Alliance LLC. As the three visionaries, our wellness conference serves system-impacted women, particularly those navigating recovery and reentry, by fostering empowerment, community care and connection, and long-term stability through access to resources. As such, the conference provides access to vital reentry resources, including employment readiness, financial literacy, housing support, mental health support, and expressive arts.
Grounded in principles of empowerment, community care and connection and stability, Blossoming Beyond Bars brings together formerly incarcerated women, advocates, and service providers for a day of connection, resources, and renewal. Outreach includes direct engagement with local reentry programs, recovery homes, transitional housing providers, and women’s justice advocacy groups.
Blossoming Beyond Bars features a full day of programming that blends healing-centered activities, skill-building workshops, and community dialogue:
- A keynote presentation from a woman with lived experience of incarceration who can provide words of encouragement.
- A panel discussion with system-impacted women and advocates to move beyond common problems and, instead, share resources and strategies to overcome barriers.
- Interactive wellness and empowerment sessions, such as yoga, meditation, sound healing, and expressive art.
- We devote time during the conference for resource networking, in which we invite at least ten (10) local service-focused organizations for in-person tabling at each annual conference to share resources. This allows attendees to connect with community resources for housing, educational programs, reentry services, mental health supports, and advocacy networks.
- Additionally, offering a free meal to attendees is an important part of the wellness conference, given the financial difficulties women often face after incarceration.
Each conference attendee receives at least one purse (or gender-neutral bag) filled with everyday toiletries to help meet immediate personal needs, along with cosmetics chosen to encourage self-care, boost confidence, and affirm a sense of dignity and worth. This gesture is intended to provide practical support but also to serve as a reminder that she deserves to feel valued, beautiful, and empowered in her journey.
Accepting In-Kind Donations
We are collecting in-kind donations to include in the purse giveaways at the Blossoming Beyond Bars conference. Here is a list of the items we are looking for:
- New or Gently Used Purses & Bookbags
- Cosmetics & Makeup
- Soap & Hygiene Essentials
- Sanitary Napkins
- Deodorant & Hand Sanitizer
- Toothbrush & Toothpaste
- Shampoo & Conditioner
To arrange for pickup or dropoff, please email JGHjusticealliance@gmail.com.
Type:
Internal