WHO WE ARE
Individuals don’t go to prison alone; their entire family goes along with them. Families and friends need support as their loved ones complete their sentences. Straight Talk Support Group provides a supportive environment and forum for families and friends to meet and share common experiences and issues. Straight Talk exists so families and friends of incarcerated individuals can exchange emotional support, gain coping skills, acquire resources and receive inspiration. Straight Talk Support Group is where families and friends enter in pieces and leave in peace.
Straight Talk Support Group, headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, offers regular support group meetings, features professional speakers and experts, a crisis line, a ride share program, along with our transitional house.
Straight Talk is run by people like you, who are looking for support as they deal with the realities of having a loved one in jail or prison. We want you to join us so we can be there for each other. We want to make reentry a smooth transition.
Straight Talk Support Group, headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, offers regular support group meetings, features professional speakers and experts, a crisis line, a ride share program, along with our transitional house.
Straight Talk is run by people like you, who are looking for support as they deal with the realities of having a loved one in jail or prison. We want you to join us so we can be there for each other. We want to make reentry a smooth transition.
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Our HistoryStraight Talk Support Group was started by our Executive Director, Ms. Bessie Elmore, in March of 2013. She originally started STSG as a support group for those whose loved ones are incarcerated. As the support groups went on, people would have lots of questions regarding their loved ones’ incarceration. This led Ms. Elmore to want to create a resource center, for people to be able to access the information they were looking for.
Ms. Elmore was an instructor at Durham Technical Community College at the time, and was familiar with classes on computer skills, job readiness skills, and resume writing skills. Ms. Elmore’s next goal was to establish a computer lab to be able to teach these skills to people who have returned home from their incarceration. She had been facilitating these classes at the Troy House, a federal funded transitional house for men once released from prison. The Troy House announced it was closing in 2017, and when Ms. Elmore inquired what was going to happen to it, they asked if she would like it. After some help from friends and others in the industry, she created a proposal that was approved. Ms. Elmore then went to the Durham Reentry Council Open House and was able to connect with people and actually was connected with who would become the first resident at Straight Talk Support Group Transitional House! Since then, STSG has entered in a contract from the NC Department of Public Safety. That contract is for ten beds within the house to be saved for DPS justice involved individuals. NCDPS is also using STSG Transitional House as a pilot program for hard to place justice involved individuals, suffering from mental and some physical ailments. May 20th, 2020
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Executive Director Bessie Elmore tells How STSG Started
WORKING FOR OUR MISSION; SPEAKING ABOUT OUR MISSION
Chances are you know someone with a loved one currently or formerly incarcerated. Perhaps you observed their pain and confusion without knowing where to turn for guidance and support. Now you can direct them to Straight Talk Support Group.
In addition to our support groups, Straight Talk Support Group presents workshops and seminars for families and employers on How to Communicate with Returning Citizens and related topics; and online sources about how navigate the corrections system through our Resource Center. The Resource Center also provides life skills, coaching and job readiness training for incarcerated individuals and returning citizens.
If you are looking to book a professional speaker or presenter to deliver a keynote address or presentation about social, mental and economic effects of incarceration on families and friends please do not hesitate to contact us: [email protected].
In addition to our support groups, Straight Talk Support Group presents workshops and seminars for families and employers on How to Communicate with Returning Citizens and related topics; and online sources about how navigate the corrections system through our Resource Center. The Resource Center also provides life skills, coaching and job readiness training for incarcerated individuals and returning citizens.
If you are looking to book a professional speaker or presenter to deliver a keynote address or presentation about social, mental and economic effects of incarceration on families and friends please do not hesitate to contact us: [email protected].
OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
We are working hard and there are so many more things we have to accomplish. Check back often to see how we are progressing!
We Are Serving to See Greatness
2018
The Troy House gave Straight Talk Support Group the opportunity to open its first transitional home in Durham, NC. The two-story home, formerly known as the Troy House, was previously used as a transitional program for youth, and later on, for men getting out of federal prison. This was a huge achievement for STSG to be able to be the first black women-owned organization to serve the community with a transitional home for men through a partnership with the North Carolina Department of Corrections. Opening the transitional house greatly expands the work that STSG is doing to provide support and resources for justice-involved individuals and their loved ones. We increased the capacity from ten beds available for residents in the house to eighteen. We are happy to be able to serve more residents transitioning back into society.
2020
Acquired a van to transport our residents to and from doctor appointments. A lot of the residents come to us with conditions, physical or mental, and barriers that limits their independent mobility. For those who are able to enjoy an independent and healthy lifestyle, the public transit system, GoDurham stops directly at the curbside of our home.
Technology For the Future, an organization dedicated to making technology more accessible, assisted STSG with acquiring laptops to establish an onsite computer lab for the residents. In the computer lab residents learn computer basics, technology awareness, improve their typing skills, study for driver's license test, create resumes and cover letters, and apply for jobs. STSG Transitional House partners with Wellness Re-Entry and S.W.I.T. to deliver programs aimed at personal development and life skills.
All of our achievements relate to how we have become better suited to give 360-degree support to our residents and clients.
We Are Serving to See Greatness
2018
The Troy House gave Straight Talk Support Group the opportunity to open its first transitional home in Durham, NC. The two-story home, formerly known as the Troy House, was previously used as a transitional program for youth, and later on, for men getting out of federal prison. This was a huge achievement for STSG to be able to be the first black women-owned organization to serve the community with a transitional home for men through a partnership with the North Carolina Department of Corrections. Opening the transitional house greatly expands the work that STSG is doing to provide support and resources for justice-involved individuals and their loved ones. We increased the capacity from ten beds available for residents in the house to eighteen. We are happy to be able to serve more residents transitioning back into society.
2020
Acquired a van to transport our residents to and from doctor appointments. A lot of the residents come to us with conditions, physical or mental, and barriers that limits their independent mobility. For those who are able to enjoy an independent and healthy lifestyle, the public transit system, GoDurham stops directly at the curbside of our home.
Technology For the Future, an organization dedicated to making technology more accessible, assisted STSG with acquiring laptops to establish an onsite computer lab for the residents. In the computer lab residents learn computer basics, technology awareness, improve their typing skills, study for driver's license test, create resumes and cover letters, and apply for jobs. STSG Transitional House partners with Wellness Re-Entry and S.W.I.T. to deliver programs aimed at personal development and life skills.
All of our achievements relate to how we have become better suited to give 360-degree support to our residents and clients.