Matthew House Helps Families of Offenders During Economic Downturn

By Jose Cortez , Communications ConsultantWork Release Residents

As the state's economy continues to struggle, more families of incarcerated offenders are searching for support. Linda Paz, Executive Director of Matthew House, a nonprofit organization that has helped families for more than 25 years, says demand for assistance is particularly high this year.

“This year families are in need more than ever,” Paz explained. “We’ve had a lot of people coming in for the first time and the number of people coming in has increased considerably.”

Matthew House assists families of people incarcerated in Washington's prisons with child care, counseling and referral services, clothing and food donations. The organization also provides services that keep families close to incarcerated relatives. They have three apartments where families can stay for two to three nights when visiting an offender at Monroe Corrections Center.

Families can also ride a bus that carries them from Seattle to institutions around the state including Washington State Penitentiary, Clallam Bay, Coyote Ridge, and Airway Heights.

Matthew House provided food to more than 500 people during the holiday season. They also gave out more than 2,000 pounds of potatoes to help feed families through the winter.

To learn more about donating to Matthew House, please visit their website - Matthew House

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