Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW)
| Programs | Program Partners (partner with DOC, Evergreen, or both) | Recent highlights |
| Roots of Success, environmental course | Roots of Success | Re-initiated the program early in 2019. |
| Environmental Workshop Series | Guest experts from nonprofits, agencies, business, etc. | Reduced attendance in the past year: 250 compared to 385 in FY17 and 530 year before that; this year, plans to improve program awareness and match topics to students’ interests. |
| Prairie Conservation Nursery | Center for Natural Lands Management, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Oregon Zoo, Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental Stewardship, Whidbey-Camano Land Trust, Friends of Puget Prairies, and Wolf Haven International | In past year, cultivated 100,000 prairie plants for habitat restoration, increased seed nursery to produce Viola adunca for Federally listed silverspot butterfly on the Oregon coast; 13 seminars on restoration ecology |
| Gardens and greenhouses | Tacoma Community College, WSU Extension, Pierce County | 10,000 ft2 of growing space; summer of 2018 grew 11,620 lbs of produce for prison kitchen — herbs, vegetables, and strawberries; 10 TAs maintain landscaping. |
| Community College Horticulture | Tacoma Community College, WSU Extension, Pierce County | Very successful program; currently 34 students enrolled and will earn 55 college credits upon completion; earlier graduates are program’s TAs; 4 Master Gardener volunteers serving as mentors |
| Beekeeping | Mother Earth Farm, Little Eoarth Farm, Tacoma Community College | 2nd beekeeping apprentice class in 2017; hives at the prison and at Mother Earth Farm |
| Offsite farm crew | Mother Earth Farm, Emergency Food Network, Tacoma Community College | Offsite crew of 9 organic farm students grew 100,000+ lbs for donation to 16 food pantries; gave ~3,400 hours, estimated at $81,497 value; formal education on 17 topics earns 9 credits from TCC |
| Prison Pet Partnership | First in-prison pet program in the country! in past year, graduated 35 dogs, 23 incarcerated employees; one scholarship for reentry | |
| Waste sorting & recycling | In past year. diverted 89+ tons of materials from waste stream to recycling | |
| Large-scale composting | Last year, composted 257 tons of food waste | |
| Bicycle Repair | In past year donated 182 refurbished bikes to school kids; as of 12/2017 this program is no longer sponsored by Gig Harbor Kiwanis; program reduced to private donations | |
| “Sisters of Charity: quilts, fabric crafts, wildlife rescue | Community members donate supplies; West Sound Wildlife receives nests and beds | Projected to donate 300-400 craft items (Christmas stockings, knitting, quilts, yarn nests and animal beds, etc.) |
| Electric vehicles | Maintain 2 electric vehicles | |
| Lighting upgrades | Upgraded all perimeter lighting to LEDs in past year |
Articles about WCCW
2018
Wolves: More like Humans Than You Would Think!
A Beautiful Spring and Explosive Summer at WCCW
2017
Prairie technicians visit the prairie
Building the pool of environmental instructors for the women’s prisons
A day for pollinators in prisons
What do the students get from SPP lectures? Part Three
Lecture Series Coordinators 1, 2, 3
Summit for Beekeeping in Prisons
What do the students get from SPP lectures? Part One
2016
2015
WCCW Graduates first Roots class – photo gallery
Live Falcon and Certification Ceremony makes Lecture Soar
2014
First Prison to be Certified as Wildlife Habitat!
2013
And Then There Were Three: Third Hoop House Complete at Washington Corrections Center for Women
Take Your Child to Work Day at WCCW
WCCW’s Science & Sustainability Lecture Series: An Inmate’s Perspective
Washington Corrections Center for Women Celebrates its SPP programs
Conservation Nursery Crew Begins Work at WCCW
2012
Washington Corrections Center for Women Horticulture & Floral Design Programs
Bountiful gardens at Washington Corrections Center for Women
Guest Blogger: Babel goes to prison
Stormwater presentation at WCCW: Inmate blog
2011
The Women’s Village: A Source of Change for Incarcerated Women
WCCW Winter Lecture Series a Success
2010
Dick Meyer Brings Fair Trade to Prisons
Lectures Captivate Offenders at the Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW)