Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW)
| Program | Program Partners (partner with DOC, Evergreen, or both) | Recent highlights – updated August 2019 |
| Roots of Success, environmental course | Roots of Success | Substantial efforts to re-start the program, false start in April (ran into difficulties); found new classroom and have a better plan! |
| Environmental Workshop Series | Guest experts from nonprofits, agencies, business, etc. | Greatly increased attendance in the past year: 444 compared to 250 year previous; awarded 28 certificates |
| 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, crew cultivated 82,000 prairie plants for habitat restoration, increased seed nursery to produce Viola adunca seed for Federally listed silverspot butterfly on the Oregon coast; 38 workshops 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 |
| Beekeeping | Mother Earth Farm, Little Eoarth Farm,Tacoma Community College, Washington Master Beekeepers wamasterbeekeepers.org | No beekeeping classes last few years; still have 3 hives |
| Community College Horticulture | Tacoma Community College,WSU Extension, Pierce County (Master Gardeners) | 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 provide lectures and mentorship; Master Gardeners also donated $1,500 for soil, seeds, and fertilizers |
| Mother Earth Farm, offsite farm crew | Mother Earth Farm,Emergency Food Network, Tacoma Community College | Offsite crew of 9 organic farm students grows vegetables for donation to 16 food pantries (quantities not available for 2019); formal education on 17 topics earns 9 credits from TCC |
| Prison Pet Partnership | First in-prison pet program in the country! In past year, 35 dogs in training, 17 adopted as pets, 6 as service animals, 25 incarcerated employees; 2 found pet care industry employment post-release | |
| Sisters of Charity: quilts, fabric crafts, wildlife rescue | Community members donate supplies; LIHI and multiple non-profits/charities receive donations | In past year, created and donated 3,111 items! Hats, pillowcases, quilts, stockings, pottery, dog beds (for PPP), and curtains for tiny houses |
| Waste sorting & recycling | In past year, diverted 86+ tons of materials from waste stream to recycling | |
| Large-scale composting | Last year, composted 158+ tons of food waste | |
| Electric vehicles | Maintain 2 electric vehicles | |
| Lighting upgrades | Upgraded all perimeter lighting to LEDs in past year |
Articles about WCCW
2020
Bringing honeybees back to WCCW
2019
Persistence pays off: beekeeping in Massachusetts jails
Rethinking the Landscape of Incarceration
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)