EX-OFFENDERS, VICTIMIZED WOMEN AMONG SPECIAL INVITEES TO
POPULAR T.D. JAKES WOMEN’S CONFERENCE

More than one in every 100 adults in America are in jail or prison, and the female prisoner population is growing at a faster rate than men. –Pew Center on the States, 2008

DALLAS, Sept. 30, 2009—In an effort to reduce recidivism and help formerly incarcerated women transition back to their community, Bishop T.D. Jakes along with the Texas Offenders Re-entry Initiative (TORI), is reaching out to female ex-offenders during the Woman Thou Art Loosed conference held Oct. 15-17 at The Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas. Woman, Thou Art Loosed is designed to uplift and strengthen all despite their circumstance or walk-of-life and encourage them to find support and hope in one another and in God.

Through TORI, 100 women will be afforded an opportunity to attend Woman, Thou Art Loosed for no charge. These women will be encouraged to build and rely on their faith as an anchor during tough times and through life’s transitions. In preparation of the conference, TORI clients are partaking in a free eight-week Woman, Thou Art Loosed workshop. The set of courses takes a spiritual and holistic approach to addressing key issues faced by everyday women ranging from dealing with hardships to overcoming past disappointments. The curriculum teaches women how to access resources to help break cycles of substance abuse and domestic violence as they work toward transitioning back into society. Because of its strong faith-based component, the program, affiliated with The Potter’s House incorporates a message of hope, which is the vital ingredient to initiate change.

“Having a strong faith-base helps provide stability to women and grace to get through whatever life hands them in the free world, and we at TORI believe that Woman Thou Art Loosed is an excellent resource to supplement TORI clients’ reintegration back into society,” said Tina Naidoo, executive director of TORI.

Other assistance for women fall under MegaCARE, a non-profit humanitarian organization founded by Bishop Jakes that addresses educational, health, empowerment and social issues in communities worldwide. For this year’s Woman, Thou Art Loosed conference, MegaCARE is partnering with several Dallas-based organizations that provide counseling, intervention, housing and case management services for women facing domestic abuse and chemical dependency.  In conjunction with partnerships with various organizations, including, The Family Place, LifeNet, Center of Hope, Genesis Shelter and In The City For Good, MegaCARE is sponsoring more than 200 women to attend Woman, Thou Art Loosed.

“One organization can only do so much to impact lives and you can almost feel defeated, at times, when you cannot meet all the needs of the people you serve,” said Junie Harrison, executive director for Dallas-based In The City For Good. “That is why partnering with other organizations like MegaCARE is such a blessing because we are able to do more than before and that is invaluable.”

In addition to those efforts, Serita Jakes, wife of Bishop Jakes, is raising awareness on issues related to women during Girl Talk, a panel discussion in which women throughout the world will exchange ideas on various topics, including health and wellness, relationships, finances, career, spirituality and image. The dialogue will be held, Thursday, Oct. 15 at 1:00 p.m. at The Potter’s House in Dallas.

Registration is required for Woman, Thou Art Loosed.  Attendees can register by calling 1.800.BISHOP.2 for pricing, specific event information and hotel accommodations or by visiting www.wtal.org.

About Thankful Women

Another highlight of Woman Thou Art Loosed centers on the theme of this year’s event, “Thankful Women,” in which women from all backgrounds and cultures will unite to celebrate one another. Bishop T.D. Jakes is calling thankful women to join him on Twitter as he works to help change the lives of women worldwide during the Woman, Thou Art Loosed conference.  Jakes will share inspiring, life-changing messages leading up to and during the event.  To follow Jakes and share their own Thankful Tweet, women can simply click on the link http://twitter.com/BishopJakes.

About Woman Thou Art Loosed (WTAL)

Bishop Jakes developed Woman Thou Art Loosed in 1992 as Sunday School curriculum. The message was designed to encourage women to find support and hope in one another and in God as they become stronger leaders in their families, churches, communities and businesses. Its uplifting message has now been transformed into a best-selling book, a stage play, a GRAMMY®-nominated CD, a box office top-10 hit movie in 2004 and a conference series that has been attended by more than 500,000 women from around the world. Visit www.wtal.org for more information.

About The Potter's House of Dallas

A globally recognized church of more than 30,000 members located in Dallas, The Potter's House strives to be the voice and the hand that encourages people of all creeds and cultures to change their lives with hope, comfort and peace.  The church is led by Bishop T. D. Jakes, twice featured on the cover of Time magazine as "America's Best Preacher" and as one of this nation's "25 most influential evangelicals." In July, Jakes was honored in New Orleans at the Essence Music Festival All-Star Tribute. For his work in healthcare, Jakes was the first recipient of the Community Leader’s Award presented by the Community Health Centers and the United Health Care Group at the recent Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, D.C.