CREW Hits 150 Women Supported

Oregon reentry program marks key milestone

Volunteers celebrate with CREW participant and give her a safe ride (Photo courtesy of CREW / Transformative Justice Community)

Connecting Resources to Empower Women (CREW), a program of the Transformative Justice Community, announced today that it has supported more than 150 women through the prison release process in Oregon — a milestone reached almost entirely through volunteer dedication and community generosity.

Since launching in September 2025, CREW has grown from serving just two women in its first month to supporting 75% of all releases at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility (CCCF) in April 2026 alone. Each woman was met at the gate with a personalized duffel bag of clothing, full-sized hygiene products, and county-specific resources.

"No woman should have to be released to a bus stop," said volunteer CREW Director, Taryn VanderPyl. "If she asks us for a safe ride, we show up. Period. We cover the whole state of Oregon, no matter how far."

In April 2026 alone, CREW provided safe rides to 19 women through 13 different volunteers spanning 11 counties, bringing the total number of counties served to 23 statewide. The program also issued 10 gift certificates for tattoo cover-ups of sex trafficking brands and gang-related tattoos, provided by 6 tattoo artists who donated their time and skill.

Every ride includes two critical stops: an intake appointment with the county parole office and delivery to approved housing, the first essential steps in a successful reentry and staying out of prison.

CREW operates on a shoestring budget with mostly volunteer labor. Volunteers currently receive no reimbursement for gas — a significant burden in the current economic climate — yet not a single volunteer has quit or complained. When partner organizations meet CREW halfway on long cross-state drives, the program describes it simply: "This is sharing the love."

Sabrina, a woman recently released from Coffee Creek, captured what CREW means to women inside: "Because of CREW, I now feel like I have a chance out there and believe that I won't come back to prison due to a lack of support. I couldn't thank CREW enough for all the help and support they provide."

CREW has recently expanded into a larger storage space and is actively planning for a full women's release center as soon as funding allows. The organization continues to seek donations of full-sized hygiene products, new shoes, underwear, bras, and socks, as well as gas cards and monetary donations to ensure safe rides are never in jeopardy.

"Somehow, our little ragtag group has now been part of over 150 releases," VanderPyl said. "And we won't stop."