Executive Director / Organizer (773) 454-1545 [email protected]
Rev. Tommie Andre Johnson, associate minister at New Mt. Moriah Baptist Church under Pastor Marvel Williams. Rev. Johnson graduated from Whitney M. Young H.S., and went on to play football at Southern Illinois University. Rev. had a brief attempt at professional football with the San Diego Chargers. Rev. Johnson's career title is Recovery Support Services Coordinator for the State of Illinois for Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC). This position requires that he works in unison with the Illinois Department of Corrections. Rev. Johnson is the organizer and executive director of the ‘Outside the Walls Ministries’. This is a ministry that directs its efforts toward individuals, adult and juvenile, coming out of incarceration, as well as using drugs or in recovery from drug use. Juvenile's gang affiliated or other wise misguided are also a focus.
The ministry has and does still assist in areas of housing (over 60 placements including 5 families this year), rental assistance (numerous individuals assisted with security deposits and partial rent payments, utilities etc.), transportation (over 300 bus passes given out weekly, monthly), furnishings, treatment placements over 700 individuals to date placed in treatment or therapeutic housing).The ministry is well known for it’s giving during the Christmas season. The young men at Joliet I.Y.C., Chicago I.Y.C. and St. Charles I.Y.C.(youth prison) receives sweat suits, new gym shoes and toiletries for the entire program, along with a Christmas feast of a meal with a powerful Christmas Program. Hundreds of children have received toys. Hundreds of families have received baskets including food, brand new clothes, and gift cards.
The ministry has and does still assist in areas of housing (over 60 placements including 5 families this year), rental assistance (numerous individuals assisted with security deposits and partial rent payments, utilities etc.), transportation (over 300 bus passes given out weekly, monthly), furnishings, treatment placements over 700 individuals to date placed in treatment or therapeutic housing).The ministry is well known for it’s giving during the Christmas season. The young men at Joliet I.Y.C., Chicago I.Y.C. and St. Charles I.Y.C.(youth prison) receives sweat suits, new gym shoes and toiletries for the entire program, along with a Christmas feast of a meal with a powerful Christmas Program. Hundreds of children have received toys. Hundreds of families have received baskets including food, brand new clothes, and gift cards.
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Two Chicago Public Schools have retained his services to work with their troubled youth this past school year (NIA Middle School on the Westside and Crete Monee Middle School in University Park). Numerous schools and youth programs have had him to conduct work shops and trainings. These include the Urban League of Springfield, Illinois and Lincoln Challenge of Rantoul, Illinois. These were all done in partnership with Transforming Lives International. Rev. Johnson has worked as a consultant with many organizations including the Chicago Christian Industrial League and Bethel New Life. Rev. Johnson is in high demand as a speaker in many arenas, motivational, inspirational and instructional. Most recently Rev. Johnson was keynote speaker at the Father's Day celebration and commencement exercises for Cook County Jail Boot Camp. He was the Keynote at Vandalia Correctional Center’s Black History Celebration. Rev. Johnson sat on a panel of experts as the
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expert on community re-entry and recovery at the Annual North West Indiana Conference on Prisoner Re-entry held in Gary, Indiana at the Genesis Convention Center. The Illinois Department of Corrections has deemed him “The Keynote Speaker” at all reentry summits. Rev. Johnson has been keynote speaker at over 50 Reentry Summits for the Illinois Department of Correction (IDOC)! His Fatherhood curriculum is now adopted and implemented by IDOC.
Rev. Johnson has been featured in a nationally aired PBS Special on reentry and recidivism on the program entitled ‘NOW’, the segment entitled ‘MAXIMUM CAPACITY’. Most recently honored by Transforming Lives International with the Lorraine McGhee Human Service Award, and selected “Unsung Hero” for 2011 and given a banquet in his honor in Dallas Texas. Considered one of the leaders in not just Chicago, but all of Illinois and quickly becoming a national voice on reentry, recovery and recidivism. He has been sought out by and is seated on many boards and committees. He is known throughout the community as an advocate for recovery capital, and for providing motivational speeches to men inside institutions from the northern most to the southern most of Illinois. Rev. Johnson is over several programs most notably ‘The Winners' Circle’. He is well known for his motto which states: “If I can help someone as I pass along then my living shall not be in vain."
Rev. Johnson advocates a holistic approach when dealing with an individual. He states, "The emphasis has to be God. Weighing all the elements together, they pale in comparison to the God element. With all the components of man taken into consideration, they all eventually fail without God! There is only one thing better than being clean, sober and free, and that is being saved! All the things that we are searching for and trying to achieve are in God and His plan for how we should live!
Rev. Johnson has been featured in a nationally aired PBS Special on reentry and recidivism on the program entitled ‘NOW’, the segment entitled ‘MAXIMUM CAPACITY’. Most recently honored by Transforming Lives International with the Lorraine McGhee Human Service Award, and selected “Unsung Hero” for 2011 and given a banquet in his honor in Dallas Texas. Considered one of the leaders in not just Chicago, but all of Illinois and quickly becoming a national voice on reentry, recovery and recidivism. He has been sought out by and is seated on many boards and committees. He is known throughout the community as an advocate for recovery capital, and for providing motivational speeches to men inside institutions from the northern most to the southern most of Illinois. Rev. Johnson is over several programs most notably ‘The Winners' Circle’. He is well known for his motto which states: “If I can help someone as I pass along then my living shall not be in vain."
Rev. Johnson advocates a holistic approach when dealing with an individual. He states, "The emphasis has to be God. Weighing all the elements together, they pale in comparison to the God element. With all the components of man taken into consideration, they all eventually fail without God! There is only one thing better than being clean, sober and free, and that is being saved! All the things that we are searching for and trying to achieve are in God and His plan for how we should live!
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