April Cofield Essix

Former
prostitute, crack addict, and felon, April Cofield Essix is an authority on the
life of someone with a drug addiction.
A woman who spent the better part of 17 years in and out of jail, Ms.
Essix now uses her life story in motivational speeches to give others
hope.  From
Crack to Christ: A Witness, a testimonial about
her life, is available at booksellers nationwide.

Ms Essix
became a 14-year-old prostitute, and just a couple of years later, she became a
mother and started using drugs.  She
continued this life of destruction and eventually lost one of her two children
to foster care.   Ms. Essix was
incarcerated repeatedly from 1978-1995.
February 2009 marked 14 years drug free for Ms. Essix, a self-professed
“servant and child of the Most High God.”

Now, as
director of the prison ministry at Memorial Presbyterian Church in Roosvelt, N.Y.,
Ms. Essix returns to the jail every week as a workshop leader in the Drug and
Alcohol Rehabilitation Tier (DART).
She has been awarded and recognized for her selfless acts and dedication
to the prison ministry in which she oversees a toy and clothing drive for the
children of the incarcerated women.
She also implemented a program that gives undergarments to the female
inmate population.  When asked what
inspired the inception of the two programs, Essix stated that when she was
incarcerated, she didn’t have enough changes of underwear.

Ms. Essix
also stated that she always felt terrible at Christmastime because she did not
have any gifts for her kids. After distribution of the toys, inmates are
notified that their children received gifts in their name.  It is a very well-received program with
support from private donors and others who champion the efforts of the prison
ministry.

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Media Contact:

Nichell Taylor Bryant, SoulSource
Communications

516-623-0404, 917-407-3852

[email-masked]

www.SoulSourceCommunications.com