Community Service Spotlight
by Irene Lincoln Morgan
Roots of Determination
I was raised by two strong-minded parents — one outspoken, the other quietly stubborn — both determined in their own ways. By 26, I’d lost them both: my mother to cancer, my father to a car collision. Their lessons of strength, courage, and purpose carried me through the challenges of marriage and raising two children.
I’ve lived on the same land since 1946, giving me nearly eight decades of perspective on Whatcom County — its people, rhythms, and recurring challenges. Over the years, I’ve seen how many problems trace back to one thing : a lack of compassion and practical support for those trying to rebuild their lives. Growing up on a farm taught me the healing power of nature, hard work, and human connection.
A Realization: Something Was Wrong
Years of volunteering with local nonprofits and attending Homeless Coalition meetings opened my eyes to the gaps in our community systems. Our approaches to poverty, trauma, and incarceration weren’t solving problems — they were recycling them.
Then, in 2006, I discovered “A Matter of Time” by Don Kirchner — his moving story of incarceration and redemption was deeply inspiring. After reaching out to his business partner in Point Roberts, I began exploring reentry programs across the country and found the Delancey Street Foundation in San Francisco — a national model with an 80 percent success rate. More than housing, it offered education, community living, and job training, truly helping rebuild lives. That inspired my dream and vision for the RestoreALife Center for creating change here at home.
The Birth of a Coalition & Successes
That dream took root in December 2006 when I founded the ReEntry Coalition of Whatcom County — later the Restorative CommUnity Coalition (RCC) — the first reentry coalition in Washington state. On a cold winter day, 14 of us gathered for the first meeting, including Don Kirchner, his partner, and four representatives from the Department of Corrections — proof that we’d struck a chord.
From that day forward, collaboration became our foundation. Law enforcement, attorneys, service providers, and citizens came together to find real solutions. With small grants, RCC helped people rebuild their lives after incarceration — and we saw how modest support could spark lasting change. A few hundred dollars for housing or car repairs often meant stability, employment, and freedom from re-offending. By 2009, our 60 percent success rate had saved the community over $175,000.
These weren’t just statistics — they were lives rebuilt, families reunited, and community members restored. A heartfelt thank you to the many donors, volunteers, and incredible people who stood with us to help make all of our accomplishments possible. Your continued support keeps our mission alive and focused on true justice and compassion.
In December 2020, Joy Gilfilen produced in partnership with KOYS-LPFM 94.1, the ChangeJustice podcast, amplifying marginal voices through 200 episodes over four years. Featuring diverse guests, it addresses incarceration, inequity, healing and community issues. It now reaches global audiences, fostering dialogue, understanding, and systemic change through compassionate storytelling.
photo: Jeff Smith
On the left is James White, an RCC board member who lives in Canada. In the middle is Joy Gilfilen and, on the right, is Irene Lincoln Morgan, who holds the U.S. Peace Flag, not flown since the 1930s. It is also known as a “Civil Flag of Peace.” They were recently photographed at the Peace Arch.
Introducing Restorative Justice
By 2010, we began formally advocating for Restorative Justice (RJ) in Whatcom County — a process that emphasizes accountability, healing , and community restoration rather than punishment. Officials told us many times that RJ “wouldn’t work,” especially for felonies. But we knew better. We had seen similar approaches succeed in other states and countries. We continued to research, educate, and model restorative principles in our work. Today, those ideas — once dismissed — are gaining traction as communities realize that true justice means healing harm, not compounding it. (Learn more at therestorativecommunity. org.)
Lessons From Experience
In 2012, we operated two ReEntry homes using an all-volunteer staff. Funding was limited, but the experience revealed how the system actually functions — and how it fails. We discovered that people released from prison were supplied with an “Offender Badge” — the same ID they wore inside prison — marked with their name, photo, Dept. of Corrections (DOC) number, and the word Offender. It wasn’t accepted by banks, employers, or landlords. To make matters worse, they were released with a $40 check they couldn’t cash without a valid ID. This was more than a bureaucratic oversight — it was a setup for failure. I wrote to 50 state legislators about this issue in 2011. Only one replied: Senator Mike Carrell, who worked with us for a year to advocate for a $34,000 software solution linking the DOC and Department of Licensing to provide valid IDs at release. It took over a decade, but eventually, the DOC implemented that change — a vital victory for fairness.
Expanding Our Mission
By 2013, we had broadened our vision and officially adopted our new name: Restorative CommUnity Coalition. Our focus extended beyond reentry support to public education — shining light on systemic failures from arrest to reintegration, and advocating for a justice system that heals rather than harms. In 2015, I was appointed to the Incarceration Prevention & Reduction Task Force. Around that time, the Vera Institute of Justice contracted to conduct an analysis of Whatcom County’s criminal justice system. The findings confirmed what we already knew: the system was deeply flawed and ineffective. Our mission became clearer — not just to help individuals, but to transform the systems that shape their lives.
Challenging the Jail Expansion
That same year, our then-president Joy Gilfilen ran for county executive on the platform “Stop Punishing Taxpayers — Start Rebuilding Community.” Alongside 15 other citizens, she filed complaints with the Public Disclosure Commission over the county’s taxpayer-funded “Jail Mailer” that promoted the new jail project during an election. Her report, “Noble Cause Corruption,” led to County Executive Jack Louws being fined and placed on probation. Later, in 2017, Joy ran for Sheriff — not to win, but to educate the public. Her campaign raised awareness about the misuse of jail funding and helped defeat two proposed jail taxes in 2015 and 2017.
Out of that work came her “RADD-RAT Jail Trauma Chart”, which mapped the psychological toll of incarceration on individuals and families.
Addressing Homelessness and Human Needs
In recent years, another crisis has grown: homelessness. I often ask, why not use county-owned properties, like the LaBounty Road site, to create safe, supportive spaces for the unhoused? These spaces could offer stability, skills training, and access to services — giving people a genuine chance to recover. Instead, it’s now illegal to be homeless in Bellingham. Are we planning to use the new jail to house those without homes? Our jails have become default centers for mental health care and social services — roles we never expected them to fill. We need 21st century communitybased solutions, not more 20th century incarceration models.
Speaking Truth to Power
During Satpal Sidhu’s 2020 campaign for County Executive, he promised a Community Needs Assessment — one that would serve the people, not the jail. Yet, after taking office, he reversed course. When we met to discuss it, he grew frustrated and said, “Irene, how does it feel to have taken a wrecking ball to a 20- year jail planning project?” I was stunned — but also grateful. For once, someone acknowledged the impact our volunteer-driven coalition had achieved.
Hope and Humanity Behind Bars
Over the years, I’ve corresponded with many prisoners. Several told me about reentry programs they had created inside prison — peer-led, compassionate initiatives — all later dismantled by the DOC. Those stories remind me how much potential is being wasted when we silence the voices of people trying to do good, even behind bars.
A Call for Right Action
After nearly two decades in this work, I’ve learned a hard truth: white-collar crime often escapes accountability, while those shaped by trauma, poverty, or despair bear the weight of incarceration. Even after paying their debt to society, they face a world that still punishes them through stigma and systemic barriers.
We can’t keep doing what doesn’t work and expect healing. Mass incarceration has drained resources, fractured families, and eroded our collective spirit. The system isn’t broken — it’s functioning as designed — and that design perpetuates failure.
It’s time to choose a new design: one rooted in restoration, dignity, and accountability, not vengeance. Proven solutions already exist — restorative justice, reentry programs, healing communities, and trauma-informed care. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel; we need to use what works and believe every life is worth restoring.
Imagine a community where returning citizens are met with opportunity, not obstacles — where mental health is met with compassion, not confinement — where public safety means housing, purpose, and connection for all.
That is the vision we hold at the Restorative CommUnity Coalition. And, it is possible — right here, in Whatcom County.
So we invite you — citizens, leaders, neighbors — to take part in this change. Join us. Learn with us. Stand with us. Because the safety and strength of our community will never come from punishment — it will come from Right Action for ALL.
If not now, when? If not us, who?
I have great hope — that together, we can turn compassion into policy, and justice into healing.
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Irene Lincoln Morgan is a lifelong social activist, counselor, and founder of the Restorative CommUnity Coalition. She advocates for justice reform, reentry support, and community healing in Whatcom County. Irene’s mission is to replace cycles of punishment with compassion, restoration, and accountability to build safer, stronger communities for all. Visit: therestorativecommunity.org.
