My name is Kenneth Gilmore Jr., Founder & Executive Director of Home of Crime Prevention & Life Skills Speakers & Workshops, Inc. Ms. Barbara Kavanagh and I have developed this program in answer to the spike in crimes and the need to eliminate the bad behaviors present in our communities.

Many years ago, I've committed crimes that I am not proud of, and I spent 31 years in prison. With the Love of God, I managed to turn my life around in spite of my daily struggles. When I was paroled from prison in 2007, I faced the challenges of re-entering society: I enrolled in counseling and because of the undying support of my family and friends, I was able to stay on the straight and narrow. I am blessed to be alive and here to tell my story, so I wanted to share my success with all offenders: violent offenders, past and present gang members, Senior Citizens who fear for their safety whenever they venture outside for food shopping or medical appointments, and all adults who face the challenges of everyday life and the LGBTQ community. 

The first step was to show through my life experiences that this program is the best way to reach all individuals who are contemplating changes in their life. Only ex-offenders can relate to another person’s fear of the challenges they face after being released from prison. Some of their fears is that they will slip back into their former lifestyle - their painful shortcomings make them feel like they have no other options but to continue their life of crime. Some of the fear is fueled by their lack of education. The Home of Crime Prevention & Life Skills Speakers & Workshops, Inc., will take these fears and turn them into positive action. Our program offers our clients educational, vocational training and basic life skills. Our workshops are designed to help our clients face and overcome the challenges they are confronted with on a daily basis. We also focus on helping clients who have not been imprisoned!

How do we accomplish this? For several years in prison, I attended daily counseling sessions that taught me the value of my life and the lives of others. I also learned how to separate the behavior from the person to be able to appreciate the person's inner qualities. I eventually graduated from my classes to a position where I facilitated these classes and taught my fellow inmates what I had learned.

When I was paroled from prison in 2007, that knowledge and my firm belief that I could be of assistance to others led me to join a project of the Queens Public Library and the District Attorney’s Office of Queens County to work with individuals arrested for the first time for nonviolent crimes. This Second Chance Program sealed their crimes if the individual completed the course and stayed out of trouble for 6 months after completing the course. I could see right away that this curriculum was the program I was looking for to help others while being blessed to fulfill my dream.