On August 5, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, partnering with JONAH (Joining our Neighbors Advancing Hope), will host a special summer service advocating for Wisconsin’s 11x15 campaign. (11x15 describes the dimensions of a jail cell in feet).  JONAH, comprising faith-based communities in the Chippewa Valley, is currently raising awareness for the campaign, which is “an urgent call to reduce Wisconsin’s prison population by half – to 11,000 – by the end of 2015,” according to the JONAH website. John Stedman, JONAH organizer and major advocate for Wisconsin’s 11x15 campaign, believes that alternative treatment programs are fiscally responsible and can be more beneficial than incarceration.

The August 5 event will remain a traditional church service with the addition of several guest speakers whose lives have benefited from alternative programs to incarceration. Stedman said the primary focus for the event is advocating for the 11x15 campaign. He hopes that it will be informative and that the community will show more support on this issue.