Media Mentions

Morning Blend

Watch the Morning Blend's interview to learn about Project RETURN's impact on the Milwaukee community for the past 40 years.

"Both the BLM movement and Project RETURN are working to show the whole community and country that Black persons have as much potential, worth, and dignity as anyone else," said Pastor Joseph Ellwanger, founder and board member of Project RETURN.
Prison to Promise Podcast
"​From Conviction to Compassion: The Geno Nelson Story"

Lake Effect

Listen to the Lake Effect's interview for a deep dive into Project RETURN's mission in battling recidivism in Southeast Wisconsin.

“They treated me like I was no different from one of them. So even in my mind, I thought that I was less than, they treated me like I was one of them and eventually the love that they continued to show me took away my options to go back to where I was and then it started to build me up to see a whole different side of life,” says Rodney Evans, board president of Project RETURN. 

WISN 12 News

Watch WISN 12's coverage of Project RETURN's 2020 Virtual Gala!

“When I met project return, or when they met me, I was drowning in the criminal justice system... I went to the program that my PO sent me to at Project RETURN and they showed me a different way at looking at myself and life," says Rodney Evans, board president of Project RETURN. 

Radio Milwaukee

Listen to Radio Milwaukee's conversation about the mental health treatment courts in Milwaukee with Pastor Joe Ellwanger and Judge Cynthia Davis. These courts divert people with serious mental disorders from jail to treatment. Learn more at the link to the right.
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“There is some pushback from people who have a kind of as the saying goes, ‘If you do the crime, then pay the time,’ mentality,” says Pastor Joseph Ellwanger, board member and founder of Project RETURN. “If you have that mentality this appears to be letting somebody off the hook of responsibility and accountability but the drug treatment courts and the mental health treatment court really keeps people accountable. They have to come and report to the judge on a regular basis, whether they are maintaining their journey of recovery or not.”

EXPO Radio

Take a listen to board member Rob Schreiber's conversation with state assembly member Evan Goyke. He is a Marquette alum who continues to work on bills dealing with Justice reform. He is currently a member of Juvenile Corrections Study Committee and the Joint Finance Committee.