Bill Livolsi is a member of our White Collar Support Group that meets online on Zoom on Monday evenings. We will celebrate our 250th weekly meeting on Monday, March 29, 2021, 7 pm ET, 4 pm PT; all Fellow Travelers are invited.
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Many reading this know the fear of seeing their name on a federal indictment. Many also know the fear and anxiety of standing before a US magistrate judge having to answer the question “How do you plead?” I crossed these thresholds in Dec 2013 and Jan 2014. It was then that I began to understand that the world as I knew it would be forever changed. Thankfully I found Jeff Grant and his ministry soon after.
Many have shared their gratitude for Jeff and the community he has created for men and women like us. I’ve written previously, here and here, about meeting Jeff and how he has helped me countless times to navigate this journey.
The first White Collar Support Group meeting I attended was in May, 2016 (the WCSG’s 2nd meeting!). Having previously been sentenced to 24 months incarceration in April 2015, I was on deferred reporting status while my co-defendant was serving their time. I don’t remember much of the details of what we discussed that night, but I do remember feeling relieved at the openness of those in attendance and their willingness to welcome me to the community. And as I reflect back on the weeks, months and years since that first meeting I have become more at ease, more willing to share my experiences, made some wonderful friendships, and I have learned the skills to be of help those who need it.
This time last year, I was 12 months into my sentence. One morning I received an email (Federal prison camps have email systems called Corrlinks) from Jeff letting me know that in a few weeks our group would be celebrating its 200th meeting. And while we both knew that I wouldn’t be able to attend, I wasn’t sad, quite the opposite. Jeff’s email was a wonderful reminder that our community was still there for me.
I look forward to celebrating our 250th meeting with everyone on March 29, 2021. Congratulations all!
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White Collar Week Podcast: An Evening with Our White Collar Support Group. The support group meeting on this podcast is different than most, because all of the 16 group members appearing have agreed to share their names, faces and very personal stories in an effort to reach out to individuals and families suffering in silence. All on the podcast are post-sentencing or back from prison. Watch on YouTube, Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and SoundCloud,link here.
