A Children's Place Of Healing

Members of the Goucher College Soccer Program visiting with some of the children at St Vincent Villa.

It's a program with which I am well familiar, since I volunteered back when the now-joined programs were separate. I have helped some of the children referred to this organization transition from the inpatient setting to its setting. It's none other than ST VINCENT VILLA, located on Pot Spring Road in Timonium.

This organization offers both residential and diagnostic and treatment services for children ages 3 to 13, who have emotional and behavioral challenges. Generally, children who are served have been in inpatient treatment repeatedly, so this type of residential treatment becomes an option in order for the children to receive longer-term treatment, which allows them to return to the community for much longer periods than they had been experiencing.



For most children who access the residential component, stays range from six to nine months. There is also a shorter term unit, an intensive diagnostic and stabilization unit, for which the stays are approximately 90 days. An entire treatment team, whose members are from various treatment disciplines, are at the disposal of each child. Among the services are psychological testing, family therapy, medication management, on-site nursing and health care, case management, a volunteer mentoring program, individual and group therapy, internal community meetings that reinforce the concepts of safety, unity, respect, and fun (SURF). All is wrapped around with trauma-informed care.

A young girl, Grace, came to St. Vincent Villa in 2012, with her own set of issues. What she was dealing with affected her schooling and she was unable to cope with the stresses she faced. Her mother explained that she did not know how to help provide her daughter with coping skills, either. Mother noted that the communication connection with members of the treatment team was very helpful and was not often found in other treatment facilities.

Now, a few years down the road, Grace has hope, she has ambitions for a career in science. Mother notes that one of the keys for her in Grace's treatment was staying involved in the treatment process. Mother also noted that since she left St. Vincent Villa, she has had to deal with her father's lengthy absences in the military, but that now she has the ability to cope better. The relationship between mother and daughter has notably improved.

A wall of wishes for Christmas presents by the children, that can be fulfilled by members of the public.

Grace has seemingly also found her niche in the business world through her talent in jewelry making. She has a list of clients with whom she maintains regular contact and she is sure to incorporate their ideas into her designs. It's the power of one, multiplied by the many supportive people in her life.

Some of the St Vincent Villa boys gathered for an Ed Block Courage event.

One of the parents of another resident stated, "I can't thank you enough for the role you played in salvaging our family unit, which was in imminent danger of falling apart. We are a much stronger, more cohesive family unit, which has had a huge impact on our ability to manage our child more effectively."

Thanks for information from this page on Catholic Charities: http://www.catholiccharities-md.org/st-vincents-villa/; and the above link.

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A Model Of Sustainability For Miami-Dade

A 3-D model of the proposed building.

Miami is the site of an ambitious project in environmental sustainability. Called COLONY1, this free education center is slated to be built on a piece of land granted for to the purpose by Miami-Dade County. The 50-year land grant allows building to start from plans already shared and developed with public input.

This project has been among the dreams of Blair Butterfield, the founder of the organization, ART OF CULTURAL EVOLUTION, which has a number of other projects in process, as well. Ms. Butterfield discussed the Colony1 project, "Colony1 is all about sustainability. We believe in creating a culture where everyone can have a more symbiotic relationship with the earth. We believe that most people are willing to make changes for their environment, but they just do not have access to the knowledge on how to do so. The whole point of Colony1 is to demonstrate that sustainability is possible and allow others to learn and replicate any piece of the facility they would like to."



In order to put that plan into effect, the Colony1 project has been transparent in sharing the plans for the facility and its features as they are developed. Some of the features that have been planned into the project include Net Zero Water. That means no reliance on city water. It is planned that rainwater will be collected and held in a cistern. That water will then be filtered and used for the facilities needs. In addition, there is a grey filtration system that will clean the water to be used for garden irrigation and the runoff will then be looped back into the system through a closed loop. The grey filtration system essentially routes the water through a constructed wetlands and that wetlands will provide education for city residents.

Another feature is Net Zero Energy, through utilizing solar panels. Besides the facility being powered by solar energy, it will have an energy storage capability of a battery bank, eventually able to provide an energy offset for the neighbors. Even further into the future, the plan is to develop a sort of micro-grid that would increase the use of solar power by neighboring property owners.

A vacant piece of land was converted into a sustainable land lab with  types of solutions that can be done in a backyard.

The first phase of development would construct an art and science center, with room for a metal and wood workshop, a caretaker living area, and a permaculture garden. Modular steel components would be used, along with a sustainable design standard, adherence to LEED requirements, and a Living Building challenge.

Solar energy is used for irrigation, sound equipment, and night lighting.

Thanks for information from this article on Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/blair-butterfield-colony1/; this article from Art Of Cultural Evolution: http://media.wix.com/ugd/9d51da_fdc4ecf52da540ecaa8804871281bc23.pdf; and the above links.

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Children's Theatre For Environmental Learning

Photo shoot for upcoming Emergency Preparedness Squad show.

Two people, a ton of creativity, unbelievable talent, educable children and youth, an atmosphere of change and fun, whatever theater is at hand, mix it up with some more people with skills in various areas, and you get DREAMRIDER PRODUCTIONS. With a home base in Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada, Vanessa LeBourdais and Ian Gschwind, both experienced in youth engagement, produce and act in theatre and multimedia events that educate and inspire youth on environmental issues.



Over the course of a single year, DreamRider Productions presents creative programs for more than 70,000 children in over 300 schools each year. And you can always tell a program has been presented because of the many children singing the tunes they sang along
with during a production. According to Christiane Wilhelmson Executive Director of the Georgia Strait Alliance, "DreamRider's work to engage with young people throughout the region is critical to raising environmental literacy throughout our communities - we simply love that they do it in such a fun and creative way."

In addition to producing live plays, DreamRider has put together an online educational experiential game, The Planet Protector Academy. Made specifically for children in grades 3 to 6, the game/experience is linked with the curriculum and engages children in helping communities reach their climate, energy, and transportation goals. It is a plug and play program, so it is easy to set up for teachers and it utilizes students' collaborative, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Grade 4 and 5 Teacher Shane Hipwell, from Dormick Park Elementary, commented, "The kids felt they owned this program, that they're actually real life planet protectors."

One production touring the Langley elementary schools.

Just last month, DreamRider Productions put out a music video, The Song of Stuff, based on a well-known video, The Story of Stuff. Vanessa LeBourdais did the singing and also provided the lyrics and composing, besides directing and producing. It features the animation talents of Michael A Mann. Ian Gschwind and Sara Holt put in cameo appearances. Tim Porter provided musicianship on the guitar. Videographer Jan Klompje recorded the video. With easy-to-remember lyrics, catchy and danceable music, and colorful images, this video is sure to engage the children who watch and listen to it.

Thanks for information from this article on Charter For Compassion: https://www.charterforcompassion.org/dreamrider-productions; this page on DreamRider Productions: http://dreamriderproductions.com/what-we-do/planet-protector-academy/; this post on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DreamRiderHQ/posts/10154447767428580; and the above link.

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A Foundation Built On Faith

The Walk The Walk trailer.

Children in need in Maryland have a source of help in the WALK THE WALK FOUNDATION (WTWF), based in Millersville. David and Kimberley Mitchell started the foundation in 2005. In a sense, the organization was built on a base determined by faith, especially since faith had seen the couple through many trials and had prepared them for this larger task.

Kimberley noted, "We strongly feel we have been blessed and we want to share that with others. Most importantly, we want to teach our own kids that they have a responsibility to 'Give Back!'" The inspiration for the name of their foundation came from a Biblical verse, Joshua 22:5, "Love the Lord your God and WALK in all his ways!"



The foundation works on the principle of a circle of giving. The resources of the foundation catalyze those who give and those who receive to do the same in future when the opportunity presents itself, in other words, a form of paying it forward. As more give and more receive that giving circle grows larger.

WTWF does its work through three different projects. The foundation became part of the Huggies' National Diaper Bank. The organization organizes diaper drives to collect disposable diapers. Volunteers repackage them in packages of 25 each, then distribute them to nonprofits serving as shelters, food pantries, and other types of community service organizations, who then distribute them to mothers who need them. The diaper program continues year round.

Another program is the Back to School Drive. WTWF purchases school supplies in bulk and then volunteers from the community help to pack a backpack full with the school supplies. The organization brings a trailer full of supplies to a site, such as a church, school, or office. Participants donate $30 and then fill up a backpack with school supplies. WTWF also accepts donated school supplies from members of the community. Backpacks are then distributed to students at Anne Arundel County elementary schools.

One of the gatherings where WTWF received completed backpacks of school supplies.

The third, and signature program, is Walk of Christmas. Members of the community are solicited to sponsor a family from Maryland, West Virginian, or Virginia. Sponsors then purchase gifts for the family members. Names and composition of the families come from Department of Social Services or other service organizations. Once the sponsors have purchased the gifts, they get together with the sponsored family at a distribution site. Families greet families, play games together, and the sponsored families receive the gifts. Each sponsored family receives a disposable camera, which can be used to photograph when they open the gifts. The used camera comes back to the foundation, where the pictures are developed; one copy is sent to the sponsor and the other to the receiving family. There are also other ways for those who want to donate gifts and gift cards to participate, as well.

A big thank you from children who received gifts.

Thanks for information from this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/WalktheWalkFoundation/about/; this page on WTWF: http://www.wtwf.org/diapers/; this page on WTWF: http://www.wtwf.org/back-to-school/; this page on WTWF: http://www.wtwf.org/walk-of-christmas/; and the above link.

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Enriching The Lives Of St. Petersburg's Children

Children had a chance to engage in making chalk drawings on the sidewalk.

Many of America's children live in areas where the majority of families get by on a low income or an income below the poverty line. Too often, the parents are working as much as they can to scrape by on this type of income. The children grow up seeing too much; losing close family members and friends, who die too young; struggle to grab onto a sense of safety; and have no place to go to relax and enjoy life. Many have their own demons with which to deal, while experiencing symptoms of PTSD when something reminds them of what they've been through.

Two young men, David and Harris Ambush, were aware of the many children and youth in St. Petersburg, FL, who were growing up deprived and hurting, and they wanted to do something to help. Together, they formed HANDS 4 HOPE. The focus was learning and safety, a place where children could learn and explore naturally some of the areas in which schools hadn't educated them. So, programming includes yoga and meditation, gardening, nutrition, building character and self-esteem, playing soccer, and other supplemental activities. The programming was designed to help children heal, feel a sense of self-worth, and become good members of the community.



David noted, at the time Hands 4 Hope was just starting, "It is my opinion that there is absolutely no better way to progress this planet than with the love, support, and education of the youth. Our program will nurture, love, and support children while allowing them to focus on areas of interest that may one day lead to their career and them being able to provide for themselves and their family, as well as change the world with their dreams, education, and attitude."

Hands 4 Hope has several different projects on which they are working. The Self-Esteem and Soccer Program has brought the organization into partnership with The Tampa Bay Rowdies and the University of South Florida - St. Petersburg. The program is being offered at five schools in Midtown and Southside areas. The program is designed to teach teamwork and build character as a foundation to boosting self-esteem. Both group and individual skills are being taught.

Another project is Mindfulness & Yoga Program. Both Kidding Around Yoga and the University of South Florida - St. Petersburg are partners in this program. It is also being offered at five different schools. Certified yoga teachers teach yoga poses, controlled breathing, and laughter, to help children develop success internally and externally. Since the start of the program, children have been noted to be more focused in class and to handle their emotions with better control.

The Enrichment Program is an afterschool program being provided in the Midtown area, for children of elementary school age who need more guidance, support, care, and safety. The program is organized holistically and includes tutoring, gardening, nutrition, yoga, music and art, sports, hygiene and self-care, goal-setting and achieving, and self-esteem and self-value exercises.

Some Tampa Bay Rowdies players stopped for a photo op with the kids in the Self-Esteem and Soccer Program.

A separate tutoring program is offered at Academy Prep, which has students in fifth through eighth grades. The organization also provides a gardening program at Maximo Elementary School. The program has been integrating the activities in the gardening program with the science curriculum.

Yoga/meditation on the grass.

Thanks for information from this article on Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/david-ambush-hands-4-hope-after-school-care/; this page on Hands 4 Hope: http://www.hands4hope.com/projects.html; and the above link.

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Better Treatment For Youth In Trouble

Promoting Prop 57 on the California ballot.

Any time I notice an organization or group of organizations that are committed to decreasing incarceration of youth and improving their lives, I'm all in favor. Children and youth are our future and they deserve all of the help and assistance that we can muster to boost their chances in life. In that regard, I have for years noticed the criminalization of certain behaviors that, in the past, would never be viewed that way and the dumping of children into the adult criminal justice system.

An organization, THE CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE FOR YOUTH AND COMMUNITY JUSTICE (CAYCJ), a coalition of more than forty organizations, was formed with the goal of reducing the massive incarceration of youth and to improve outcomes of youth already engaged in that system. The types of organizations within the alliance comprise such areas as advocacy, research, organizing, along with affected parents and youth.

The elections that were held this year provided a venue for CAYCJ's recent activities. A ballot initiative, Prop. 57, was developed after several rewrites, much public angst, and even lawsuits. It was an initiative that proposed that nonviolent offenders be able to use prison time to improve themselves. In addition, it also placed the decision of whether to try a youth in juvenile or adult court in the hands of the judge, removing it from the authority of the prosecutor.

Essentially, the portion of the initiative directed to inmates, encourages them to participate in rehabilitative programming, rather than just sitting around and waiting for their time to be up. The new system actually provides inmate credits that can be reviewed when that inmate appears before the parole board. Proponents of the initiative view it as a step forward in determining which rehabilitative programs actually work and, in future, helping to reduce re-offending. The outcome of the election was that Prop. 57 was passed.

The organizations within CAYCJ utilize the backing of research regarding brain development in children and youth. The research shows that adolescents are still undergoing significant brain development and concomitant psychological changes that affect how they react. Adolescents are more inclined to react and act impulsively, are more influenced by their peers and are more likely to engage in risky behaviors as they seek to develop their identities. Often enough this stage of development can result in negative acts with negative consequences that are not reflective of overall character. 

CACYJ logo.

Besides the stage of development in which youth are engaged, there is also the fact that the adult system is inappropriate for youth offenders. One issue is that adult prison personnel are unfamiliar with the impulsivity and stages of brain and psychic development characteristic of youth. The other is that because of youth vulnerability, youth frequently end up being placed in secure housing units where they are kept in isolation for 23 out of 24 hours per day. They end up missing key development skills that can only be learned by socializing with other youth and adults in their lives. Add in the fact that adult prisons are designed more for punishment than rehabilitation and you have youth being thrown away, with very little options for improving themselves. And that is why the need for such alliances as CAYCJ is so vital. And every State should have one.

Members of the community stand up to keep youth out of prisons.

Thanks for information from this page on CAYCJ: http://www.caycj.org/mission-and-platform.html; this article from the San Francisco Chronicle: http://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/The-Chronicle-recommends-Yes-on-Prop-57-9215121.php?cmpid=fb-premium; this page on CAYCJ: http://www.caycj.org/treat-kids.html; and the above link.

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Safety And Comfort For Rescued Farm Animals

Sweet Mama is getting some extra treats, while sheltered in the barn.

Lenore Bradford has been a committed volunteer since she was in middle school, when she began spending time with children with disabilities. As she grew older, she became interested farm animals while she was attending Oberlin College. She quickly noticed and became concerned about how society views and treats animals. That passion led her to become a vegan in 2007 and then to found a farm animal sanctuary, PIEDMONT FARM ANIMAL REFUGE, located in Pittsboro, NC.

The refuge accepted its first rescued chicken, Robby, in 2014. Robby was purchased when he was a chick, ostensibly to lay eggs, but that was ruled out when Robby was found to be a male. He would have been slaughtered for his meat but for the intervention of one person, who contacted the refuge and he was taken in. Subsequently, the refuge became the home of a flock of chickens and turkeys, who were rescued factory farms, cruelty situations, or shelters. More recently, the refuge has added a duck, goats, and sheep.



Besides being a rescue, the refuge also is engaged in educating the public about factory farms. Some innovative literature has been created, and along with guided tours of the sanctuary and other creative educational experiences, helps to raise the public's awareness about the cruel practices that have been allowed to occur on factory farms.

Ms. Bradford discussed why she is devoted to this type of awareness-raising, "What is done to animals in factory farms is very far from being just, and we will help to open people's eyes to the realities of the industry. We believe that planting this seed of knowledge about the horrific treatment of animals being raised for food will lead to more people not supporting it. Not only is factory farming harmful for the animals, it has a devastating effect on the environment and to human health, and is one of the largest evils that exists in our world today."

One of the chickens enjoys a straw layer to keep in the warmth.

In addition, the Refuge is committed to supporting vegan choices. Piedmont provide such supports as cooking classes, bake sales, food-tastings and participation in other food-related events to expose the public to the vegan lifestyle. This organization provides a way for those interested, or even skeptical to take small or large steps towards living the vegan way, and can even mentor those who desire that service.

Goats get to enjoy the remains of holiday Christmas trees.

Thanks for information from this article on Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/lenore-braford-factory-farm-pamphlets/; this page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/PiedmontFarmAnimalRefuge/about/?ref=page_internal; and the above link.

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Morgan States Celebrates A Special Anniversary

Some Morgan State students celebrate their 1st place win at a hackathon competition with other universities.

How to describe MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, hmm! Here goes, for one thing, Morgan State is one of our nation's traditional black colleges and universities, but it's more than that. It is also one of the top urban research universities with its sights on the future and a desire to be a world leader. It's also the means to a recognized top university education for the many urban youth in Baltimore and students from other parts of the US and world.

Besides that, this well-known university is celebrating it 150th anniversary since its founding in 1867, so Morgan State has been around for quite a while. Since this is such a significant anniversary, the university has begun an extensive and comprehensive fund-raising campaign. At a gathering in Gilliam Concert Hall inside the Murphy Fine Arts Center, this past November, University President Dr. David Wilson announced, "We are calling this The Anniversary Campaign for Morgan State University, and for obvious reasons. Next year, 2017, marks a historic milestone in Morgan's history: the 150th anniversary of the university's founding. It is a time for reflection on our past and to look forward to our future, a future we believe will be made brighter with the success of this fundraising effort."



Then Dr. Wilson was joined by Kevin Liles, a well-known entertainment industry executive, who is president and CEO of KWL Enterprises. He also is a graduate of Morgan State. Mr. Liles has become chair of The Anniversary Campaign. Mr. Liles also addressed the audience, "The impact of this comprehensive campaign will be transformative for the students at Morgan, the research being advanced here and the impact this university makes on Baltimore and beyond. Morgan State has already made history with a legacy of 150 extraordinary years as a leader in higher education in this country. We are now on track to make history again with this comprehensive campaign, and I am so proud to be a part of it."

Morgan State's own defensive line football coach, Antonio James, was one of 30 young coaches named to the American Football Coaches Association 30 Under 30 Leadership Institute.

The Anniversary Campaign has set a goal of raising $250 million, the largest amount ever raised in a campaign by a public historic black college or university. President Wilson went on to discuss the benefits of the funds raised, "This is an ambitious goal, we know, but we have ambitious plans for Morgan. And they begin with our number one priority: our students. First and foremost, we want to ensure the continued success of our students while keeping Morgan affordable and accessible. We also intend to advance our teaching and research mission, continue enhancements to our physical campus to promote learning and innovation, and further engage with the communities we serve. That's just another way of saying that we want  to make certain that Morgan's best days are ahead of us."

437 students graduated from Morgan's December graduation ceremony in 2016, the highest number since December graduation was started in 2013.

All of us in the community wish the best of success with their anniversary fundraising campaign and are thankful that Morgan State University is such an important part of the Baltimore area.

Thanks for information from this article on Morgan State University: http://news.morgan.edu/morgan-state-launches-250-million-anniversary-campaign/; this page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/morganstateu/about/?ref=page_internal; and the above link.

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Singing In Harmony

DeKalb Choral Guild at their spring concert.

A group of singers in DeKalb, GA, more than forty in number, singing together, enjoying each other's company, rehearsing together and performing together. That describes the DEKALB CHORAL GUILD. They come from a gamut of backgrounds, young and old and in-between, from all over the Atlanta metro area. A professional director and musicians lead and accompany them, respectively.

This group performs several concerts each year and appears at a number of community events. In addition, each rehearsal provides an opportunity for members to learn a bit more about choral music and receive vocal instruction. It's all in the service of providing excellent choral music and performance.



Mary Gowing, president of DeKalb Choral Guild, pondered the role of harmony in choral singing and in world affairs. She started out by considering Gandhi's idea of being the change you want to see in the world, only with harmony substituted for the word change, since she likes to think in musical terms. She said, "Harmony, musically in a chorus, is when different people sing different notes/pitches and yet when sung together they sound pleasing and like they are meant to be together. In life and culture we often use the word harmony as a metaphor for getting along well in social relationships."

When singers in a chorus sing together and realize what that means, they can go further and help to catalyze harmony in the world. Ms. Gowing explained, "[P]eople who sing in choruses have the expectation and experience that both musical harmony and social harmony are possible....[E]ven musical harmony doesn't happen without a lot of coordinated effort and a shared vision for a desired result. We come together as a chorus at the beginning of the season, many of us strangers, as new people join the group. We have to learn to know and trust one another as we learn the music in order to sing together as a single voice instead of many individual voices."

A close-up of a section of DeKalb Choral Guild in performance.

There are also other key elements in creating that musical harmony and also harmony in the social realm. Ms. Gowing added, "It takes work, it takes understanding the voices around you, it takes having good leadership, it takes understanding the leadership and speaking out when needed, it takes being willing to become part of the whole at the same time as being an individual voice, it takes trust and caring and even compassion." And with that, Ms Gowing invited everyone to participate in a chorus wherever they are located, as a means of adding harmony into their lives.

Thanks for information from this article on Charter For Compassion: https://www.charterforcompassion.org/dekalb-choral-guild-inc; this article by Mary Gowing on DeKalb Choral Guild's blog: http://www.dekalbchoralguild.org/blog/viewpost/312.html; and the above link.

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Creating Vegetable-Based Egg Substitute Products

The Vegg vegan egg yolk.

Sometimes all it takes is a bit of invention to make a food product that will appeal to a specialized group of eaters. Pennsylvanian Rocky Sheapherd used to love eggs, especially the flavor. But a little bit of information made its way into his life, like finding out how chickens are treated on factory farms and then the health effects of consuming all that cholesterol. That ended Rocky's love of both eggs and meat products. He converted over to a vegan lifestyle.

But he still liked the flavor of eggs. Now, what was he to do about that? The challenge was create something that had the flavor and texture of egg yolks, but only use complete.100% vegetable products. Oh, and the other thing would be that the egg replacement should only cost as much as an egg. Rocky tried many different formulas until he found just the right one. That led to the introduction of the product and the company, THE VEGG, starting out with only one product, the vegg, the vegetable-based egg yolk substitute.


Mr. Sheapherd discusses the company's philosophy, "The Vegg's vision is a world without factory farming. I focus on chickens by creating egg replacements that simulate the taste, flavor and functionality of real eggs, all at about the same cost as real eggs."

Now, a few years since it first started, The Vegg makes more products. including The Vegg Scramble; the updated version of the original The Vegg Scramble, The Vegg Not Your Parents' Tofu Scramble; The Vegg Baking Mix; The Vegg Vegan Egg Yolk; The Vegg Egg Replacer; The Vegg Original French Toast Mix; The Vegg New/Improved French Toast Mix; and The Vegg Instant Tofu. The online store allows customers interested in these types of products to buy them, and also offers a cookbook for the yolk substitute.

Some of the crew on the MV Jules Verne hold The Vegg products. The Vegg has supplied Sea Shepherd ships for the past few years.

Currently, Rocky and The Vegg are taking a risk to re-brand some of his product in new, more attractive, packaging. He's looking to make a run of The Vegg Vegan Scrambled Egg, with the help of the design and advertising capabilities of a NYC agency. The hope is that, with the new packaging, he'll be able to start getting product on the shelves of major grocery chains.

The Vegg Vegan Scrambled Egg with two chunks of apple and toast.

Thanks for information from this article on Pollination Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/rocky-shepheard-the-vegg-outreach-project/;
this page on The Vegg: http://thevegg.com/what-is-the-vegg/; the update on this Fundly page: https://fundly.com/help-rebrand-the-vegg-vegan-scrambled-egg; and the above link.

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Advocating For Ex-Offenders

Scenes from Our For Justice's December meeting.

In many parts of the country, when an inmate is released from prison, that person finds the deck stacked against him/her. Businesses don't necessarily like to employ someone who has been in prison, no matter the offense, leaving the ex-inmate with no source of income. A whole host of basics which most of us take for granted may not even pop up on the radar screen for an ex-inmate.



Enter OUT FOR JUSTICE (OFJ), an ex-offender-run organization, based in Baltimore, that advocates and promotes reform of issues that affect ex-inmates as they return to the world they left. Essentially, this group strives to effect legislation that helps ex-inmates re-enter the community successfully. They provide education and awareness of the issues and promote the three E's of Education, Empowerment, and Engagement. By accessing the legislative process to change policies and laws, this group shows ex-inmates how to pursue change in a more engaged and effective way.

OJF is also involved in an anti-stigma campaign. Since most ex-inmates already carry the baggage of a label, they frequently find themselves excluded from certain aspects of society, such as voting and choice of certain professions.  Because a majority of ex-offenders cannot participate in voting, they are left disenfranchised and under-represented. But it's also important to remember that this population of returning ex-inmates is a large percentage of the population, to the tune of one in every 31 adults. So, it makes sense for the rest of us to ease and assist re-entry, since an ex-offender has a good chance of being your neighbor, friend, or even co-worker.

OFJ members outside Probation & Parole to register voters.

One of the issues that is currently being addressed in Maryland is the issue of bail. Our Attorney General Brian Frosh has noted that bail is set unreasonably high, especially for those who already come from a background of poverty. In essence, that means that low income individuals can spend considerable periods of time parked in jail before they can present and argue their case. And then, if acquitted, what do you do about that lost piece of your life, no job, no income, no home, just released out onto the street and left to fend on your own? And, according to Mr. Frosh, besides these individuals having low incomes, they also were members of minority groups, like African-American, Latino/a.

OFJ was on the case when MD Dept of Corrections wanted to eliminate letter writing between inmates and loved ones, claiming it would prevent contraband in prisons.

In addition, some of the alleged crimes for which people have been kept in jail, awaiting trial, end up being nonviolent misdemeanors. So, Mr. Frosh has been urging the judicial system to release the accused without bail or minimal bail for nonviolent crimes. That way, there is less disruption, more potential to remain employed, and the ability to resume caring for minors in their families, for those accused of nonviolent violations. It makes sense to have fewer of our citizens exposed to the prison system, especially before any adjudication takes place, since charges can even become dropped when there is very little evidence.

Thanks for information from the above link and this facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/OFJ2014/posts/10154914447094801.

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