A program that began in Fall 2017, with a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, JMU Music and Social Work faculty and students continue working together on a songwriting and storytelling project that help educate the broader community about the issues facing incarcerated individuals and their transition back into society. Robby McCoubrey is in charge of the program this year, meeting with residents on a weekly basis, in conjunction with students who assist in the project. The group occasionally performs in the community, providing a productive way for local citizens to learn about our residents. In the Fall of 2018, Gemeinschaft Home intern Kat Webel (JMU Sociology and Writing/Rhetoric major) started conducting interviews with residents who wanted to share their experiences prior to coming to Gemeinschaft Home—and while in the program. The purpose of the project is to collect stories from current and former residents and make them available for viewing in a series of videos available on our website and social media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook. Webel is joined this spring by another intern, Felisha Lawrence (JMU Justice Studies major), who is researching the experiences of (formerly)incarcerated individuals within the criminal justice system. The videos will be available online soon! Gemeinschaft Home residents have been the recipients of generous donations by two organizations in recent months. The Rotary Club of Rockingham County has made significant contributions of men’s clothing and the youth group at Emmanuel Church of the Brethren in Mt. Solon assembled and delivered nearly 30 hygiene kits (a bag of toiletries and personal items that each resident receives upon arrival) in March! Your kindness helps make Gemeinschaft a better community, and we thank you! Harrisonburg, VA - Thanks to a grant award from the Learning by Giving Foundation, in partnership with James Madison University, Gemeinschaft Home hosted an open house on September 21, 2018, to give local area college students the opportunity to learn about our nonprofit mission and the people we serve. Throughout the afternoon, nearly 100 students from JMU and Eastern Mennonite University were on grounds, talking with residents and staff, touring the main house and program facility, and taking part in various activities and light refreshments. As more students become familiar with Gemeinschaft Home, they are increasingly seeking out opportunities to volunteer, to become interns, and to find other ways to be involved with the organization. For more information about student involvement at Gemeinschaft Home, visit our website and ask to join our mailing list. Look for the next College Day Open House happening in Fall 2019! Harrisonburg, Va - The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Drug Court was notified last month that it had been awarded federal grant funds ($2 million in total over 5 years) through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), to increase the level of support services and the number of participants in the drug court program. Gemeinschaft Home will provide recovery housing to eligible participants referred through the program, as part of the five-year collaboration and we seek to expand our capacity to serve women as well as men in a residential setting. Gemeinschaft Home Implements a New Cognitive Behavioral Program Harrisonburg, VA - One of the hallmarks of the Gemeinschaft Home residential program is the cognitive behavioral component, a curriculum of life recovery topics covered in group and one-on-one counseling settings. During the 90-day program, residents participate in sessions that are designed to help them manage issues ranging from anger control to addiction. In October, Gemeinschaft Home launched another type of cognitive behavioral curriculum called Decision Points, an established program used both in re-entry and incarceration facilities around the country. The Virginia Department of Corrections uses the program in some institutions as well, and some residents arrive with experience already in the program. The approach asks residents to use critical thinking to avoid a “trouble cycle,” using the following questions as a framework: What am I thinking and feeling right now? Who else cares what I do right now? What could I do right now? What are some motivating thoughts? Residents are given an opportunity to think about the choices surrounding any given decision and the people affected in the process, as a means to establish new, healthy patterns of thinking and living. Starting in the Fall of 2017, with a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), faculty and students from the School of Music and Department of Social Work at James Madison University created a music-making/storytelling project that was entirely based on contributions from residents in the program, including a community-based performance with local musicians at the end of the project year. The purpose of the project is to provide a forum for formerly incarcerated individuals to be heard in society, to share those experiences with people who would otherwise be unaware of the barriers they face. While the NEA grant concluded, faculty and students have continued working on the project this fall, meeting once each week on Monday evenings, under the guidance of Robby McCoubrey. The project will continue after the new year, and there will be opportunities for community members to hear some of the music and stories created by Gemeinschaft Home residents at local venues in the near future. Watch out for updates on our website and Facebook page! Harrisonburg, VA - Gemeinschaft Home board members serving on the fundraising and public relations committee launched two new fundraising efforts for Gemeinschaft Home this fall. On the morning of October 20, they hosted the first-ever yard sale, created entirely from donated items, with the help of residents, staff, and a crew of JMU student volunteers. Strite’s made a generous donation of ten dozen donuts that were sold during the event along with hotdogs and drinks to raise additional funds. Part of the day’s activities included a raffle drawing for a beautiful, handmade quilt that was won by Jane Gray. Attendance among local area folks was steady through the morning, and the event was successful overall. The second event, a week-long drive to raise donations (November 18 – 24), recently concluded, with money raised both online and via mailed contributions. Look for more fundraising events in the near future and other ways that you can provide financial support for the Gemeinschaft Home community. Where Are They Now? Former Resident Spotlight Harrisonburg, VA - Donte Malone arrived at Gemeinschaft Home early this summer, and he successfully completed the program in August. Now, he has returned to the Norfolk/Tidewater area, moved into a new apartment and found temporary employment as a landscaper, while he searches for a full-time position. The transition from prison, to Gemeinschaft Home, to living independently has included both successes and setbacks. For example, one of the greatest challenges he faced during his time in the program was the passing of his mother. However, Malone’s passion for writing, a practice he established a number of years ago while incarcerated, gives him an emotional outlet as well as a way to reflect on his life experiences. Shortly before his release from prison, Malone wrote down a collection of original adages, sayings, and quotations, that encapsulate his life philosophy and serve as a springboard for conversations into a range of subjects, including parenting, manhood, and addiction. He had hoped to someday publish the collection, using an oil painting that a fellow inmate created—that depicts Malone watching over his children on a sunny day at the beach—as the book’s cover. One of the greatest successes Malone achieved during his time in the program (with the help of a devoted intern) was the printing of his quotations—in the form of small 20-page booklet—with the oil painting as the cover art. So far, he has sold dozens of copies to individuals interested in hearing about his life’s journey, including his experiences with addiction and incarceration. At first, he called the collection “My Father’s Wisdom,” referring to Malone’s perspective as a parent, but ultimately, he decided to change the title to “My Mother’s Wisdom,” as a tribute to her, especially because much of the knowledge he shares originated with her. He is currently working on another collection of writings. For more information, visit his Facebook page. Selected examples: “If you don’t free your mind, your body will stay locked up.” “Sometimes it’s more difficult to open a book than it is to read it.” “To lean on forgiveness, you have to stand on understanding.” “If you can’t get along with yourself, why would you think anyone else could?” Last spring, undergraduate students studying social work, helped develop a grant proposal awarding $5,000 to Gemeinschaft Home. By Paige Riddle (summer intern) Harrisonburg, VA - Gemeinschaft Home recently participated in a collaborative grant-writing process with students from the Grant Writing for Agencies class at James Madison University. The process allows groups of students to join local nonprofit organizations in applying for a $5,000 grant. The grant funding comes from the Learning by Giving Foundation, which was founded by Doris Buffet. The main goal of the foundation is to engage students at institutions of higher education in the United States about philanthropy. Some other university partners of the foundation include Columbia University, Ohio University, and Stanford University. Each class distributes $10,000 to nonprofits in their community with the grant writing processes they deem appropriate for their learning goals. I joined two other students, Hayley Jenkins and Courtney Fennel, to collaborate with Gemeinschaft Home. Public Relations and Outreach coordinator, Dr. Jennifer Jacovitch, introduced us to the organization and served as our primary contact for the process. My experience with Gemeinschaft Home was incredibly eye-opening. I did not expect to feel so welcomed and familiar at the organization after only a few meetings, and I certainly did not expect to feel so attached to the work we created together. Dr. Jacovitch shared her expertise with the population and the organization, but she trusted us with the actual writing of the grant. Our proposal focused on a College Outreach Program to expand the organization’s community presence. Our classmates were extremely receptive to this concept, and we placed first out of nineteen organizations, awarding Gemeinschaft Home $5000 to implement the proposed program! College Day Open House The majority of students in the Grant Writing for Agencies class do not see the results of their proposed grant project, as the funding is distributed after the class ends. My internship at Gemeinschaft Home this past summer allowed me to see the plans shift and settle with the needs of Gemeinschaft Home and the community. Our current plan is to host an Open House for young adults in the Harrisonburg community and creating materials for promotion and educational presentations. The Open House will take place at Gemeinschaft Home on Friday, September 21 from 11:00am to 4:00pm. The goal of this event is to reach out to college-age adults who are interested in learning about the population we serve, the nonprofit sector, and Gemeinschaft Home. We will offer food and games, dialogue with staff and residents, and information on ways to serve and advocate for ex-offenders. The main idea behind the Open House is to address the stigma that is associated with ex-offenders by offering college students like me an opportunity to engage comfortably with members of the population. I shared with Gemeinschaft staff how surprising it was to walk onto the Gemeinschaft property and immediately feel safe—despite some early preconceived notions and fears. I want others to experience this important shift in perception, too. This is a rare opportunity for many to confront their assumptions prior to their entrance into the workforce. More importantly, it is an opportunity for students to connect with a significant portion of every community that needs advocacy and to identify ways to get more involved. |
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