Amidst
the numbers reflecting total clients served, recidivism
rates, etc., it's easy to lose sight of the fact that completing
a program at 180 is just a step along the way in a client's life.
Bill is a good example.
It's been almost ten years since he entered our program.
When he came through our doors for the first time, he brought
along a big load of physical, emotional and chemical dependency
problems. If the staff only saw his problems, he would have put
in his time and headed out the door to his next offense. But as
we spent time with Bill on a daily basis, a real desire to change
became evident. As we worked with that, other positives began
to emerge.
There have been slips over the years, times he's called back or
stopped in for advice. But today, Bill is one of the anchors in
our community. He's married, active in his church, runs his own
business and extends a helping hand wherever it's needed. We still
see him regularly at 180, not as a client, but as a coworker in
building a safer community.
Another
man said it this way:
...I never had a job, I never had a social security card [or]
driver's license, I didn't need those things to do what I wanted
to do. I have all that today. I do a lot of things that I don't
want to do today but [those] things that I do will keep me from
going back to jail...
In
a study by the Minnesota Legislative Auditor's Office
comparing
180's graduates to men not completing the program, non-completers
were
found to be three times more likely to be convicted of a new gross
misdemeanor or felony. In two year follow-ups, ninety-two
percent of
our graduates are still in the community.
Your
Support in Action: 2nd
Annual 5K
Thank
you to everyone who contributed energy and money to make our 2nd
annual 5K
fundraiser a success. We had 9 participants who braved
dark skies on race day to run or walk. Together we raised over
$500. The money will go towards programming costs and a Leadership
Award for one of our graduates, enabling her to take on a leadership
role in the program and mentor new girls. This is a new dimension
to Girls Resiliency that is only possible because of people like
you making it happen.
If
rebuilding successful lives is something you want to be a part
of, look at the following options. One or more of them is sure
to fit for you. You have our promise that all proceeds received
from these vehicles go towards providing and enhancing direct
services to the men, women and children we serve.
If
you're like most of us, with more time than money, 5 minutes per
month
adds up to a huge benefit for our programs. Interested?
Click
here for more... (.pdf
362k Get Adobe Reader here
)
Don't
Delay, Sign Up Today:
If
you’d like to do something you enjoy and have it help us
at the same time, click on to the iTunes Store. For every purchase
originated from here, 5% comes back to us!!
How cool is that!
Just
want to lend a hand? Follow the link below to Amazon.com and donate.
To meet the goals of the Lifeline Programs for 2004-2005, we need
to raise $127,000. Many people have already pitched in, but we
need your help too. Please donate today.
All
donations are tax deductible!!
Simply click on the link:
We
get by with a little help from our friends...
Thanks
to the Jostens Foundation for their $2,000 grant.
This grant
provides a very helpful boost to our efforts as we work to expand
the
volunteer mentoring capacity of the Girls Resiliency Program.
The
Valspar Foundation has made its second product
donation of paint and primer for our work on 300 Clifton. Many
thanks for helping us to be good stewards of this historic property.
Special
thanks to Robert Maher, Timothy Sullivan and
David Zubke from the firm of Best & Flanagan,
LLP for their pro bono assistance to our agency and ongoing legal
counsel.
Our
sincere thanks to the McNeely Foundation for
a $5,000 grant earmarked for our Girls Resiliency Program. Using
staff, mentors and student volunteers Resiliency builds on the
strengths of its girls to help them reconnect successfully at
home, school and in the community.
Through
the TwinsCare Community Ticket Program, we are
receiving 50 Twins tickets this year as special guests of Jacque
Jone’s “Double J’s Gang.” Go Twins!
In
March we received a special donation from Mr. William
Okero. Mr.Okero had been an international student with
a Finance major who was returning to Kenya. As he was closing
his apartment, he gave us over $3,000 of clothes, furniture and
equipment. His generosity will help many of our clients as they
reenter the community. We thank him and wish him well.
Extending
support that goes back over a decade, Allianz
Life Insurance has donated $5,000 to the Girls Resiliency
Program. This program targets high risk girls struggling to break
free from behaviors that have lead them into more and more trouble,
building on the strengths that will help them turn themselves
around.
Mr.
and Mrs. Lee Soderlind of St. Louis Park, gave us a great
table that now sits in our halfway house dining room.
Jim
and Cheri Ochetti of Corcoran donated clothes and bedroom
furniture that has provided a wonderful helping hand for a number
of our men looking for work and setting up their apartments.
Check
out our Archives page to see some
of the folks who have joined us in past years.
Sunlight
ahead,
The dark days are past,
A new day is dawning,
My freedom can last.
What
is Success?
fundraiser a success. We had 9 participants who braved
dark skies on race day to run or walk. Together we raised over
$500. The money will go towards programming costs and a Leadership
Award for one of our graduates, enabling her to take on a leadership
role in the program and mentor new girls. This is a new dimension
to Girls Resiliency that is only possible because of people like
you making it happen.
