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RENASCENCE INC
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HALFWAY HOME
Newsletter

HALFWAY HOME / Winter 2022

3/4/2022

3 Comments

 

From the Executive Director

Image of Susan Hunt Sims
Susan Hunt Sims
One of my joys is hearing about how well our residents are doing after they have left us. Some of our most recent graduates have kept in touch and told us that they are doing well. They have good jobs, are back with family, and are now living their best lives. One even stopped by a few weeks ago in his semi-truck cab, which he uses now to haul freight. It is a blessing to watch their transformation from being scared and overwhelmed on their first day with us, to joyous and proud when they leave.
 
Thank you for your support, which allows us to provide our residents with structure, responsibility, and hope. Because of you, they have the opportunity at a second chance and a better future.
 
Susan Hunt Sims

Spring Into Auction graphic
Our Spring fundraiser in 2022 will be an online silent auction! Watch for more information to come about all the fun and exciting items that will be available for you to bid on.
Thank you for your support!

Click on the image above to become an auction sponsor.

Facilities Update

As with any home, Renascence requires routine maintenance and proactive planning for future repairs. In the past year, outside hand railings have been installed, as well as smaller routine plumbing and electrical repairs performed. The Board’s facilities committee is anticipating the need for a new roof in the next few years. With a historic home, storm windows are a goal to help decrease heating and cooling costs, as well as make the home more comfortable. Additionally, the flooring at the back entrance needs some stabilizing/leveling in the immediate future. The large, historic home accommodates the needs of the Renascence mission and its participants. With planning, forethought, and budgeting, the Staff and Board intend for it to continue to serve us well into the future.

Ryan Beesley
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Social Worker Update

Image of Jeronda Bouie
Jeronda Bouie
Our social worker, Jeronda Bouie, continues her good work and is making a difference with our residents. We know that our residents do better when they stay longer, and her time with them encourages them to consider their options and the consequences if they leave early. Some residents do not like the house rules or struggle to overcome their addictions and want a quick way out. After years in prison, naturally, our men want to get free from restrictions as soon as possible. Instead, she helps them see the bigger picture and think through their options if they do not stay:

- Where will you go?
- Is the new place safe for your sobriety?
- What are your options for employment and saving money?
- Do you have transportation and other means to meet your parole requirements?
- Will you have an increased risk of violating your parole or go back to your old habits?

Jeronda reports that several of the residents have agreed that staying is their best option despite their frustrations. Since she began her work in May 2021, we have already seen an increase in the retention rate of our residents.

Board Updates

After a two-year term as Board President, Joe Crowley is passing the baton to Vincent Hall, the current Board Secretary.

Joe is grateful for the opportunities to help men transition from prison to the community and pleased with Renascence’s successes in recent years, including the contract with Pardons and Paroles, improvements in the facilities and programs for residents, and the employment of Susan Hunt Sims.

Vincent, whose term begins in March, returned to his hometown, Montgomery, in 2018 after a 32-year career in Georgia working variously as a law office court specialist and administrator, an HR administrator, and an advocate for repeat youth offenders. He joined the Board in Spring of 2020 and in the Summer of 2021 took on the role of Secretary. Vincent’s experience and character give him invaluable perspective on what Renascence is about, on our men and their families, and on the legal and criminal justice systems involved. 
Image of Joe Crowley
Joe Crowley
Image of Vincent Hall
Vincent Hall

Image of Lloyd Strickland
Lloyd Strickland
Image of Twyanna Penick
Twyanna Penick
We are happy to welcome two members who joined the Board in 2021.
Lloyd Strickland, CPA, has joined the Board as Treasurer. The former Board Treasurer of the Chemical Addictions Program, Lloyd has a passion for helping persons recover from addiction.

Twyanna Penick, Development Officer at the Southern Poverty Law Center, brings fresh ideas and strategies and youthful energy to our fundraising and public relations efforts.

Keith Jones, model resident and recent graduate

Image of Keith Jones
Keith Jones, a recent graduate of Renascence, did very well in our program and we are proud of him. Because he did so well, he was able to move back with his family in his hometown in South Carolina. 

Like most of our residents, Keith was ordered to Renascence by Pardons and Paroles. He didn’t want to come at first, but once he had been at the house for a few weeks, he realized that it would be a great opportunity and ended up loving it. He eventually became house leader, which meant some extra responsibilities and several privileges, such as a room with a private bathroom. He says that while at Renascence he learned “respect, discipline, and more about the 12-steps and sobriety.” He got a second chance at Renascence and called it “a wonderful place.” He was determined to do well because he didn’t want to go back to prison and wanted to be back with his family.

House Superintendent Dereck Wise called him a “model resident”. Dereck says, “He had a positive attitude and was determined to turn his life around. He bought a car, kept a job, and was a hard worker. He always did his chores and helped others in the house.” At first, Keith was frustrated by Dereck’s strict discipline in the house. But in time, he came to realize that he needed the discipline and appreciated it.

He now has a good job in South Carolina that he enjoys. They have already promoted him after just a few weeks. He says it is awesome and amazing to be back with his family. A recent highlight was seeing his 11-year-old granddaughter in person for the first time in several years. It was a joyful reunion.


Art Room Reveal - March 17

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Art provides a level of enrichment and self-expression that many of our residents have never experienced before. We believe they can and should enjoy this aspect of life, too. Renascence once had an art program that was discontinued for many years after the teacher could no longer participate. It has long been a dream to get the art programming started for our residents once again, and now that dream is coming true! We are partnering with two groups that are making this possible.

A team from Leadership Montgomery chose Renascence for their project this year. They are making progress on renovating and updating the art room. They are providing funds and labor to clean, organize, and restock the room. They are also looking for potential art teachers. The LM team has already made great progress, as evidenced by these before and after photos.

In addition to the LM team’s efforts, the Alabama Arts Alliance has received a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts to begin offering classes at Renascence. This grant will provide art supplies and teachers in all different types of media, including visual, performance, and literary arts. The Arts Alliance also plans to have an exhibition of the residents’ artwork and writing before August.

We are planning a Reveal event on March 17 at 12:00 p.m. All are invited to see the transformation of the art room on that day!

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The art room before
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The art room in progress
Come and see the final Reveal in person on March 17 at 12:00 PM

Current Donation Needs

  • Bus passes
  • Towels, washcloths (new)
  • Men's new underwear (boxers)
  • Men's toiletries
  • Men's jeans
  • Men's wallets

Current Volunteer Needs

  • Drivers to take our residents to appointments to get their ID, medical appointments, etc.
  • Mentors
  • Art Teachers
  • Volunteers to provide an evening meal to the residents (10-12 men)
Visit our Volunteer page or contact Susan Hunt Sims at renascenceinc@outlook.com or 334-832-1402 to volunteer.
3 Comments

HALFWAY HOME / Fall 2021

1/18/2022

1 Comment

 

From the Executive Director

Susan Hunt Sims
Susan Hunt Sims
It has been a little over a year since I started at Renascence, and WOW, have I had an education since then! The criminal justice system is something I had only read or heard about before then, without first-hand personal experience. I had visited a few prisons, but none of that truly prepared me for the challenges and rewards I would experience in this role. Challenging because sometimes the residents make big mistakes despite their own and our staff’s best efforts. Yet it is also rewarding because some of the residents will take the opportunity they are given at Renascence to make their lives better. They will graduate and move on to contribute to society in a positive way. I am grateful for the small role I have that helps make that happen. Regardless of whether they successfully complete our program or not, I hope we offer enough encouragement to all our residents so they will remember their time with us in a positive light and know that there is hope.
  • I am happy to report that we have successfully held COVID-19 at bay in the house except for one resident who had the illness early in 2021. All residents and staff are vaccinated.
  • We renewed our contract with the Bureau of Pardons and Paroles a few months ago; we are grateful for this partnership with them. Ten of our fourteen beds are reserved to house the men they send our way, and for which they pay us.
  • We are starting a partnership with Leadership Montgomery in which one of their cohorts will be renovating and restocking our art room. We hope to offer new art classes again soon!
 
Thank you for your continued support of Renascence and our residents. We are making a difference, one resident at a time.
 
You will read about a few of the good things going on in our house in this newsletter. Here are a few more points of good news:

New Bicycles!

Thanks to an anonymous donor through the Central Alabama Community Foundation, and the Seekers Sunday School class at First United Methodist Church, we now have five bicycles at the house for our residents to use! These bicycles are making it possible for our residents to get to jobs faster (instead of walking) or to get to jobs further away; to take trips to a store; even to get some exercise. We were also able to purchase repair kits, helmets, and locks. The Montgomery Bicycle Club offered a class to our residents about Bicycle safety and maintenance on September 26. They will continue to offer classes to our residents in the future.

Meet our new social worker

Jeronda Bouie
For several years, the staff and board of directors at Renascence have wanted to hire a social worker to offer additional support resources to our residents. Through a grant from the Central Alabama Community Foundation, we were able to finally realize this dream!
 
Jeronda Bouie was hired in early May and has been an excellent addition to our team since day one. She is a Licensed Master-level Social Worker and brings lots of experience and expertise to her work. She graduated from Troy University and has worked in the social work field for over 17 years.
 
She provides a psychosocial assessment to our residents to determine their needs and help them identify realistic goals for a successful reintegration into society after they leave Renascence. She assists them with issues such as family reconciliation; obtaining needed medical care and services; job preparation and retention; addiction recovery; and many other developmental needs. She talks with them about their problems and helps them make better decisions. She helps them analyze a situation so they can think it through and understand what the outcomes might be before taking the next steps.
 
Jeronda has one-on-one sessions with each resident, but she also holds house group meetings for everyone to discuss their good news, their frustrations, and to work out any interpersonal house struggles that might be happening at the time.
 
She says, “I am passionate about my work, and I view helping others as more of a calling than a job. I am grateful for the opportunity to help the residents learn new skills to help them in making better choices for themselves and to achieve their goals. I aim to strengthen their confidence and increase their self-accountability in a supportive environment.”
 
In short, she helps them become better prepared to meet the next challenges they will face when they leave Renascence and go back to family and friends.
 
The residents have these descriptions for her:
  • A good listener
  • Professional
  • Smart
  • Golden
  • Helps with everything
  • Has good answers
 
We are glad to have Jeronda on board. We believe more of our residents will complete the program with her help


Look how our garden grows!

One of our residents was busy at work this summer planting a garden! Mr. Hickman got his inspiration, instructions, and plants from EAT South. He connected with them when he was going to the bus station downtown. He grew tomatoes, turmeric, jalapeño peppers, carrots, beets, radishes, husk cherries, eggplants, and more! Learn more about Eat South at eatsouth.org.

Leadership Montgomery Project

We are honored and proud to be selected as one of the projects for this year's Legacy Class XXXVIII of Leadership Montgomery! This team will be helping us renovate and restock our art classroom. We plan to offer art classes for our residents once again. If you are interested in teaching art (any medium) to our residents, please call 334-832-1402.
Leadership Montgomery Legacy Class XXXVIII
Leadership Montgomery Legacy Class XXXVIII

Current volunteer needs:

  • Drivers to take our residents to appointments to get their ID, medical appointments, etc. Health precautions will be taken
  • Mentors
  • Art teachers
  • Volunteers to provide an evening meal to the residents (10-12 men)

Current donation needs:

  • Bus passes
  • Twin sheet sets (new)
  • Towels, washcloths (new)
  • Men’s new underwear (boxers)
  • Men’s pajamas
  • Men’s toiletries
  • Men’s jeans
  • Men’s belts
  • Men’s wallets
  • HVAC Filters: 20"x25" and 20"x20"
Visit our Volunteer page or contact Susan Hunt Sims at renascenceinc@outlook.com or 334-832-1402 to volunteer.

Incentives Program

We have started a new program to encourage our residents. When they go above and beyond their normal house responsibilities or help another resident or staff member in an exceptional way, we want to provide them with a small reward. These could be small-denomination gift cards to fast-food restaurants or a store, discount coupons, or items that would be a treat for a resident to have. Prison and the life these guys knew before coming to Renascence were about punishment and restrictions. Renascence is about inspiring and positive motivation.
 
You can help us collect these items so we can give them away to our residents! Even $5 gift cards will make a difference. Next time you are in a store, pick a few up and stop by the office. 

Thank you!


Resident Offers Thanks to Donors

Click image to view video on YouTube
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1 Comment

HALFWAY HOME / Winter 2020

12/2/2020

1 Comment

 

From the Program Manager

Susan Hunt
Thank you for joining us for our very first electronic newsletter. I am excited that Renascence is taking this next step in technology! Encourage your friends and family to subscribe as well. Newsletters by email will make it easier for us to keep in touch with you while also drastically cutting costs, thus making your donations go further in other areas.

We have had some exciting events recently and I hope you will enjoy reading about them in this newsletter. Thank you for your support which allows us to provide a safe home where our residents have the opportunity and resources to transform their lives.

Susan Hunt

COVID-19 Update

We are pleased to report that we have had no COVID-19 infections among our residents and staff. We attribute this in large part to our developing and implementing early last Spring detailed COVID-19 policies and procedures for the house, residents, and staff. For a time we also closed the regular operation of our office, with office staff working largely from home, and implemented new 24-hour coverage by the staff of the house. We have continued our COVID-19 protocols, which include temperature checks for residents and staff; major cleaning and sanitizing of the house once a week; providing residents with gloves, masks, and hand sanitizer as needed; posting at the house our COVID-19 policies and procedures; and restricting access by most visitors to the house and office.
Corona virus
We are committed to doing our part in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in Montgomery. We have taken these precautions as we know our residents come to us from a high-risk prison environment, and we want to make sure our residents do not unintentionally spread the virus to the general public.

Resident Field Trip

Renascence at Court Square
Our residents and several staff members recently took a field trip to downtown Montgomery to learn about Montgomery's history and how our past still affects us today. They also visited EJI's National Memorial for Peace and Justice. It was a good day of learning and exploring. Twyanna Penick was our guide. See more photos of the trip here.

Resident Spotlight

Bobby Pate came to Renascence in January 2020 after spending a short time in prison. He says what got him into trouble in the first place was hanging out with the “wrong crowd.” “They were stealing” and getting into other trouble, he noted, and he got himself in trouble, too. He told his parole officer in Greenville, Ala., that he needed help. The officer agreed and sent him through the Day Reporting Center (DRC), a program of the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles, which provided him the opportunity to live at Renascence.

He has found the help he needed living at Renascence. Through the DRC, which is next door to Renascence, he reports regularly to his parole officer and participates in life skills and other classes. Renascence residents also regularly participate in AA or NA meetings, house meetings, and Bible Studies. They also do chores regularly and help each other as a community. Dereck Wise, House Superintendent, says that Bobby is quick to offer help with additional things that need to be done around the house, and never complains.
Bobby Pate
Bobby has also deepened his faith in God in his time at Renascence. He regularly reads his Bible, meditates, prays, and tells the other men about God’s love. He says, “God has brought me a long way from who I used to be.” He is relying on God and that strengthened faith to get him through the tough days ahead when he moves back home. He is depending on God to keep him away from the same people who got him into trouble in the first place. He says he has no desire for alcohol any longer, but if he had not come to Renascence, he would probably be out drinking now.

He is especially grateful for the help he has received from Joe Crowley, the current Renascence board chairperson. Bobby says, “Dr. Crowley has been a blessing. He has a good heart.” Joe has taken him to many doctor’s appointments and has helped him manage his finances.

There are only a few more requirements from the DRC that Bobby needs to complete before he can go home to Georgianna where his mother and many other family members live. He and his parole officer are actively working on ways for him to complete those requirements. He is very ready to move back home, and Renascence will have a good celebration for him when he is finally able to go back there and live a new life.

Come See Our Repainted House

Thanks to the generous support of the Montgomery County Commission and the donors to our capital improvement appeal, the exterior of the Renascence house was repainted beautifully. Jaime Pourhassan Painting did excellent work.
Renascence house

Gift Hope MGM 2020 - December 5

Gift Hope MGM 2020, the 9th annual, community-wide, alternative gift fair, will feature numerous nonprofits, including Renascence, that serve “the least of these” in our community and will offer shoppers the opportunity to make a donation for specific items in honor of another. It's the perfect gift for teachers, colleagues, friends, and loved ones.
 
This year’s Gift Hope event will be on Saturday, December 5, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at Cloverdale Park across from the First United Methodist Church. There, “shoppers” will have an opportunity to speak directly with nonprofit representatives, view their displays, and learn more about their missions. (COVID safety precautions will be followed at this outdoor event.)

There is an “online shopping” option as well! Gift Hope shopping is available online at www.fumcmontgomery/GiftHope until December 13. Brief videos featuring each nonprofit, a link to their website, and a shopping menu of gifts are available online.
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Renascence Board News

After three-year terms of dedicated service on the Board, Patrick McGinn and Richard Amberg have stepped off to give more time to other responsibilities. With gratitude for their commitment and various contributions to our work, we wish them all the best.
 
We have been happy to welcome three new Board members in 2020:
Vincent Hall
Vincent Hall has returned to Montgomery after a 32-year career in Georgia working variously as a law office court specialist and administrator; an HR administrator; and an advocate for repeat youth offenders.  In October he assumed the role of board secretary

Kiesha Favor
Kiesha Favor served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army. She is currently patient navigator coordinator at Health Services Inc. She participated in Leadership Montgomery’s Torchbearers Course.

Willie J. Miles III comes to us with a 32-year career in the US Postal Service. He is an ordained elder at Fresh Anointing House of Worship. He has been pastor over men's ministry and prison ministry. He is a facilitator and teacher of the Man Up program.

House Work Day

Volunteers, Board members, residents, and staff all pitched in on November 7 for a workday at the house. Our donation closet needed to be cleaned and reorganized. Thank you to everyone who helped with this event - it made a big difference!
Renascence clean-up day

1 Comment

Resident Field Trip / Expanded Coverage

12/1/2020

3 Comments

 
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At Court Square Fountain
Our residents and several staff members recently took a field trip to downtown Montgomery to learn about Montgomery's history and how our past still affects us today. They also visited EJI's National Memorial for Peace and Justice. It was a good day of learning and exploring. Twyanna Penick was our guide.

Click on photos below to enlarge
Learning about the slave trade in Montgomery
Inside the Equal Justice Initiative's Memorial for Peace and Justice
Reading names of those who were lynched in Alabama Counties, Memorial for Peace and Justice
Looking at soil collected from lynching locations throughout the United States, Memorial for Peace and Justice
Hearing stories and history near the Rosa Parks Museum and Davis Theater
With the Rosa Parks statue
3 Comments

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​Assisting in the transition of male ex-offenders from prison to a successful reintegration into the local community.

​215 Clayton Street
Montgomery, Alabama 36104

Phone (334) 832-1402
Fax (334) 832-2927
Email renascenceinc@outlook.com

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