Vision Of The Future
As 2020 comes to a close, we take a big breath and exhale. This year has shown us more about what we have than any previous year had. The dedicated staff at Returning Home are quite extraordinary. During the chaos and uncertainty of a pandemic, they displayed strength and perseverance by showing up and serving our clients on a consistent basis. From quarantine rooms, daily temp checks, masks, gloves, and a multitude of cleaning supplies, the staff have done such an amazing job of navigating this pandemic with resiliency.
Even through a crisis, we underwent an expansion of the residential program in April from 55 to 67 beds, which felt like a tremendous increase in services at the time. May brought about the tough decision to close our buildings to staff and residents only. Losing seventeen weekly dedicated volunteers was a huge blow to the consistency and quality of programming. Our partner organizations really stepped up and were wonderful to work with during that time. Arkansas Community Corrections, Phoenix Recovery, TCIY Counseling, and Goodwill did an incredible job of adapting and pivoting as we sought to put our client's health first.
We were saddened to cancel the Unify the Family event in September as we know how much that program means to the women at the NWA Community Corrections Center and their children. We pray that next year will allow us to continue with this event as it is an integral part of restoring families in our community With new safety measures in place, we welcomed back our trusted volunteers in November. Now we look back and have confidence that we can continue to expand while maintaining the high level of service quality intact.
At the end of 2019, Returning Home started the process of developing what is known as the Community Alternative Program (CAP). CAP's focus is on pre-trial detention alternatives. This program would transition individuals from county jail to our residential program while they wait to go to court; a process that typically takes three to six months. Through communication with area Judges, it is apparent that many of the individuals standing in front of them struggle with daily life decisions which lends to a habitual life of crime. While in this program, we would assist them in the areas of mental health, substance abuse recovery, physical health, cognitive behavioral and moral recognition therapy, financial management, healthy relationships and much more. We strongly believe that if more people would come
alongside these individuals, the direction of their lives would forever be changed. By displaying love to them, they in turn would learn to love themselves. Once clients receive the vision of a future they never imagined, many stop at nothing to obtain it. We see the value in offering an alternative to sitting in a jail coupled with a better use of County resources. Returning Home can confidently move towards a clear goal for 2021 while progressing toward our future by providing NW Arkansas with the Community Alternative Program.
Please pray with us for three specific things throughout 2021. First, that we uncover resources to purchase and renovate a location to meet the needs of the program. Second, to find a partner in either a foundation, business, or the County to fund the programming side of CAP. Lastly, that God continues to give us an open door to the hearts of the men and women we serve. Thank you all for your continued support. Returning Home would not be able to fulfill its vision without supporters like you.
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