Spiritus Christi Prison Outreach Inc

Causes: Crime & Law, Half-Way Houses for Offenders & Ex-Offenders

Mission: To visit women and men who are incarcerated and journey with them as they enter the community. Visitation is accomplished through weekly groups in jail and prison. After release, housing, case management, and transition groups are offered as we work to provide a model to the community of effective re-entry.

Programs: Womens program (jennifer house): the women's program facilitates two groups for women in the monroe county jail and one group in the community, which are conducted by staff and volunteers. In these voluntary groups, women engage in the process of rebuilding their lives. Upon release, many of these homeless ex-offenders elect to go to jennifer house to continue the process. Jennifer house is a residence owned by the organization that provides an immediate, short-term, safe and structured home for homeless women. Here they are reunited with their children, while connecting with the social, physical, and mental services needed to create a solid foundation for rebuilding their lives. 46 residents a year and support services for approximately 50 alumni each year.

mens program (nielsen house): the mens program visits males in the monroe county jail and in some area state correctional facilities and provides a safe group experience. Volunteers and staff conduct programs for 4 groups of incarcerated men and one group in the community. Relationships are formed in these groups, and the obstacles that led to each incarceration are explored. Upon release, many of these homeless ex-offenders elect to go to nielsen house to continue the process. Nielsen house is a residence purchased by the organization in 2007 and provides an immediate, short-term, safe and structured home for homeless ex-offenders. Here there connect with the social, physical, and mental services needed to create a solid foundation for rebuilding their lives. Number served: 69 residents a year and support services for approximately 70 alumni each year.

shelter care program: through collaboration with rochester housing authority and home leasing, a 12 unit shelter care program for the alumni of the spiritus christi prison outreach that offers permanent housing to men and women who have demonstrated an ability to maintain sobriety and work towards accomplishing individual goals, which will lead them to economic self-sufficiency. We serve a diverse population of women and men, who were previously homeless and/or incarcerated. Number served: 14