Isaiah 58 Project Honors UNITE INDY at Indy Prayer Breakfast
UNITE INDY President Jim Cotterill is pictured speaking to about 500 of our city's brothers and sisters who gathered to pray at the annual Indianapolis Prayer Breakfast.
This year, UNITE INDY was recognized by the Isaiah 58 Project for its work to help those reentering society from long term incarceration and the development of SecondChanceIndy.com, (a job site for those who have a criminal record) as well as job training in county jails. All of us at UNITE INDY are humbled to be added to the list of those named in past years, like Gleaners Food Bank, Shepherd Community Center, and Wheeler Mission. |
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A "Must Read" Letter From Prison: This is why we're here. Click Below
The other day, Nancy Cotterill at UNITE INDY received a letter from "Jimmy" thanking her for connecting him as a writing partner with Sara Cobb, our Inmate Correspondent Team Leader.
The letter we received is short and you can read it here. His letter is the kind that makes us aware again and again of the powerful impact our inmate correspondents have on those who wait expectantly for their letters to arrive, or their emails to be answered.
Writing letters to inmates might not seem like a world-changing activity—that is until you do it. Take a moment and read this letter--and make sure you see his P.S. Then, if you want to join our correspondents team, you can sign up here!
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Shelby County Churches to Assist Reentrants at Shelby County Jail
UNITE INDY's Scott Whiting and Jim Cotterill met with JoshMartin, Executive Director of Shelby County Community Corrections (pictured), Donna Christian, Executive Director of Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, and local church leaders to discuss the need for church members to serve as mentors to walk alongside Shelby County Jail inmates during our Jobs for Life training as well as post release. These mentors will help reentrants connect to employers willing to offer a second chance through our website, SecondChanceIndy.com. Once employed they will continue to offer guidance until they’re certain their reentrant can begin to chart their own path to success. Our goal is to provide training throughout the nine county area to support and train those exiting long-term incarceration, to connect them successfully with employers, and mentor them as they reconnect with loved ones and bring economic stability to the family unit.
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We have to do Better
Nancy's blog post contrasts her experiences as a 14 year-old with those of a 14 year-old who was arrested on multiple felony charges recently for his alleged role in the shooting of a 16-year-old during an attempted carjacking. What causes one person’s life to be so different from another’s? Undoubtedly, this young man has been a witness to, or has been subjected to recurring acts of violence over his young life. He may have an intact nuclear family, but by something like 10 to 1, the odds are against that. In prison, right around 85 percent of the incarcerated youth come from fatherless homes. If we want to end these acts of violence, we have to do a better job...Read Nancy's blog post here.
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Reentry Navigator: Bringing
Power To The People
As a reentrant, coming out of long-term incarceration, the contacts you need to handle the myriad of issues you face are your keys to successful reentry.
UNITE INDY's Reentry Navigator is being developed to provide just that: Quick connections to the people one needs for successful reentry, from a parole officer, to a drug treatment center, someone to help get a needed driver's license, or assistance with housing, finances, or just about anything a reentrant will need. Coming soon on your phone. BAM!
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Why Support UNITE INDY?
In addition to a major effort to work with the 12,000 inmates reentering our area after incarceration, we are working to improve employment in our poorest neighborhoods.
How You Can Support Jobs for Justice- Involved Individuals
3. Become a Member - Your tax deductible gift will buy either 5 Student Workbooks for a class or 10 meals for students, their mentors, and instructors to gather around a table before each class, sharing food, transforming the moment into something more unique by creating a sense of community, which strengthens the relationship building process.
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Support of Ministries and Charities:
Since 2017 UNITE INDY has provided a free web-based system at UNITEINDY.org that connects churches, ministries, and other charities to share their volunteer needs or needed items. UNITE INDY also provides the manpower necessary to assist smaller organizations—that have no one to upload needed items—the help they require to access this service. Through this portal, UNITE INDY has brought hundreds of volunteers and thousands of dollars worth of needed goods into the hands of those who assist the poor.
Serving the Servants:
UNITE INDY comes behind urban pastors and ministry leaders by addressing personal and professional needs with free services for those who work tirelessly in their neighborhoods to care for the needy and bereft.
Remember, almost 1 out of every 3 children in Indianapolis lives below the poverty level, yet even in the aftermath of the COVID shut down, as our economy comes back to life and employment is returning, all this good news stops at the lines surrounding many of our inner city neighborhoods. In some neighborhoods of Marion County unemployment is now 21%, and poverty remains the overwhelming divider of people.
Please donate to UNITE INDY now. There are a number of choices that are all secure and safe. By sending your fully tax deductible gift* now we can have a greater impact meeting needs in our community in 2021.
Many, many thanks!
*UNITE INDY, Inc. is approved under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 501(c)(3) as a Public Charity, donors can deduct contributions they make under IRC Section 170.
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Corporate Partners
A big Thank YOU to our Corporate Partners for their unwavering support which makes it possible for us to provide our services at no charge to job applicants and employers!
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