NEWSLETTER

Thank you City of Elyria for 50,000 ARP funds dedicated to our Chance to Change Reentry Project. It is our goal to use funding to provide quality programs and supportive service to residents that have struggled after felony convictions and incarceration. By offering these 

services, we can reduce recidivism, strengthen families and promote public safety.

Thank You City of Elyria!

Thank you Community Foundation of Lorain County - Evan and Cindy Nord Fund for 20,000 toward General Operating Expenses at P2R.

The funding will be dedicated to sustaining operations at P2R to support our mission in serving underserved Lorain County residents.

Thank You Community Foundation of Lorain County!

Charliana DeJesus Santiago, Nathalie and Aleya Campos - are an ESL family from Puerto Rico referred to P2R through Coordinated Entry in July 2022. The family had been living in hotels for several weeks and voucher assistance had been exhausted. P2R completed an intake on the client and agreed to provide shelter assistance for up to 5 days in hopes that the approval process for their apartment would be complete. In the interim, the family received case management services to qualify for housing. P2R coordinated services with Nord Center and Coordinated Entry while the family engaged in programs at P2R. Even with the language barrier, they wanted to stick with P2R so we accommodated them. Their attitude was pleasant as they persevered through every obstacle. A one week process turned into two weeks of delays, and as P2R struggled to find temporary housing Charliana and Nathalie remained patient, compliant, and flexible. Charliana and Nathalie participated in employment readiness, and Charliana was on the janitorial team for the Cuyahoga County Fair. Their amenable disposition and willingness to cooperate with our suggestions was admirable. On July 19, 2022, Charliana, Nathalie and Leah gratefully moved into their new apartment. We applaud their perseverance and welcome them to the Winners Circle.

Henry Wright - Henry Wright began services with P2R on January 20, 2022. He came to the agency through the criminal justice system and was facing a myriad of issues such as homelessness, financial instability, and family problems. In an effort to strengthen his family unit, Mr. Wright went to counseling and invited his wife to engage in programming at P2R. After many attempts to stay in the home, Mr. Wright decided to move out. This decision led to homelessness and uncertainty, but Henry utilized our case management services and was linked to the appropriate community providers. In June of 2022, Mr. Wright became eligible to move into the new Bridge Point Commons Development in Elyria. To supplement his income, Mr. Wright started providing lawn care services; doing odd jobs; and was on our janitorial team for the Cuyahoga County Fair. Mr. Wright’s journey was riddled with setbacks, inconveniences, and barriers, yet he stayed the course. Mr. Wright completed REO, our employment readiness group, continues to participate in Chance to Change Workshops and stays connected to his peer specialist. Henry Wright has done a total 180 from when P2R met with him in January 2022, he is a perfect candidate for this month's Winners Circle. Keep up the good work Henry, we’re proud of you.

On July 14, 2022, P2R gathered 10 job ready participants from the REO Program for an outing that included a light meal, a job fair and local baseball game. Lorain County Manufacturing Sector Partnership sponsored the job fair at Mercy Stadium in Avon that consisted of several employers ready to interview attendees. P2R clients were provided an opportunity to try on their new skills to obtain gainful employment. To end their promising experience, attendees enjoyed watching the baseball game. This activity promoted clean sober fun and positive peer interactions. P2R Board President Robin Tilman was encouraged by the overall event and hopes to see favorable results from the job interviews.

P2R IMPACT MOMENT: Laval Stevens was met with housing and financial struggles while pursuing a CDL at Great Lakes Truck Driving School. Through supportive mentorship and linkage to resources for rental assistance, P2R was able to provide Laval the support to overcome obstacles and accomplish his goals. Laval now has stable housing, his CDL, a lucrative truck driving position, and is excitedly awaiting the birth of his first grandchild. He came to the office to share his gratitude and encourage others to seek help at P2R.

Laval Stevens Video

P2R’s employment readiness program provides participants an opportunity to work through barriers while gaining insight on how to maintain a job. We have established relationships with employers who are willing to give our clients a chance at employment after they complete REO sessions at P2R and are deemed viable candidates. We have had an extremely high success rate with placing reentry and recovery populations in sustainable employment by providing transportation, job coaching and case management. A key component to success has been providing opportunities for transitional employment to candidates so they can evaluate their true readiness for more stable positions. We have had 22 participants complete our REO programs and 73% are in transitional employment or gainfully employed as of July 2022.