Training the Trainers - Lorain Correctional Institute

Since launching the relink.org application on every tablet in Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections prisons, our team has been working with institutions to create awareness and train justice-involved citizens on the easy-to-use relink.org application.

Last month, our team and True Freedom Ministries had the opportunity to train both the ODRC staff and incarcerated individuals at the Lorain Correctional Institute (LORCI). This institution is a perfect place for relink.org as the majority of those incarcerated there will be released within 9 months.

Our team, led by Rachel Sobitz and Oneida Tidmore, were encouraged by the time they spent at LORCI. They provided hands-on training for those at the facility and were excited to hear so much positive feedback.

Over 50% of the incarcerated individuals our team met with had already used relink.org and were able to help their peers find resources on our database.

One individual at the facility shared:

"I am a Peer Recovery Supporter/Mentor in LORCI. I have been using relink.org since it has been live on the tablet here. It has been a great tool for me to get resources to guys going home. Thank you!" -Jason

We are very excited by the positive feedback of the project so far and look forward to bringing this training to every correctional institution in Ohio.

Food Insecurity

In March 2023, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program's (SNAP) emergency allotments initially given out during the COVID-19 pandemic expired. SNAP benefits many relied on to buy food, groceries, and other basic needs were no longer available due to the end program.

The benefits made a significant impact for those struggling during the pandemic. A study estimated the benefits kept 4.2 million people above the poverty line in the last quarter of 2021, reducing poverty by 10 percent in states with SNAP benefits (CBPP).

"As inflation and SNAP reductions continue to impact a family’s ability to put food on the table, the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank and our network of hunger-relief partners are committed to ensuring families facing hunger have a place to turn,” said Raven Gayheart, Public Relations and Communications Manager for the Foodbank.

“The increase in need we’re currently experiencing is higher now than during the pandemic. Our pantry network has seen a 38% increase in the number of visits by families seeking help in the month of May. Approximately 14% of families visiting our pantry network in the first quarter were new, meaning they’ve never visited a food pantry before.”

Relink.org seeks to fill the gaps caused by the cancellation of the SNAP emergency allotments by listing food pantries and hot meal services throughout Ohio. Our database has over 900 food pantries and organizations serving hot meals listed throughout Ohio.

Relink.org team member Oneida Tidmore recently visited several local food pantries in Northeast Ohio to connect with the community. She was blown away by the need for so many people.

One food pantry she visited was South Haven Church of Christ food pantry. Their staff stated they have seen an enormous increase in the number of people they are serving since the Emergency SNAP benefit ended at the beginning of summer

The South Haven Church of Christ food pantry is open every Thursday from 9-11:45 am. Families can receive food and other household items (dish detergent, feminine products etc.). Families can come once a month and receive a week’s worth of groceries.

Another food pantry Oneida visited was the Harvard Community Center. The center typically provides food to 100-125 people a month, but that number has increased to about 200 a month since the cutback of the emergency SNAP benefits. Their staff mentioned it’s very hard to keep food on the shelves since the cut back at the beginning of summer.

The Harvard Community Center food pantry is open on Tuesday-Thursday from 9-2pm. One of the additional benefits about the Harvard Community Center is that they provide breakfast and lunch for all children 18 and younger during the summer, breakfast 9-10 am and lunch 12-1pm from June 12-August 4, 2023.

If you or a loved one are struggling with food insecurity, visit relink.org to find resources in your neighborhood.

Better Together Summit County

Earlier this month, we cohosted a Better Together Summit County meeting with Tyler's Redemption Place. Better Together is a faith-based collaborative of community organizations that meets monthly. Most of the organizations in the group were connected through our grant program with the Akron Community Foundation The group's goal is to connect organizations that are helping those in need and increase outreach in the community. We have found that this collaboration has strengthened our impact and that we are truly better together.

Every month, we hear encouraging stories about how organizations are working together. This month, a Better Together member was looking for an addiction recovery facility for someone who needed to go into treatment. Another group member was able to get the individual into treatment immediately through that connection. We love linking organizations together to make a positive impact in people's lives.

We're grateful for Tyler's Redemption Place's willingness to have us in their space. They recently opened and are a recovery community organization that picks up where traditional treatment providers leave off by offering peer based recovery support and promoting recovery and wellness with a holistic approach.

Tyler's Redemption Place is currently available for meetings and events. Click here to view their calendar.

Restore: Educate

Relink.org Data Analysis - Searches for Addiction Recovery and Basic Needs Services Begin to Spike

The most-searched category on relink.org is still Reentry, however the number of searches for addiction recovery and basic needs services began to rise in May. There was a 22% increase in Addiction Recovery searches and a 32% increase in Basic Needs searches compared to April.

One possible cause is the increased prevalence of xylazine in illicit drugs. DEA officials have stated that the spread of xylazine is similar to the spread of fentanyl in the mid-2010s. In May, the White House declared xylazine an emerging threat to the national security of the United States.

Most-searched Addiction Recovery and Basic Needs Services in May:

1. Recovery Housing - 311 searches
2. Food Pantries - 278 searches
3. Clothing - 266 searches
4. Residential Inpatient Treatment - 217 searches
5. Furniture - 210 searches
6. Homeless Shelters/Shelter Crisis - 188 searches
7. Outpatient Treatment - 137 searches
8. Financial Assistance - 137 searches
9. Detox Facilities - 127 searches
10. Professional Addiction Counseling - 123 searches

The relink.org team is committed to connecting those in need to resources they require. If you or a loved one are in need of addiction recovery, basic needs, or other forms of care, please visit relink.org to find a resource in your area.

If you have any questions or would like to collaborate with our team, feel free to email us at info@relink.org.