Everybody Needs a Second Chance
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 3, 2010
Nadine Scamp, LMSW, Volunteers of America Texas, Inc., 713-261-9160 or nscamp@voatx.org
VOA Awarded Second Chance Act Grant for Mentoring Incarcerated Mothers
VOA-Houston is proud to be the only awardee in Texas of the first round of Second Chance Act mentoring funds from the Office of Justice Programs. The grant will be used to mentor mothers who are incarcerated at the Harris County WHO-Atascocita women’s correctional facility. This program is specially designed for women who have been sentenced for drug offenses, allowing them to receive treatment and support services so that they can break the cycle of addiction and crime. Over half of the women, who are sentenced to the program for 6-12 months, have children. The mentorship program will pair these moms with strong women from the community so that they have the emotional and spiritual support to succeed. “So many of our women don’t have role models to look up to” says Nadine Scamp, VOA Houston Regional Director. “They don’t have a clear vision of what it means to be a good parent, of how to deal with conflict in a healthy manner, of how to set goals and stick with them. We teach them these skills while they are at the WHO-A, but the mentors will reinforce those concepts once they are released. Sometimes the best way of learning is by watching someone else model the skill, and the mentor will be that person that our women can turn to for guidance.”
The Second Chance Mentor program hopes to match at least 40 women with mentors during the first year. Mentors will stay with their mentee for at least a year, providing a stable and strong bond for the moms. If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please contact Joyce Foster at jfoster@voatx.org.
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Volunteers of America Texas is a faith-based, non-profit human service organization committed to addressing the issues raised by poverty in America by promoting programs that help people achieve their full potential in life. In addition to providing skill building for children and families from economically challenged neighborhoods, the organization provides case management services for developmentally disabled individuals, affordable housing for seniors and the disabled and treatment programs for women and mothers overcoming substance abuse. Our work touches the mind, body, heart-and ultimately the spirit-of those we serve, integrating our deep compassion with highly effective programs and services. For more information about Volunteers of America Texas, visit www.voatx.org.