work update

Yesterday we had a "neighborhood breakfast".
We invited other associations working in social services in the neighborhood.
It was SO interesting!
They were many places doing the same work as us, with much more staff and opportunities, so I guess we can start referring some people to them, and lighten up the load on our multitasking staff members! :) Yay for cooperation!
This way we free time for focusing on our specificities: families of the incarcerated.
Well this was just a breakfast, where people presented their work, but it's a great first step towards a good synergy of efforts to help those who need the most.
- one organization was providing ESL classes, parenting groups, and many useful or fun workshops (salsa, yoga, housing etc..)
-a health care center provide social services to help people identify which services and help they qualify for, whether they are documented or not
-this other agency we've been working with for so long provides drug, alcohol and substance abuse counseling, and anger management workshops
-then there was the local charter school, 392 kids!!
- and a couple other organizations comparable to #1,2,3..
The breakfast went very well, we hope to keep in touch with a follow up in September :)


Also this morning we went to Rikers, in the C 73, for a Bible class.
I went to jail many times before, as a student-teacher and as a visitor. I went mostly to Fleury Merogis, which is the biggest prison in France, and in Europe (at least back then, who knows now...) and it was only 6 buildings, 3 parts each 5 for men and 1 for women.
Rikers is different. It's its whole little universe, with a bus system and 10 HUGE buildings. Only 9 are in service right now, but still.
I was impressed by the efficiency of the officers.
Sister S., 83 years old, 22 years as a chaplain in the very same building (but that was about 12 years ago) was not very happy with all the wait and troubles we had: check ID, check clearance order, refuse us the gate 1 pass, which meant we had to park on the big parking and then take a bus, which means a lot of wait... Then inside the building we had to wait for an officer to escort us, because we were not allowed alone, etc. But in the end in about 30 min we were settled in our room, and within 10 minutes we had 20 guys for the Bible study!!

THIS was incredible to me. In France, well in Fleury- Merogis, it took MONTHS to just get the clearance and settle something like an escort and a room, and then an other 2 weeks before we got anyone for the class...

So this morning was a very positive experience in my eyes. We spent maybe an hour and a half total in "doors" (the wait time in front of a door, or gate, before they check you and open it) and procedures, and about the same with the guys of our bible study. They were so happy to get a new bible class. The chaplain is overwhelmed by the demand, there is a lot of catholic people in this building (i don't know if it's a very good thing to rejoice about LOL). Anyway they told us to expect 100 people next wednesday!! Good thing there is 5 of us!