BOULDER — Seated in a barren break room in the Boulder County Jail with the
acrid smell of burning coffee permeating the air, Madonna Mooney doesn’t mince
words.

Looking at her situation through sober eyes, she sees it. Mooney has been
arrested at least 31 times since Jan. 1, 2010. According to Boulder County Jail
records, she has been booked 112 times since 2002. Her stays are typically short
because her offenses are typically minor — open container, trespassing,
disorderly conduct, sometimes theft. CLICK HERE to be redirected to the Daily                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Camera website to read more!

FOCUS Offender Reentry Mentoring Program is scheduling another round of new Mentor Trainings! Are you a highly compassionate and motivated individual? Are you willing to give your supportive presence to another human being in need? Are you passionate about creating community change? Mentoring may be something you would be interested in.

Qualifications:

-over 25 years in age

-a total of 14 hours of training that is broken down into five sections

-non-judgmental, non-aggressive, and compassionate

-one continuous training the second week of each month

To learn more you can visit this page and please fill-out the application for your interview.

*photo from www.a13.org

Mentoring at-risk youth is needed and important. Equally important however, is mentoring those adults that are raising at-risk youth. After all, many times it is the parents of the youth who are at fault for their child’s behavior. Research says that youth with parents in jail are six times more likely to end up just like their mother and/or father. Mentoring offenders will hopefully halt the number of at-risk youth an therefore, keep children out of jail. We are seeing that more and more youth are being put behind bars for LIFE.

The Beat Within is a publication that gets jailed children’s voices out to the public using creative writing and healthy self-expression. This is the only connection some incarcerated youth have with the outside world. Here are some beautiful examples of their writings and thoughts. If you want to read more, please click here for the website.

Cold Parents

Dear mom,
Why are you so cold towards me?
I just want your love.
Why do you despise me so?
I try to please you, I try to help you.
Why are you so cold? Why do you hate me so?
I want your love, I want your acceptance, I want you to never
leave me.
But you push me away, you shut me out.
I love you and I wish I didn’t, I can’t let you go.
Every day you’re killing me more and more.
Do you like to hurt me? Do you want to see me cry?
I won’t let you see that, instead I’m going to love you with all
my heart.
I’m going to be the person you can’t, then I hope you will love
me.
-Alex,
Santa Clara

Love Is All We Need

I wish other people could see the good in people the way I do.
Working at the Juvenile Justice Center has made me realize that just because
people make mistakes, it doesn’t mean they aren’t good people. We are so quick
to judge a book by its cover and assume that if you’re here, you’re a criminal.
But deep down inside, we all are looking for love and understanding.

I try to see the good in people because you don’t know people’s
story. Just because I smile it doesn’t mean I don’t struggle. I have been
through some things to know that life is about learning from experience and
treating people good is one of them.
-Ms. Porter, Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center Counselor

A Bully’s Teasing

You go to a new school
Cause you are the new kid
The school bully taunts
‘Cause the school bully taunts you
You feel alone
‘Cause you feel alone
You go and try to make a friend
‘Cause you are the new kid
No one wants to be your friend
Except a thug kid
He embraces you, so you feel safe
‘Cause you feel safe, you become a thug
Since you became a thug
The bully tries to fight you
Since the bully beats you up
And you’re a thug
You seek revenge with a gun
When you get a gun
You shoot the bully
Since you shoot the bully
You go to jail for life
-The
Swagg Kidd, San Francisco

“Greening of Our Faith Communities: Partnership
and Sustainability.”

Panelists:

Prescott Knock, Buddhist Coalition of Bodhisattva Activity, Randy Bates, Sustainable
Ideas Consulting,  Leigh Cushing, Community
Campaigns Coordinator, Eco-Cycle, Rabbi Marc Soloway, Congregation
Bonai Shalom, National Rabbinical Advisory Board Chair, Hazon

Facilitator:

Prescott
Knock, Buddhist Coalition for Bodhisattva Activity

When: 

March 22nd, 2012

Time: 11:30- 1 p.m.

Congregation Har HaShem

2950 Baseline Road, Boulder 80303

When: Thursday, February 23rd, 2012. 
Panel: 11:30-12:30, Q&A: 12:30-1:00

Where: Congregation Har HaShem, 3950 Baseline Rd., Boulder 80303

*Image courtesy of the US Daily Review*

Facilitator:
Beth Ornstein, Committee Member, Jewish Community Career Network
 
Panelists:
Edwina Salazar, Executive Director, OUR Center Longmont, Alice Swanson, President, Learn to Earn, Isabel McDeVitt,  Program Manager, Ready to Work, Sarah Wilson,  Workforce Boulder County

Please join us at our free Forum. Snacks are provided or please bring a vegetarian lunch, as our host site is kosher. 

Restoring the Soul’s monthly Forums are presented by local experts who are personally involved with the topics. You may listen to the Forums regularly from 8:35-9:30 on KGNU 88.5 FM. Forum broadcasts will continue on the fourth Thursday of the following months:  January, February, April, May, July, August, October and November.

Check out this video to see how an  inmate feels about his yoga practice.  Courtesy of Elephant Journal.

Please Help Us Win $1000:

Every month Precision Plumbing runs a drawing for a local charity or good cause. The charity that receives the most votes in one month wins $1,000.  With one click, follow this link to the nomination page. For the organization name, enter “FOCUS/Restoring the Soul.”  Thank you for helping our program prosper and thrive.

 ”Creating the Culture for Community Transformation: Maximizing Resources and Funds.”

Restoring the Soul’s monthly Forums are presented by local experts who are personally involved with the topics. You may listen to the Forums regularly from 8:35-9:30 on KGNU 88.5 FM. Forum broadcasts will continue on the fourth Thursday of the following months:  January, February, April, May, July, August, October and November. 

Panelists:

Patrick Monacelli, Foothills United Way, Kathy Fedler, City of Longmont, LHOT, Edwina Salazar, ED of the OUR Center, Ken Miller, Project REVIVE

WHEN: Thursday, January 26th

TIME:  11:30 a.m.-1 p.m

HOST: Congregation Har HasShem

3950 Baseline Road, Boulder 80303

* Free of charge * All are welcome * Free and easy parking * Snacks provided * Panelists TBA *

Here are some interesting articles on our January Forum topic:

• Foundation Center Database: This database holds tons of information about ways nonprofits can collaborate to achieve their missions. This database also serves as a real-life example on  how 650 nonprofit collaborations are maximizing their resources.
• Non-Profit Collaboration: Doesn’t It Make the Pie Bigger? This article discusses how collaboration makes the resource pie bigger, so that various programs can benefit.
• For Non-Profits, Collaboration is the Name of the Game: Grants are becoming harder to apply for, but non-profits are not having a pity party. Instead, programs are realizing the benefits of working together to increase their funds and discover more resources.
• Collaboration increases the community’s social capital. You can check out our Collaborative Community website to learn more!

You may also bring a vegetarian lunch as our host site is kosher.

January is the month for mentoring! January 26th is the official day to show gratitude to all the wonderful mentors out there. Here is a list that may give you some ideas on how to celebrate the benefits of mentoring:

•  Become a mentor in your community.
•  Learn more about mentoring.
•  Partner with a mentoring organization.
•  Join “I Am a Mentor” Day.
•  Think about the mentors in your life and post a tribute to them online.
•  Read the latest research and find resources on mentoring.
•  Serve your community on MLK Day of Service by deciding to become a mentor.
•  Make a donation to a mentoring organization in your community.Go to YouTube on Thank Your Mentor Day™ (January 26) and make the National Mentoring Month videos the most popular of the day.
•  Explore ways to help children succeed academically through mentoring

*This list was found at www.nationalmentoringmonth.org.