Staff and residents at Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey recently celebrated a “Summer in Paradise,” thanks to the work of volunteers from the Catholic Archdiocese of Newark Ministry, a community partner of the GEO Reentry-operated residential reentry center.
At the August party, Reverend Raymond Lord and Estelle Flynn-Lord supplied residents of all five of the center’s occupied housing units with pizzas, sheet cakes, sodas and religious-based items and decorations like rosary beads, posters and positive affirmation ribbons.
“We’re extremely grateful to the Lord family for this generous action to uplift and care for our residents,” said Director of Delaney Hall Roy Becker-Rowley. “It has been a difficult time as residents have not been able to visit with their families during the pandemic. They provided a day that boosted the spirits of all and shared the joy of what can be possible.”
The Lord family’s generous gesture was meant to provide residents of the center with hope and positivity during these challenging times. The Lords had organized a summer celebration for Delaney’s female residents in 2019 but decided they wanted to add some much-needed joy to summer 2020.
“The residents must feel so isolated and discouraged during these times, and we thought they could use a tangible sign that we care about them,” said Reverend Lord. “The theme of ‘Summer in Paradise’ represents that blue skies and happiness can be experienced, regardless of your circumstances.”
Knowing about and accessing services and working with community partners in the local community is a crucial component of Delaney Hall’s programming for residents. As part of GEO Reentry’s Community Connections program, staff provide participants with access to a range of health, family service, social service, residential treatment, mental health, domestic violence, legal advocacy, and employment resource centers.
Relationships in the community are vital to the reentry process, and GEO Reentry centers’ partnerships with local organizations over the years, such as Catholic Archdiocese of Newark Ministry, have brought great benefits to program participants. In addition to referrals to community resources and partnerships, services available at GEO Reentry residential facilities include case management group and individual counseling, substance abuse counseling, job-readiness training and skill development.
