HOUSTON, Texas — GEO Reentry’s Leidel Residential Reentry Center has been recognized for its volunteer efforts at a Houston-area food bank. The facility recently received the President’s Volunteer Service Award, including a presidential letter and certificate from the White House administration.
Located in Houston, the Leidel RRC provides transitional services for 190 males and female Bureau of Prisons inmates who are serving the last months of their sentences. While residing at the center, participants attend group classes, such as Transitional Skills Journaling, Substance Abuse Programming Intensive Outpatient Treatment (CBI-SA), Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT), Individual Cognitive Behavioral Treatment (ICBT) Sessions, Life Skills, Employment Readiness and more. Center staff also connect participants with school and employment opportunities.
Additionally, and a primary reason for the President’s Volunteer Service Award, the center encourages participants to complete community service to facilitate community integration. The Houston Food Bank, the largest food bank organization in Southeast Texas, nominated the Leidel RRC for the presidential award for the center’s participants ongoing volunteer efforts at the food bank. Every day, for more than two years, a rotating group of residents go to the food bank for several hours to sort donations, stock shelves and help distribute food to those in need.
“We’re surprised but very excited to receive this award,” said Johnathan Hardy, facility director. “The participants gain a real sense of community in working at the food bank, an important factor in becoming contributors to the local community. We can’t thank the Houston Food Bank enough for recognizing our contribution and nominating our center.”
The Leidel RRC is accredited by the American Correctional Association, receiving initial accreditation in 2012, re-accreditation in 2015, and a perfect 100 percent score when re-accredited again in 2018.