Building Bridges of Opportunity serves to intentionally foster connection and collaboration between individual and organizations from public, plural and private sectors for the purposes of building healthier, more equitable and justice communities with our justice-involved neighbors. Throughout the year, Building Bridges planning partners offer state-wide events that offer tools and resources for going back into local communities with new connections and potential collaborations.
Each year, the Building Bridges planning team offers a unique gathering of the Ohio reentry community at the Community Experience. The Community Experience attracts community leaders, government officials, non-profits, policy makers, faith & community-based organizations, correctional professionals, law enforcement personnel, legal services, academics, justice involved citizens, and others interested in learning about and developing better community reentry responses.
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UPCOMING EVENTS OPPORTUNITIES
Tuesday Talks Series with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC)
TOPIC :: TBD
Second Tuesdays in March, May, July, September & November @ 10-11:30AM on Zoom
Tuesday Talks provide family members of incarcerated adults, community members and local reentry stakeholders information regarding statewide initiatives designed to remove barriers to successful reentry and build bridges to better reintegration opportunities. Tuesday Talks occur every two months on Zoom on the second Tuesday from 10 - 11:30AM.
Questions about Tuesday Talks? Contact Darryl Graves at Darryl.Graves@odrc.state.oh.us.
RESOURCES FROM PREVIOUS COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES
2024 Building Bridges Community Experience
Bridging Pathways to Hope
Thank you for joining the Ohio reentry community at the 2024 Community Experience. Our focus on serving reentry families, supporting youth returning home, and soliciting victims' voices in reentry made for an inspiring two days. Recordings for all the sessions from our virtual day together are available on the Building Bridges YouTube Channel. Links to those sessions and the resources provided in each session are below. Our second day of in-person gatherings at regional host sites across Ohio brought us together to experience reentry at the local level.
The purpose of the Community Experience is to convene Ohio’s reentry community to provide high quality reentry education, emerging Ohio reintegration efforts, reintegration best practices, network opportunities, environments for sharing ideas, and advocacy opportunities for systemic reform.
Each year, the Community Experience brings together community leaders, government officials, non-profits, policy makers, faith & community-based organizations, correctional professionals, law enforcement personnel, legal services, academics, justice involved citizens, and others interested in learning about and developing better community reentry responses.
October 16 Virtual Session Recordings on YouTube here.
View Virtual Workshops here.
View Oct 17 Regional Hosts and Location Sites here.
View all Community Experience schedules here.
Direct your questions to Reba Collins, Community Partners Coordinator for All In Community and Community Experience Coordinator, at rebakco@gmail.com.
Sponsors:
2023 Building Bridges Community Experience Resources
A Charge to Keep: Hope, Help, and Healing with Returning Neighbors
Our 2023 theme was A Charge to Keep: Hope, Help, & Healing with Returning Neighbors. Our focus was on the role of volunteer partners and reentry allies. Faith-based servants, community members, and justice-impacted persons who are willing to walk with men, women, and families during reentry are critical in developing safer and healthier reintegration pathways and experiences.
Our goal was for reentry allies, justice professionals, impacted persons and service providers to become more deeply committed to creating positive reentry experiences by being more deeply connected to each other in community. The 2023 Community Experience was designed to leave Ohio's reentry community equipped and engaged for next actionable steps.
Recordings for all the sessions from our virtual day together are available on the Building Bridges YouTube Channel.
2023 Community Experience Resources
A PDF of the session What Works: Addressing Crime-Related Risks and Needs to Promote Successful Reintegration and Personal Transformation is available upon request.
View virtual and host site schedules here.
View October 4 virtual workshop descriptions here.
Get October 5 host site arrival instructions here.
Click on PDF below for Presenters' Profiles or online here to view.
For details or questions, contact Community Experience Coordinator, Reba Collins, at allincommunity@wocumc.org
Want to keep abreast of upcoming Building Bridges of Opportunity events and gatherings? There are three ways to keep connected and foster collaboration between your fellow community members. Contact Rachel Sobitz at rsobitz@relink.org to be added to our email list.
Follow the Building Bridges Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/BuildingBridgesofOpportunity.
Check back here for upcoming events and gatherings.
Building Bridges Planning Partners
- West Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church
- Ms. Reba Collins
- Ms. Jami Nathan
- Ms. Brenda Oyer
- Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections
- Dr. Mike Davis
- Mr. Darryl Graves
- Ms. Jennifer Nail
- Ohio Commission on Fatherhood
- Director Kimberly Dent
- University of Cincinnati Corrections Institute
- Ms. Jennifer Scott
- Ohio Association of Local Reentry Coalitions (OALRC)
- Mr. Tom Luettke (Northwest Ohio Reentry Coalition)
- Ms. Diane Bricker (Delaware County Office of Reentry)
- Ms. Kysten Palmore (Depart. of Youth Services)
- Ms. Sandy Monfort (Allen, Auglaize and Hardin Country Reentry Coalition)
- Central Ohio Restored Citizens Collaborative
- Mr. Zach Ruppel
- Hamilton County Office of Reentry
- Ms. Trina Jackson
- The Four Seven Prison Ministry
- Ms. Kim Elliott
- Mr. Joe Domiano
- Vincentian OH Action Network & Accompanying Returning Citizens with HOPE
- Ms. Wendy Tarr
- Ms. Vanita Nevis
- Relink.org
- Ms. Barbara Campbell
- Ms. Rachel Sobitz
- Books for Bruises
- Mr. Louis Fields
- Young Christian Professionals
- Mr. Stanley Frankart