From the beginning, sustainability has been key to who we are. At this point we are not financially viable and we do not have the bandwidth to make it so. To put it simply, we can no longer continue to support our families and to try and make this work at the same time. The work is much too difficult and important to divide our attention.
A key posture that we held for ourselves as well as our mentors and clients is healthy boundaries. While it grieves us to make this decision, we are confident that it is appropriate for us. We did not set out to be another band-aid attempting to cover a gaping wound, as many non-profits often end up being; nor do we have a ‘savior complex’ and believe it has to be us. It is our belief that these actually over-extend the people doing the work to where they can’t truly do ‘good work’ AND do not allow for the community to see the problem for what it really is.
We have no regrets having taken the risk. It has been a humbling, rewarding process with so many learning opportunities along the way. We still hold strongly to our beliefs and convictions as it concerns those coming out of incarceration and hope to continue this work in some form or fashion. Art and I are currently seeking employment - all leads are welcomed. ;)
We will continue our mentoring and to be a resource to those who have signed up through us to mentor. Any funding received for the month of January will be returned. After paying an outstanding bill, the funding that remains will go to Gracious Promise who offers direct services to our clients and their families. We are donating our office furniture to Avenue of Life.
Thank you, friends, for your support. Whether it was an encouraging word, reading our newsletters, praying on our behalf, following us on Facebook, personally supporting our mentee, or those adventurous souls who financially supported us - we sincerely and humbly express our gratitude for your part in this journey.
Shine on, friends!
November Update
Gratitude
Gratitude is an art of painting an adversity into a lovely picture. - Kak Sri
Here at N2LIFE we hope to be some of the rich colors our friends coming out of incarceration can use in creating that picture. With this letter from Craig, and the help of his mentor Joe, it seems like we're off to a good start.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to have been matched with an N2LIFE mentor. The Mentoring 4 Success program, coupled with the supporting organizations are impacting the transitioning inmate in a huge way. As an inmate who attempted the transition process from incarceration to society alone, I can testify to the overwhelming necessity for assistance. Many of us have applied ourselves to become responsible by utilizing the programming available. We desire success, however the obstacles and challenges upon release are difficult to overcome alone. Thank you to all the volunteers, supporters, and contributors of N2LIFE and Mentoring 4 Success. With your help I believe I will succeed. ..."
End of Year Giving
Another Day
Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving.
- Kahlil Gibran
As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
- John F. Kennedy
Gratitude as a discipline involves a conscious choice. I can choose to be grateful even when my emotions and feelings are steeped in hurt. It is amazing how many occasions present themselves in which I can choose gratitude instead of complaint. Begin by thanking Him for some little thing, and then go on, day by day, adding to your subjects of praise; thus you will find their numbers grow wonderfully, and in the same proportion, will your subjects of murmuring and complaining diminish, until you see in everything, cause for Thanksgiving.
- P. Maurice
At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.
- Albert Schweitzer
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity….It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.
- Melody Beattie
If the only prayer you say in your whole life is “thank you,”
that would suffice.
- Meister Eckhart
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October Update
Why Are You Doing This?
We get this question a lot by regular well meaning folk. The mentors get this question also. I'm sure from regular well meaning folks as well. But you know who else asks other than regular folks? The inmates. They consistently ask them, "Why are you doing this?", "Why would you want to spend your time visiting me?". They ask respectfully and with curiosity. They ask with disbelief. They ask with tears. They ask with hints of hope.
C. R. Snyder, a researcher from the University of Kansas, has defined hope not as an emotion, but as a way of thinking. Great emotion gets jumbled up in there, too, of course; but to put it simply, hope happens when:
It's a crazy kind of supernatural event to see a person revived with hope. Have you seen it? Do you know what I'm talking about? It's death coming to life - and no, it's not zombie-like. But it iscontagious.
If you'd like to see what hope looks like and why we do what we do, take a look at Danny. (A little over 5 minutes) He is with a partner organization Beauty For Ashes and spoke at a recent event for us at Heartland Community Church on the value of having a mentor.
Hope is why.
If you would like to share a personal story or thoughts on the matter of reentry and the struggles of those inside or coming out of incarceration please contact us at n2lifeproject@gmail.com.
C. R. Snyder, a researcher from the University of Kansas, has defined hope not as an emotion, but as a way of thinking. Great emotion gets jumbled up in there, too, of course; but to put it simply, hope happens when:
- We know where we want to go
- We are able to figure out how to get there
- We believe it is possible
It's a crazy kind of supernatural event to see a person revived with hope. Have you seen it? Do you know what I'm talking about? It's death coming to life - and no, it's not zombie-like. But it iscontagious.
If you'd like to see what hope looks like and why we do what we do, take a look at Danny. (A little over 5 minutes) He is with a partner organization Beauty For Ashes and spoke at a recent event for us at Heartland Community Church on the value of having a mentor.
Hope is why.
Dare Greatly
Will you remain on the sidelines or join in and dare greatly?
"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man
stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.
The credit belongs to the man (and woman) who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;
who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again,
because there is no effort without error and shortcoming but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions;
who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails,
at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be
with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be
with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Theodore Roosevelt
What's Your Story?
If you would like to share a personal story or thoughts on the matter of reentry and the struggles of those inside or coming out of incarceration please contact us at n2lifeproject@gmail.com.
