Bethany Hall in Roanoke is a non-profit that is close to my heart. It has hit upon hard times and needs some hlep. This little outfit has taken care of a lot of recovering, abused women over the years and now its contract with the prison system is threatened, putting a number of hopeful women in jeopardy.
Here's how Executive Director Vickie Price puts it:
"Since 2003, Bethany Hall has had a contract with the Virginia Department of Corrections to provide alternative and transitional substance abuse treatment for women whose addiction resulted in their imprisonment. On Oct. 10, we learned that this contract wold be halted because of the state's budget cuts.
"While the majority of the women at our facility through this contract will be able to complete their treatment program, there are a few who will not. We believe that returning them to the correctional system would undermine their progress. The women would likely view a return to the system as punishment. This is certainly not the message we want to convey at this point in their treatment.
"We have proposed that they be allowed to remain at Bethany Hall. We believe it is critical for them to continue receiving the treatment, life skills training and employment opportunities that are helping them recover and are reducing recidivism. We are seeking other sources of funding to ensure that they are able to complete the program here."
This is a good program, one that takes people who have been a weight on the system and makes them taxpayers and productive citizens. I can vouch for the fact that many of these women are bright, ambitious, good people who need a break. Let's help give them one by giving some coin to the program at:
Bethany Hall Inc.
1109 Franklin Rd. SW
Roanoke VA 24016
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