At the end of April, I traveled to Chicago to encounter a series of organizations, parish groups, and associations, who work in prison ministry, re-entry, and restorative justice.
So much has happened in the past weeks. We have celebrated My Father’s House fifth anniversary with an incredibly successful gala (you can read more about it here); had the surprising chance to show Unguarded in two correctional facilities in South Florida with two groups of 40 inside students; and we continue to see our network expanding across states and communities. In this newsletter, we add our voice to the many who are celebrating Second Chance Month 2023.
The 5th anniversary Gala of My Father’s House on March 15th was a great success!
It was encouraging to see more than 100 people sitting at the tables, interacting with MFH staff, volunteers, and residents, and listening attentively to the program in an evening that was blessed by the presence of the Archbishop of Denver, Samuel Aquila.
During the evening, Jim and the MFH family shared the origin of MFH, the present challenges and joys, and the projects and dreams for the future.
We started involving small groups of volunteers at My Father’s House during the Sunday dinners, a tradition offered since its foundation to current and former residents. To break “barriers and prejudice,” (Denio) we broke bread.
In the Fall, we started a series of workshops with Jim Blum, Founder of My Father’s House (MFH), and Denio Marx, Director of International Relations for APAC. During our November session, we learned about the importance of volunteers. They are the heart and soul of the APACs in Brazil.
We started involving small groups of volunteers at My Father’s House during the Sunday dinners, a tradition offered since its foundation to current and former residents. To break “barriers and prejudice,” (Denio) we broke bread.
A year ago, Jim Blum watched Unguarded for the first time. His immediate reaction was, “This is what I want for my men”. His men are formerly-incarcerated persons he welcomes at My Father’s House (MFH) in Denver, CO, and this is the methodology and experience of APAC, which the documentary, Unguarded, features beautifully.
