It Takes a Village

Amy Wilkinson

As I reflect upon the month of March, i keep thinking about our village, our Board members, and how hard everyone is working. Let me share some highlights that may offer insight to our organization. If you’re interested in helping us, please fill out the volunteer application found on this website.

Coffee with COIPP

We recently started this initiative for those recently released from jail and already it is keeping us very busy. We have had groups of 15-18 participants come to some of our weekly Friday meetings. March brought presentations on trauma affected lives, steps for securing a job especially when one has a felony conviction, Visual Journaling, a monthly class held at the Delaplaine Arts Center, and much more. Week after week we continue to receive very high evaluations from participants and we also continue to see the group grow. Hats off, once again, to Patty McCardle, Sally Smith, and Cindi Diamondstone for organizing the weekly sessions, and getting additional assistance from Tracy Grubb and other available volunteers. It takes lots of work for this part of our village to run-and these women continue to be up to the task!

Parenting from Afar

This is a ‘flagship’ part of our program. Cathy Anderson and I have been holding the weekly women’s group for years, and it continues to be a program we could not be prouder to facilitate. As of this writing there are only 19 women, total, in the Frederick County Adult Detention Center, (FCADC). We continue to have classes with participants numbering seven or eight. What is striking are the stories the women share.

For example, one very caring participant talked about her son’s depression since she has gone to jail. This is her first time away from him, and her pain each week is palatable. We cry with her. Another woman, a participant who has returned to us year after year, takes leadership in the group and has become a parenting mentor to so many. Whenever we share a situation for discussion, the women listen to her very intensely.

However, the addition of the men’s group has really altered the way we see parenting classes. The same curriculum that we wrote is being used by Andrew Murphy and Brandon Chapman with the men. Both Cathy Anderson and I attended their last session with their first group of men, and it was fantastic to hear what the men had to say. One participant shared that when he gets back to his cell block, he does a mini lesson with the men who are not attending. He also uses what he is learning for discussion points with his wife and children when they speak on the phone.

One observation I made happened when I read the book The Dot aloud to the men. Though it is a children’s book, the men were mesmerized and later really understood the discussion point which is that we all want our children to leave a positive impression on the world. I cannot wait to meet the next group, and, more importantly, meet with our curriculum committee and Andrew and Brandon to see what we need to edit in order to ensure that we serve the men as well as we serve the women.

Families Impacted by Incarceration Program (FIIP)

Our collaboration with the Mental Health Association (MHA) keeps growing. We are proud to have them as a part of our village. While I have mentioned them in past blogs, it’s important to share their role once again. Through our Maryland State Governors Grant from the past Maryland Office of Families, Children and Youth, our collaboration allows us to do so much. It allows for purchase of resources that we use in the jail, as well as for our workshop materials. It pays for curriculum writing, and, most important of all, it allows for a ‘warm handoff’ between MHA and COIPP. Mel from MHA attends some of the parenting classes, as well as our activities and workshops, and tells parents about how MHA can offer one on one assistance as families work to reconnect after a parent comes home. We love having MHA as a part of our village.

Children’s Activities

Our monthly activities continue with gusto. This month is was bowling, always a success. Thanks to leaders Sue Guissinger and Gretta Benson, as well as a wide array of volunteers like Theresa, Mark, Delaine, Peggy, and more, we were able to have a great March afternoon. The children,18 in attendance, had a fantastic time with the bowling, pizza and drinks that followed, and the camaraderie of the friends they make as they bowl. We never mention incarceration; this is a time for fun. We love these afternoons and already are planning lots of different activities for the future.

Scholarship Celebration

March was the time for the annual Frederick Community College scholarship tea. This year we are proud to have had many recipients, including one of our members from Coffee With COIPP. We have assisted people wanting their GEDs, moms who are raising their children without the dad being present, and those who have had parents in jail. When we first started it was unclear as to whether there would be enough applicants. Now there are so many, we are hopefully raising the number of scholarships offered next year from 5 to 7. Once again, nothing happens without partners. Thanks goes to the Frederick Women’s Giving Circle (FWGC) who have assisted us for many years in partially funding the needed scholarships.

Community Outreach

This is the area that I enjoy, but March was overwhelming. I spoke to the National Institute of Mental Health, Frederick chapter, the elementary, middle and high school media specialists, caregivers at the Department of Social services, the United Way Leaders on Loan informational conference, Middletown Methodist Church reading group, and more. While this was exhausting, it was also invigorating. From the caregiver I met at DSS who is a great grandmother raising her 3 great grandchildren, to the media specialists who want to help add to our list of books for older children, the audiences were wonderful. The meetings were powerful.

Board Member Retreat

While i saved this for last, it is far from least. We met in March to talk about how we can grow in the next five years. Thanks to a grant from the Ausherman Foundation and under the excellent leadership of our consultant, Pat Hanberry, we spent a day reviewing our environmental scan that Pat had completed, sharing our strengths and needs, and creating a plan that looks to the future for COIPP. We all agreed that it was a long day filled with self reflection, promise and excitement for the future. The list of what COIPP accomplishes continues to amaze me. The most important thing I have learned is that together we are so much stronger than when we work alone. This month really proved that point.

February In Review

Amy Wilkinson

Oh what a month!  I know that February is traditionally the month of love, but for COIPP it has been the month of BUSY!  Always hard to know where to begin, but here are some memories that stand out. 

Coffee with COIPP

February was a time of learning! One of our ongoing initiatives is Coffee with COIPP. We meet weekly at Grace United Church of Christ, and are open to anyone who has been impacted by incarceration or is in rehabilitation.  We have a series of twelve weekly classes thanks to the great skills of Sally Smith and Patty McCardle and a number of volunteers.  It is a time of learning, because every session, be it focused on music therapy, art, trauma and its effects, getting a job, self concept building, etc., always include how the the topic helps with reconnecting with one’s children. 

Our group differs in number of participants from week to week, but the evaluations are always great. It is not only the learning that takes place in the session; it is the learning that takes place afterwards. One of our participants, upon learning of our scholarships with Frederick Community College (FCC), is now going for her GED. Another one of our participants was given our Fall scholarship for classes and a different participant, who learned about us by being at the original office space we used when we got started, received another. This is all done with the support received by the Frederick Women’s Giving Circle.

Three members of the group went with Patty to the FCC tea that celebrated the 100th anniversary of the suffragette movement, and many have applied for and received scholarships for themselves and/or their children at the Delaplaine Arts Center, one of our partners.  We are changing the experiences of participants, one opportunity at a time. 

Parenting from Afar   

February was a month of growing! For the first time, COIPP expanded it’s Parenting From Afar classes to the men in the jail.  Thanks to Brandon Chapman and Andrew Murphy, we are trying out our original Parenting from Afar curriculum with males in the jail. Both of our teachers are young, empathetic, have young children of their own- and are non judgmental folks who know how to engage with the class participants. As they share, they are also seeing if our curriculum, created by women of COIPP, can work for the men.

In addition to the men’s group, we are continuing with our Reconnecting Class, for those soon to be released. It is held monthly for the men in jail and for the men and women of Work Release.  The new growth here is that the wonderful Cindi Diamondstone has now joined me in leading these classes.  It is great to have another voice- and to have someone who can do this on her own if I am not able.  In our February class we had eight men who each brought honesty and reflection as they prepared to rejoin the children in their lives.

One of the things i do is read aloud the children’s book: The Rabbit Listened, It is touching when a roomful of men become silent, reflective- and then ask that the book be mailed to their children. What added to this month’s class was when one of the men shared that he is also in Brandon and Andrew’s class, and it has already changed the way he parents his children. He talked about using the curriculum learned to build discussions he has with both his wife and children when they talk on the phone. He encouraged all of the men to sign up the next time the sessions begin. That is just what I hoped would happen.

Thanks Cindi- and welcome aboard to the new classes! This is also a great place to mention that growing for us also meant physical growing. A number of hardworking men and women volunteers moved us into a larger storage space for all of our resources. I was just there last night and cannot get over the fact that we have gone from our original 5 X 10  space to our current one that is 10 X 30—and it is filled. Now that is a sure sign of growth!

Children’s Activities

February was a time of activities! This month we took on two children’s activities for the month, focusing for the first time on one activity for the family and one for the older children. We went to Spinners for the older children, a pinball non-profit establishment on East Street. (Thanks Allie for suggesting it and doing the work to get it going!) We had twenty-one children at bowling and then seven at pinball.  We always welcome caregivers, provide lunch, and leave incarceration behind for the afternoon. These activities are all about having a great time. Mel Rogers, representing the Mental Health Association (MHA) and our Families Impacted by Incarceration Program (FIIP), is often present to share with families and encourage their working with the MHA.  Nothing but rave activity reviews!

February was a time of love 

My very favorite activity takes place in February.  We go into the Frederick County Adult Detention Center  (FCADC) for an afternoon. We bring in stuffed animals that allow the women participating to record a personal message to the children in their lives and, when the battery with the message is placed in the animal, a child can hear their important adult’s voice as they hug the stuffed animal. While some participants work on their recordings, others make valentine’s cards. When done, we take boxes with each card and stuffed animal right to the post office and mail it right out to the children.  I have had children tell me two years later that the stuffed animal is still their favorite- and they listen to the recorded voice time and time again before they go to bed. In April, we are hoping to do the same project with the men. I know it will have the excitement and emotion shared by the women.

February was a time for spreading the word! 

It felt to me that every day was another speaking engagement. These included: Church of the Transformation in Braddock Heights; DSS Kinship Meeting in Hagerstown, MD.; Judy Center Professional Development State Meeting held in Howard County; Evangelical Lutheran Church in Frederick, and the Housing Authority workshop on Loss.  Each group is different, but each is so interested in our work. For some it is a workshop and for others it is a general discussion about this national, state and county issue. I am always happy to share. 

I look to March and wonder where it will take us. We have our retreat with Pat Hanberry, thanks to the Ausherman Foundation, we have new children’s activities, we have a new cycle of Coffee With COIPP meetings, and even more speaking engagements. Stay tuned- I know I will have new things to share!

We Rang in the New Year with Gusto!

Amy Wilkinson

There use to be a time when the work of COIPP quieted down- but no more! Once again, it is impossible to cover all we have done this month, but here are some selected highlights.

Parenting From Afar Grows

Great news to share! For several years we have been doing Parenting From Afar classes with women in the Detention Center. As of January, we now have parenting classes for the men. The most exciting part of this is that the men will be using our COIPP written curriculum and seeing how it works. Welcome Brandon Chapman and Andrew Murphy who have undertaken this new part of COIPP.

Also, thanks to our powerful collaboration with the Mental Health Association (MHA), referred to as our FIIP program (Families Impacted by Incarceration Program), we have a vehicle for building curriculum, reflecting on what works, and following up with families that need more. In addition, MHA, working with the Local Management Board, was able to get Ann Adelist Estrin, renowned expert on children if incarcerated parents, to come to Frederick this month and train our two new instructors, as well as Mel Rogers, who will be working with families needing more through MHA. We could never do this alone. Big kudos go to Barb May and Melissa Brown for their unwavering support, and certainly the Governor’s Grant that makes all of this possible.

January Bowling Activity

What changes COIPP has had in ongoing children’s activities in large part due to the Board of wonderful volunteers! We have progressed from a few children’s activities a year to monthly ones-and sometimes even more. The January one was fantastic! Let me set the stage. The day was cold and gloomy, with rain or snow expected. As I walked over to Terrace Lanes Bowling Alley, it occurred to me that probably no one would be there. Boy, I was wrong! We had 17 children, many caregivers and lots of volunteers. We always serve pizza and drinks, but we are now offering the caregivers a few minutes of ‘personal time’. They can go to the food counter and order their own choice of lunch, and sit alone or with other caregivers while the children bowl. Thanks goes to Gretta and Sue for thinking this out- and making it all happen month after month. The January session, like so many, got rave reviews from all attendees. This is what COIPP is all about!

Resource Reorder

Lots of workshops are coming up. We love to offer participant helpful materials- and what is better than books for the children. Thanks to a grant from the Rotary Club, I was able to work with Marlene England at Curious Iguana Book Store to get new books and reorder some favorites. Many of the books offer solace to children. Thanks to the women in the jail and their helpful suggestions, I am always certain to have books on a wide variety of topicsincluding incarceration, feelings and simply LOVE!

Sharing Fair

We have mentioned these special events held outside the Detention Center before, but the January Sharing Fair was a great event. Pat Einhorn, a relatively new Board member, has really taken over this ongoing activity. January focused on the needs of children in the Winter months and concentrated on getting them coats. We started with over 100 new and gently used coats donated by people all over Frederick, and only 4 hours later there were just 3 left. We also distributed hygiene supplies, shoes, stuffed animals, and more.

Once again, the appreciation from those visiting loved ones in the Detention Center was incredible: “I have never seen anything like this before. When I was incarcerated in South Carolina and my family would visit, there was never anything like this” “This started out as a terrible day, and you have changed the day all around. Thank you!” “How can I help? This is just the best”. and more. Kudos to all the volunteers who froze their feet and hands- but warmed their hearts as we talked to Detention Center visitors.

Coffee with COIPP

I have talked about these weekly meetings with those recently out of jail and those in rehab before, but this month had more amazing events. For example, at one of our weekly meetings, the ever fabulous guidance counselor Heather Quill came and talked with our participants. At another meeting, participants went to the Delaplaine Arts Center to work on Visual Journaling. At a third, Guy Huffer, retired FCPS guidance counselor and Attendance Officer, came with guitar in hand to offer some music therapy fun. All of the classes center around reconnecting with children.

Community Engagements

What a busy month it was. I spoke at the Aloha Club, and the Kiwanis Club, that both meet at Homewood. Thanks to an invite from Janet Shipman from FCPS, I also spoke at professional development sessions for elementary guidance counselors, as well as middle and high school counselors. What is exciting is the follow up that happens, be it with folks wanting help and resources for specific children, or those who have students doing community support projects and wanting to assist us.

This list is only the beginning. I cannot say enough what having an active, fantastic Board means to COIPP. Together we get stronger, and stronger and stronger. I just wonder what February will bring.

2018 Treasurer’s Review

Amy Wilkinson

As of January 1, 2018, we had $72,363.30 in our account to carry out the mission of fostering the growth of strong, resilient, hopeful children who are impacted by an incarcerated loved one in the Frederick County region. Starting 2019, we have raised our overall amount in our account to $94,562.50. We can attribute a lot of our financial success to the personal donations of: Nicholas Branic, the Roblin Family, the Joseph D. Baker Fund, Marlene England, Ann Walker, and the Network for Good.

We have also received tremendous support from our local community of stores in the Frederick area that include: Curious Iguana, Dancing Bear, The Delaplaine Arts Center, and McCutcheon’s Apple Products. In addition to this support we have also greatly benefitted from receiving grants to help us grow; this year we have received grants from: the Helen J. Serini Foundation, Ausherman Family Foundation, Frederick Community Partnership, the Frederick Women’s Giving Circle, Community Foundation of Frederick, The Arthur and Julane Anderson Gift Trust, and have had the help of the Mental Health Association.

COIPP saw major success with the Unity Campaign through the United Way this autumn, and our annual Silent Auction also helped us to raise our funds. Overall, we were able to bring in $88,624.20 to fund the programs that we have in place to support local children who are facing incarceration in their families. This is a significant move forward from our modest beginnings and we owe all of our success to the involvement that ranges from grants and donations to our dedicated volunteers and supportive community members.

COIPP was able to utilize these funds to provide programs to the community that have created a strong foundation for us to carry out our mission. Throughout 2018, we had expenditures that totaled $61,804.73. The most substantial expense we had in the past year were children’s books. We spent $10,031.58 on this portion of our budget and feel that the messages of resilience, love, hope, and understanding that the books bring to the children as well as comfort while visiting family members are worth every cent.

Other large expenses included the $7,111.36 spent on Coffee with COIPP supplies; this new program allows us to facilitate a connection between the child, caregiver, and recently released family members. This program has been greatly supported by the grants we have received. This year COIPP set $5,000 towards our scholarship program with Frederick Community College; this program allows families to build strong foundations for their children.

As a growing organization, we realized that we had many things to learn both about those that we help and how to help them and have had professional development expenditures of $4,925.00; these costs have also been aided by grants that we have received. Many of our other large expenses are programs that include our monthly activity for children, providing crisis outreach, parenting classes in detention facilities, and workshops to help caregivers understand how to support the children in their lives.

Looking forward we see that we are starting this year with more funds than we had available last year and are building up the programs that we have in place with this financial foundation. We have a new grant for strategic planning and will be spending 2019 evolving to be a strong resource in our community. As the treasurer of this wonderful organization, I can confidently say that we have spent our funds well to carry out our mission and I am personally touched by the generosity that I have seen this year through the community and volunteers.

Eliza Funk, Treasurer

And What A Month It Was

Amy Wilkinson

December 2018 Blog

As I write this, I am thinking about what can be accomplished when one has a working board of amazing and dedicated people.  Each member of our COIPP Board co-chaired a committee this year, and no one disappointed. In a few days, January 11, we will be having our big meeting of the year where we will have a full review of highlights as well as elect all officers and board members.  It is amazing what can get done when everyone participators. Just look at the partial list of activities below.

Christmas Day Sharing Fair

What does one say to a family when they are in tears as they go to visit a loved one and then say thank you for what we can offer?  What does one do when a child tells you that they miss their Mommy in jail, but then brightens up as they go ‘shopping’ for a few extra goodies? How does one feel when a family says that Christmas was difficult, but the resources we give away made it a great day? Several times a year we hold a Sharing Fair outside of the jail during visitation.  Our favorite, above all, is the one we hold on Christmas day.  Those in jail make a big urn of hot chocolate for all of the visitors, Uncle Ralph’s donates cookies, we gave out hand tied blankets, boots, art supplies, new children’s coats, mittens, hats, gloves and scarves and so much more. This year we had many volunteers who joined us for the first time, as well as many returning volunteers. We stood outside the jail from 8-1:00 giving away everything we brought. In all, we served over sixty children and caregivers and stayed until nothing was left.  We received so many thank you’s from those we served, it really made our day as well as the day of the participants. I thank Pat Einhorn who has taken over the organization of these great events, but she could not do it without the support of Gretta Benson and Sue Guissinger and all who came to help. Thank you ladies for an exemplary job.

Delaplaine Partnership

Self expression is key for the healing of our participants. Did you know that once a month Coffee With COIPP, our weekly meeting group for those recently released from jail or currently in rehab, go to the Delaplaine and meet with artist David Modler and administrator Caitlyn Gill. There they participate in Visual Journaling classes.  We have sketchbooks, art supplies, use a Delaplaine art studio, and learn from the best.   This is one of the favorite sessions in our twelve week program.  In fact, many of our participants now talk about being artists. Many have received scholarships from the Delaplaine for classes, as have their children.  We even received about twenty art kits, put together by the Delaplaine, that we were able to give out at our Christmas Day Sharing Fair.  What a big hit.  Thank you goes to the Delaplaine and this spectacular partnership.

Staff Training

In November I spoke to doctoral students at Hood College.  Several participants in the workshop asked me to follow up with a visit to their place of work.  December brought me to William H. Farquhar Middle School in Montgomery County.  The entire staff, fifty one teachers, stayed after school to learn about COIPP and the possible effect of incarceration and trauma on children. It was a great group- and the teachers were so very interested in this topic.  Their concerns and insight led me to begin to pursue a formal partnership with Frederick County Public Schools. It was clear that staff in all schools would benefit from this kind of learning. Cindi Diamondstone joined me at our first meeting as we pursue the possibility.

Silent Auction

Usually I highlight special COIPP events for children and caregivers, but nothing this month was as big as our COIPP Silent Auction. It is one of our two biggest fundraisers for the year, and It was a huge success. We had a new venue, the McClintock Distillery, a wonderful downtown treat. For the first time  we had live music and a live auction. The food was once again great, thanks to Renaissance Catering, The energy was incredible, and the place was jammed. Thank you Theresa Posthuma and Cindi Diamondstone for taking leadership for this great event. Thanks to the enthusiasm and generosity of everyone, we will be able to continue with all our COIPP endeavors, and add more.

We had a very large number of children attend our monthly Bowling activity in December, had many children and caregivers go to see Frosty The Snowman, thanks to Susan Thornton and her generosity, held our regular weekly Parenting From Afar classes for women at the jail and our monthly Reconnecting Class for men, gave workshops, met with future volunteers, and even recruited two newly released Moms for our Adult Advisory Committee.  Our FIIP partnership with the Mental Health Association continues to grow and we are looking forward to starting a men’s Parenting From Afar class. It was a great, great year- but I have a feeling that 2019 will be even better!

Wonderful News to Close Out the Year!

Amy Wilkinson

I have been thinking about the past few weeks, and there have been so many highlights,  however, i am choosing to begin with one extraordinary event:

A heartwarming story…

At the jail we have weekly Parenting From Afar classes for female participants. Many months ago a woman named Rachel entered the class. She always had great insights and reflections, and soon became someone who was focused on self-growth and helping others. Rachel was released and continued to be active with COIPP. She now attends our weekly Coffee With COIPP meetings, comes to our activities, and even made some items for the Silent Auction.

Recently it came to my attention that Rachel had, all on her own, nominated me for a special award by the Ravens Football team, the Community Quarterback Award.  I became a finalist and COIPP will now receive $1,000 as a part of the award. First, this honor is for all members of COIPP. However, what is the important part of this is that Rachel, all by herself, raised $1,000 for us.  I take my hat off to her and her continued, important, meaningful journey. 

As said, there were many more highlights. They include, but are not limited to: 

Silent Auction Success

This event is one of our two largest fundraisers for the year, and this year it was fantastic. We had a new venue, the McClintock Distillery, a fabulous Silent Auction Committee spearheaded by Theresa Posthuma, the support of Renaissance Catering, an added Live Auction, music by the Matt and Julian Duo and more. At the time of this writing I do not know exactly how much money was raised, but I know that it will be a substantial boost  to our cause. It took countless people to get this together and I cannot thank everyone enough. Each year we have a debriefing meeting to reflect and learn, and this year will be no different. While it was an amazing event, we look forward to even a greater time next year- and that is promising a lot.

We have Boots! Lots of boots!

Julie Gaver, the wonderful founder and head of Soles of Love, called the other day. She had over 20 pairs of boots for us all tucked away in her trunk.  We met up, and transferred them to my car. They will highlight our Christmas Day Sharing Fair at the jail.  Stay tuned to hear how they are received.

 Outreach Committee

It will come as no surprise that when there is incarceration in a family, the need for assistance for the children rises.  Theresa Posthuma and Vanessa Thomas-Morris make sure that needs are met.  As the holidays approach, the number of requests go up. That is exactly what has been happening over the last few weeks. Our two volunteers are never too busy to reach out, meet with caregivers or those recently released and offer help as needed. Thank you ladies! You help so many. 

Coffee with COIPP

This activity never fails to amaze me! Originally we hoped to have these meetings monthly, but the participants asked for them weekly.  In the past few weeks we had lots of folks come out to hear speakers, make things for their children and for the Silent Auction, and basically share their journey with us and with each other.  It is Sally Smith, Larissa Metzger, Cindi Diamondstone and Patty McCardle who do the leg work and I cannot thank them enough! 

Fired Up About Our Children’s Activities!

Monthly we continue to hold our children’s Saturday activities. This month we went to Hot Fired Arts on 7th Street.  With a great turnout of over 20 participants, we had a blast! Children of all ages attended, and everyone made a fabulous painting to take home.  Of course there was pizza and drinks- it was a total success! Special thanks go out to Gretta Benson and Sue Guissinger and all the volunteers for always getting these events together.  

Giving Tuesday Thanksgivings

We had never participated in this event prior to this year.  Though we were not up and running until late in the afternoon of the day, we raised a substantial amount of money.  I continue to be amazed when it comes to the generosity of Frederick County. In addition, the Englands, owners of Dancing Bear Toy Store and Curious iguana Bookstore, took a percent of their proceeds for that day and donated it to us.  Given all of the participation, we raised well over $2300.  I had to share. It was an extraordinary day of giving!  

Community Workshops

This month, as is true every month, we had many community groups wanting to know more about COIPP. They included my speaking at Hood College for Doctoral Candidates and at William R. Farquhar Middle School in Montgomery County for the entire staff of over 50 teachers. A number of additional workshops are to be held in the coming months and I look forward to each and every one of them.  

In coming months I will be writing about the newly forming Men’s Parenting From Afar group at the jail, the ongoing Work Release and ‘Soon to be Released’ Reconnecting workshops now given monthly at the jail, Coffee With COIPP meetings and so much more.

For now all I can say is that our work is continuing to grow in scope and numbers.  If you have an interest in joining us do not hesitate to get in touch.   We are always looking for volunteers and interest in joining our Board. To find out more and how to apply to volunteer, please visit our Volunteer Page and download our Volunteer Packet and/or Volunteer Application.

Until next time….

Shari

October Musings

Amy Wilkinson

Once again, it has been a terrific month for COIPP. It is always difficult to choose the best things to share, but here are some highlights.

Children’s Activities:

This is the reason we came into being- and we grow, and grow and grow for the kids. Thanks to Gretta and Sue, and lots of great volunteers, this month children and their caregivers got the opportunity to once again bowl, have lunch, ad share conversation. In addition, there were balloons, a birthday party atmosphere, and lots of surprises, such as book giveaways, as well as magazines for the caregivers to look at and take home. In other words, it was a party simply to celebrate the joy of a Saturday activity. Shari was on hand to talk with caregivers about some problems that have come up for them, and Vanesa was there to represent the Outreach Committee and share what they could do to help individual families. This has been a great way to serve children-and we look forward to a new, different activity that we are trying in November.

Coffee with COIPP:

First, a shout out to Larissa, Sally and Patty who organize and run all of our weekly Friday meetings for those in rehab and/or recently released from jail. When we started, we never thought we would grow as we have and October was no different. In fact, at our last meeting where folks from MHA came to present on mindful eating, we had over 20 participants. Our activities this month ranged from art focused to distribution of hygiene products, but all centered around reconnecting with families and how to adapt the activities shared for the children. We are especially excited that many of our participants have been granted scholarships at the Delaplaine Arts Center for themselves and/or their children. What a great connection.

Reconnection Meetings:

Starting this past month, we now have monthly meetings at the jail in both the men’s section and in Work Release. The topic is Reconnecting, and it’s my job to go in and talk with those participating. October was a great beginning. The participants were very honest about their questions and concerns and seemed most interested to talk about this topic. In fact, several said they would welcome far more conversations on this. As a part of the work, I read the children’s book, The Rabbit Listened. It is an early childhood book, and I had no idea how it would go. The men loved it—and most requested that I send a copy of the book to their children. They are already in the mail!

Speaking Engagements:

October was filled with opportunities to share the work of COIPP. Cindi Diamondstone and I spoke at the National Family Involvement Conference, held in Harrisburg, PA, on our Parenting From Afar curriculum and the general work of COIPP. I spoke to Foster Care providers in Baltimore City, library staff at the Frederick downtown library, talked at local churches, and even did a very successful two session workshop on Loss at Head Start. This is one of the favorite ways we have to share our work- and I look forward to every one of them.

Books and the Public Library:

Great news came this month. Thanks to Janet Vogel from the public library, all of the books we now purchase for families, will be available at the local library. We have books on everything from Love to Feelings to Incarceration. We are thrilled that these titles will now be available to all children.

As said, these are only some highlights. The month has been filled with collaborations, individual meetings with families, work in the jail and so much more. Stay tuned for next month’s highlights!

September Blog – Where Does the Time Go?

Amy Wilkinson

Here’s to a great Board!

As you look at the month’s accomplishments, please note that nothing would happen without a great working Board. Here is to: Donna, Cindi, Eliza, Shirley, Gretta, Sue, Pat, Vanessa, Theresa, Marisel, Cathy, Sally, and Patty, and Melissa, our head of Marketing.

Our Mental Health Partnership

Thanks to our Governor’s Grant, we have been able to partner with the Mental Health Association (MHA). We have a three pronged approach. We do Parenting From Afar in the jail for women; the grant is able to pay for some of our materials and printing and reimburse our curriculum writers for their time. We then do workshops in the community. Again, the grant pays for the planning and execution, not to mention resources for the workshops for caregivers. We then do a ‘warm hand over’ to MHA for families who need an extra boost as participants either reconnect with their children or struggle with being a caregiver. However, we began to see that this was not enough.

After talking together, we decided to do a deeper partnership. Now the staff from MHA comes to our children’s activities, and our Sharing Fairs held at the jail. They will be attending some of our Parenting From Afar sessions for women in jail, and they are hiring leaders and starting a men’s Fathering From Afar group at the jail that will use the curriculum we constructed. What a partnership! We call it FIIP and it stands for Families Impacted by Incarcerated Program.

Sharing Fair

In late September we had one of our Sharing Fairs, held four times a year at the local jail. Thanks to Pat Einhorn who led the charge, we were able to serve about 80 children either in person or via their caregivers. We set up early with a group of volunteers, and we stood outside the Detention Center giving away all kinds of goodies. This Fair included backpacks, new underwear, hygiene products, books, stuffed animals, hand tied blankets, and lots of other items that help make a child’s visit to the jail fun and meaningful.

Thanks to all of the volunteers who attended, no child or caregiver was left out. We arrived with boxes of goodies and 100 pairs of new shoes- and left 6 hours later with almost nothing left. The next Sharing Fair is scheduled for Christmas Day, where the inmates will be making hot cocoa for the families as we continue to give out goodies. This is always a meaningful day for us.

Monthly Bowling Event

Monthly, thanks to Gretta Benson and Sue Guessinger, we hold our bowling event. We had a great crowd of children and caregivers, a number being grandmothers raising children. We set up as a ‘birthday party’, so that the event is festive. We bowl, we eat pizza, we share and we talk. Of course everything is free.

I was able to meet one on one with a Grandmother looking for some assistance and for resources. Another woman just wanted to talk. However, what I will always remember is one woman who attended both the Sharing Fair and the Bowling Party with her daughter. I had met her months ago at the jail when she was visiting her husband. She had been sad, lost, and looking desperate. At that time she shared that she did not know how she would survive. We went into action. At both of these events she was standing up straight, happy, and reveling in the strength she has shown. She now has a house, and is seeing life through the eyes of anything being possible. It made all of our days.

Delaplaine Partnership

Our Coffee With COIPP meetings, held every Friday for those who are recently released from jail or are in recovery, continue to amaze us. Originally we could not find participants. Now we have 7-15 people coming each week. One of our activities involves our partnership with the Delaplaine. Once a month artist David Modler meets with our participants and teaches them to do Visual Journaling, using quality art resources supplied by both COIPP and the Delaplaine. It is a favorite. In fact, one of the women who took our classes on parenting at the jail and is now attending Coffee With COIPP is starting her own Visual Journaling classes for those in recovery. What a way to spread the word!

The Delaplaine was also able to give many participants full scholarships to classes for both them and their children.T his is a VERY big deal for all involved. And did I mention that the Delaplaine came to our Sharing Fair and handed out Art Bags filled with fabulous supplies to all of the children? Our partnership rocks!

Unity Campaign

This countywide fundraiser takes place every year for Frederick’s non-profits. Each non-profit is asked to come up with a goal. This year’s goal for COIPP was $14,500, the amount we raised last year. However, I decided to challenge each board member to hold her own fundraiser. We had everything from ice cream socials, exercise-a thons, cookie decorating, wine tasting, art auctioning, happy hour, selling of handmade bookmarks, jewelry purchasing, and more.

I am proud to say that through our team effort, we not only met our goal, but we were incredibly successful. In all we raised $20,144 and this is without the United Way partial match which is coming soon! This was successful beyond our wildest dreams but it will enable us to continue our fabulous work.

The list goes on and on as always. From our Parenting classes in the jail that will soon have a men’s component, to the feedback we get from our children and their parents/ caregivers, to the new books on incarceration that have come our way from all over the world to the people who search us out to learn about how they can start a similar group, we have had an amazing month—-and this is only a partial list of all we have been doing.

We are busy getting ready for our December 4th Silent Auction at McCliintock Distillery. Stay tuned and be looking for all of our advertising. Also be sure to check out our new brochure, designed by Melissa Stoey.

I also want to add that the Andrus award I received for being the recipient of the Maryland Retired School Personnel Association volunteer award was for COIPP.

It takes a village and we have it!

August Musings

Amy Wilkinson

There was a time when the Summer was relatively quiet for COIPP. That is no longer the case. As I reflect on the past few weeks, I am struck by all we have done. Allow me to share some August highlights.

We have been working hard on the Unity Campaign put together by the United Way. Board members took on individual projects in order to raise money, and the projects were as creative as the people putting them together. We had ice cream socials, online auctions of original paintings, donations given when walks were taken with a Board member, a wine and cheese tasting, a cookie decorating party, and more. The creativity does not stop and all of it is helping us reach our goal. Fingers crossed that by the time you read this, we may have raised the money we hope to earn.

Silent Auction

Our Silent Auction is on December 4th this year, but the work has already started. A committee of folks- Board members and auction volunteers- have been busy at work getting it all together. This year it will be at the McClintock Distillery in downtown Frederick. Auction items are being amassed, the food is being planned, and the ticket system is being organized. Stay tuned; more information will definitely fill our website.

Coffee with COIPP

Coffee With COIPP, our newest program, has proven a success. We have been doing it for a few months, and have learned as we have progressed. We now have decided upon a 12 week rotation of topics. They include everything from a presentation on Adverse Childhood Experiences, to applying for a job when one has an arrest record to building self concept. Three times during this rotation we have participants working with David Modler, Professor from Shepherd University and a Delaplaine artist; the work has focused on visual journals. This is one of the most exciting parts of the series. Thanks go to the Delaplaine Arts Center for their collaboration with us. Several participants have asked for and been granted scholarships at the Delaplaine. We also have had participants from our program go on to Frederick Community College through the scholarships we offer.

We have built the Coffee With COIPP sessions around reconnecting with children and good child-rearing practices. Every week we meet and every week is exciting! Thanks to the interest, we have even changed where we meet. We just outgrew the Federated Charities Conference Room, and now we are at the United Church of Christ in downtown Frederick. This is amazing, since the first time we called a meeting, no one came. Now we have anywhere from 10-15 participants, and sometimes even more.

Parenting Classes

Our parenting classes at the jail continue. However, our curriculum writing committee has been really busy. We have rewritten our Parenting From Afar curriculum a number of times, and we think we finally have it exactly where we want it to be. We now have ten sessions for participants to complete, and an handbook for all participants, filled with meaningful quotes, real situations for discussion, articles of interest, and even homework reflections. We continue to send copies of the participant’s handbook to the caregivers. We now have a partnership with a professor from the University of New Hampshire so that those who are interested can have a newsletter created by their children sent to them, and they can respond via a given postcard. In all, this is one of the most important things we do. In fact, lots of our participants get released and then contact us about coming to our follow up Coffee With COIPP sessions.

Activities for Children and Caregivers

We continue to have our monthly bowling parties for children and caregivers, but now we have a new twist. A member of the Mental Health Association, our partners through our Governor’s Grant, attend the sessions and spend time being available to caregivers who have questions. This is a beautiful partnership and it is taking us in a great direction. In addition, two times during the aforementioned Parenting From Afar sessions, a member of the Mental Health Association staff will be joining us in the jail to begin a ‘gentle handoff’ with participants by building rapport, sharing resources, and sharing information on what MHA can offer. We are in the midst of planning some new activities. Stay tuned to hear all about them.

One of the most exciting parts of the past month was having Jacqueline Woodson, world famous children’s author, come to Frederick County, thanks to the Curious Iguana Bookstore. She shared her newest works at the Delaplaine. We not only had free tickets for Coffee With COIPP participants, but Ms Woodson autographed her books for the children of the women in Parenting From Afar classes at the jail and for the children of participants in Coffee With COIPP. What an amazing author! What an amazing evening! I highly encourage everyone to pick up one of her books at Curious Iguana Book store, one of our favorite partners. These books are so touching and are written from the heart.

Once again, these are only the highlights. The work goes on and on and is always done by volunteers. We now have a volunteer packet, we have a new brochure about to be printed, and we continue to do speaking engagements all over Frederick, as well as the state of Maryland.

I continue to hear from people from around the world who want advice about starting a group like ours or wish to share resources. All I can say is that this is some of the most gratifying work I have ever done and I am so lucky to be doing it amongst some of the finest, most passionate people/volunteers I have ever met. Here is to the COIPP volunteers!

July Blog

Amy Wilkinson

The Summer use to be a very quiet time for COIPP. That is no longer true. We have been going, going, going all of July and through the beginning of August. Here are just some of our updates:

Board Meeting

In July we held a one day retreat at the local library for all Board Members- and all attended! We talked about the history of COIPP, shared everything that we have done and are doing, planned for the Unity Campaign of Frederick, had committee updates, worked on present status and future plans for each committee, and even had time to make a video of why each of us volunteers for COIPP. Of course we all wore our brand new COIPP tee shirts with our wonderful Gingko Leaf logo for the video. Great day- so much accomplished.

COIPP/MHA Special Event

In the research on children with an incarcerated parent, one name stands out- Ann Adelist-Estrin. She is with Rutgers University and is known both nationally and internationally as the person with the knowledge on this topic. How exciting it was for us to get her request to visit our Parenting From Afar class at the Detention Center approved, and then to follow up the next day by spending all day with her and our MHA partners for our collaborative FIIP Program thanks to the Governor’s Grant. She loved our work-and had lots of helpful suggestions. As a result, the curriculum committee has continued to spend time editing our curriculum for the jail, adding a new chapter on the importance of telling the truth to children, moving chapters in our Instructor’s Manual around, and even separating a chapter in two so that we build relationships before we talk about the adverse influence a parent in jail may have on the child. We learn every day, love our Monday curriculum writing, and are so thrilled to have shared with and worked with the best.

Volunteer Packets

Just about every day people ask how they can volunteer for COIPP. Well, we now have the organization to do this and do it right. Thanks to the work of Melissa Stoey, marketing volunteer extraordinaire, and Cathy Anderson and Marisel Torres-Crespo, our two volunteer committee chairpersons, we now have a volunteer packet, with an application online. It has lots of great information and should make the sharing of COIPP with those wishing to help us out far easier than in the past. We will even have hard copies of the packet for those who wish to get their information the old-fashioned way.

Outreach Committee

Theresa Posthuma and Vanessa Thomas-Morris have been very busy with requests for immediate assistance from caregivers and those recently released from jail. They have been amassing all of the information needed to help a child in crisis, and they are prepared to share it with any parent/caregiver who calls. They have been busy giving out with gift cards, offering verbal assistance and also offering words of encouragement. The needs go up and down throughout the year, but the Summer months and the time before the winter holidays keeps these women hopping.

Coffee With COIPP

Nothing has grown so fast and so large as this new program, Every Friday we meet at Federated Charities to work with those who have been recently released from the jail or are in drug rehab and working to avoid jail. to offer topics that ultimately will assist the children in their live. We originally thought the meetings would be monthly, as stated in the past, but the group really wanted a weekly way to get together.

In July alone, we have had Delaplaine artist David Modler continue his work with our participants on visual journals, had Maria Haney back to talk about strength and self concept, had Greta Benson, one of our great Board members, teach participants to make watercolor cards for the children in their lives, have Board member Sally Smith share the making of bracelets with charms of hope, and so much more. We are now excited to build a ten session curriculum for all we have learned from our present group. It is important to once again state that the whole program has developed from the needs and wishes of those attending, and all speakers have voluntarily given of their time.

Children’s Activities

The Summer has not slowed this down. In July, thanks to volunteers from the Middletown United Methodist Church, a very successful morning at the Delaplaine was held. There were art activities indoors, chalk art outdoors, and even dogs trained for kindness visiting. We had quite a few participants- both children and their caregivers- and it could not have gone any better. This month, August, we will have our regular monthly Bowling Party, and begin planning for a day at Thorpewood for the children and those raising them.

The list of all we have been doing is so long. We have been writing grants, working on the Unity Campaign, planning for our Silent Auction on Tuesday, December 4 at McClintock Distillery, speaking at events, attending and benefitting from lots of outreach groups such as Souls of Love, working on new scholarship opportunities for participants and on and on and on. Stay tuned for next month’s updates!