Jesse: Transforming from an offender to an inspirational role model Shortly after being released from prison, Jesse joined CJHS’s Building Bonds in the Community program; a volunteer-driven program offering support to individuals exiting prison. Jesse has been a participant for… Read More
David: Being a part of the solution David* had been incarcerated for 15 years; he entered prison when he was 22 and left at age 37. From 2017 – 2018, one year before his full release, he was able to… Read More
Hope: CJHS program removed fear and replaced it with skill and confidence Struggling with mental health and addiction issues, both root causes of crime, Hope* had difficulty managing her finances each month. She often found herself having to borrow money… Read More
Louis: Living a Better Life Louis* has been working with a criminal record for the past 10 years at Costco and was doing well. Then he committed two offences, including shoplifting an item from a local department store. He was… Read More
Enzo: A Life Outside the Walls Now that he is sober and clean for close to three years, Enzo can look back over a 25 year period in his life when he was sentenced to prison almost 30 times. He… Read More
William: studying as a senior When CJHS’s digital literacy instructor asked William if he had considered going back to school, he was surprised. “I thought, ‘I’m 60 years old and I spent 40 years destroying gray matter in my brain.… Read More
Steve: a star employee For the first time in his life, Steve is excited to wake up in the morning and go to work. “I love this job,” Steve says. “I actually look forward to coming to work every day.… Read More
Nic: increasing independence After a domestic dispute at home, Nic felt he had no choice but to leave. He was 16. Nic stayed at a youth emergency shelter for a month. “It was a little scary,” he says. “Especially since… Read More
Kickin’ It in the Kitchen offers stabilization starting point Every Tuesday, the men at CJHS’s Bedford House meet in the kitchen for a new cooking program developed by staff member Karen Crowther, called “Kickin’ It in the Kitchen.” The purpose… Read More
Alannah’s story Looking back at different parts of her life, Alannah, now 24, feels like they are completely different lifetimes. “I almost can’t relate because I’m not that person anymore,” she says. Alannah was placed into foster care at the… Read More