Building A Community of Recovery
At first blush, Saint Hildegard of Bingen might seem an unlikely patron for Hospitality House in Philadelphia's Norris Square. After all, the 12th century German nun and mystic never worked at keeping men and women off drugs and out of prison. But as Brother Joe Dudek, Director of Hospitality House explains, "The two major themes running through Saint Hildegard's writings are that of clinging to God and repairing the world. Those two ideals are really at the heart of our work."
"Staff and guests praying together."
Hospitality House was born in1984 of a vision shared by Brother Joe and
Sister Peter Claver, MSBT, a member of our Sister congregation. In their
work with prisoners, they became convinced that more could be done to
help men complete their rehabilitation after being released from prison.
Originally, Hospitality House was for men who were eligible for parole
but had nowhere to go upon their release. It has had a few different homes,
but has been in its current location since 1989.
Hospitality House sits in the middle of a of a block of "row houses"on
Norris Square in the West Kensing- ton section of Philadelphia. Once stately
homes, now fallen into disrepair, are a nagging reminder of an earlier
era when the neighborhood thrived. Still, many of the turn-of-the-century
homes have managed to retain an ambience of dignified beauty, boasting
extraordinary architectural details like etched glass doors, marble flooring
and intricately sculpted banisters.
Shortly after settling into its home on Norris Square, Hospitality House
changed its focus. The State Department of Corrections had asked Brother
Joe to try a new Halfway Back program to keep parole violators
from returning to prison.
Normally, if an ex-offender violates parole, it means he goes back to
prison immediately. Now, some men have the chance to go to Hospitality
House, where Brother Joe and his staff help guide their lives in the right
direction.The program has become the thread that holds together a tapestry
of programs for men and women of all ages who need a new start in life.
One measure
of Hospitality House's success is the number of residents who are able
to overcome their problems and turn their lives around. Statistically,
less than two percent of its "graduates" commit new
crimes. That is remarkable, considering the national rate for most
recovery programs. A major factor in the success of Hospitality House
is the way the staff continually tries to meet the particular needs of
the men and women they serve.
"We let the needs rather than financial concerns drive the service,"
explains Miguel Gonzalez, Director of Residential Services. "Although
we stay within the area of serving men and women who are on parole or
ex-offenders, there are many special needs within that group."
An over-riding need among the people who come to Hospitality House is
education. "Of the many difficulties our residents face," says
Brother Joe, "none is more of a handicap than the lack of a good
basic education." According to recent studies, 50% of American adults
are not able to read at the eighth grade level. That means that half the
men and women in our society cannot perform basic tasks that are part
of everyday life: filling out job applications, reading bus schedules,
writing a simple business letter. Many men who have spent years behind
bars like the residents of Hospitality House are even more disadvantaged
than the average person.
Magda Cruz, a volunteer from the neighborhood, runs the Basic Education
Program at Hospitality House. Despite her own busy schedule
as a student at Temple University, Magda teaches reading and mathematics
to Halfway Back participants several days a week. The individualized
attention they receive from her often means the difference between success
and failure.
Helping men and women overcome addictions to drug and alcohol is is another
pressing need met by Brother Joe and his staff. Hospitality House also
operates an outpatient drug and alcohol treatment facility in another
house on Norris Square. Men and women live on their own, but come regularly
to the center for treatment and help in overcoming their addictions. The
outpatient clinic also treats men in the Halfway Back program
who need it.
Finally, most of the participant's in Hospitality House's programs need
help in dealing with a variety of problems that keep them from living
happy and productive lives. Many come from abusive homes, and are themselves
prone to violence; others have emotional and psychological problems that
have been the cause of their current situations. Hospitality House
offers therapy both individually and in group sessions to help these
men and women cope with life more appropriately than they have in the
past. Through counseling, they learn skills that will help them become
more responsible people.
Curtis J.
came to Hospitality House as a parolee from the penitentiary in 1989.
"Brother Joe gave me a chance when everyone else turned me down,"
he recalls. As it turned out, Brother Joe's instincts about Curtis were
right. Not only did he sucessfully complete the parolee program after
four months, but he has been the resident manager of the Halfway Back
program for the past five years!
His experience with addiction allows Curtis to relate to the men in the Halfway Back program in a way that many counselors cannot. That is one reason he is working on becoming a certified counselor. "I am definitely a product of my years of addiction," Curtis reflects, "but I'd like to think that I am more a product of my own determination. That is the message I can give to these men: that they can change themselves."
Harry Frie is another man who is glad to be giving something back to others after successfully struggling through his own addictions and incarceration. As a senior outpatient counselor at Hospitality House, he has many opportunities to help other men come to terms with their problems. The simple joy with which he approaches life these days provides an insight into the way his life has been transformed.
Harry and a program graduate he counseled have begun a special project at Hospitality House. She has the HIV virus, and suggested to Harry that they form a support group to help her and others deal with the illness. "It is a unique support group," Harry explains. "We don't base it on suffering, but on our everyday lives. The thrust of our work together is recovering from addictions, living with the disease and trying to cope with life."
The members of the group understand all too well the urgency of their message. "The reality is I probably will die before they find a cure," one women admits. That is why she and the others have made a commitment to reach out to their community. They want to educate children and young people about AIDS and invite others with the virus to join their support group.
Speaking at local schools, they warn the children about the dangers of AIDS. "If I can reach just one child, it will mean one person won't have to go through what I am going through," one of the group says. Last spring, everyone was overwhelmed by an outpouring of love from a class of 4th-graders. After a woman from the group had spoken to them, they sent her cards with colorful illustrations depicting the lesson they had learned.
