Meet our three summer interns, Anna, Claire and Maureen, who were sent to us through The Bishop Sullivan Center. Anna is a junior at Rockhurst University studying non-profit leadership. Claire is a senior at Kansas University studying social work. Maureen is a junior at Gonzaga University studying English literature and solidarity and social justice. They are all interested in pursuing careers in human service, and Journey to New Life, they say has taught them so much.

Here’s what they had to say:

Our time at Journey, while short, has been exceedingly meaningful. We really value the opportunity to provide direct service and interact human-to-human with the clients that Journey serves. A major opportunity to do this happens during Emergency Assistance where clients come in for any help we can provide. One story that all three of us found valuable has to do with two Emergency Assistance clients.

These two men personify resilience, friendship and commitment to the future. They came into Emergency Assistance together with every intention of supporting each other throughout the process. They actually grew up together as childhood friends and reunited after their separate times in prison. One spent the last 28 years of his life in a Department of Corrections facility, and the other spent the last 21 years in and out of facilities. They now stand, walk, run and succeed together with the full knowledge that they will have each other’s support and will have someone keeping them on the road they intend to follow. Journey to New Life merely acted as a helping hand to provide some resources that can aid in their journey.

We were so moved by how committed these men are to succeeding and to each other. This instance also gave us perspective as to just how difficult this transition from prison to the community truly is. After spending the majority of one’s life within the walls of a facility, everything outside can be incredibly overwhelming and anxiety-inducing. Thus, Journey to New Life gets to be that place where they start. We can give resources — and a listening ear. We can be a safe space in a difficult world.

These newsletters often showcase big success stories, as they should! However, we have noticed that Journey to New Life also makes a huge difference in smaller ways that often go unnoticed. For one, a jar of meal tokens to Thelma’s Kitchen not only feeds a hungry person, but provides them a joy they did not anticipate. We also provide a small pantry of food where people can grab a bag on their way out. Journey has amazing volunteers during Emergency Assistance that truly know and have relationships with the clients. They get to be a familiar, smiling face to an otherwise unfamiliar world. Often, our clients merely need to use a phone or make some copies on the printer. Also, many times our clients need an article of clothing or a pair of shoes so that they can work. We are able to provide steel-toed boots or a black shirt. All of these small instances make a world of difference for people. It can be the difference between eating or not eating that day or losing a job because of a material need. Even being able to provide a dry spot in the rain means something.

The justice system does not position itself to help our clients after incarceration. Journey to New Life makes it their mission to do the opposite; to create a system that works for clients. On our first day, we were told to never say no. There will always be something that we can do to help. If Journey does not offer a specific service needed, we can find someone in the area who can. At the very least, we can listen to the human being sitting in front of us and hear their fears. Since being at Journey to New Life, we have learned of the power of making another individual feel heard. We all feel truly honored to be in the position that gets to listen and be a friendly face on their journeys.

Thank you,
Anna, Claire and Maureen

Journey to New Life is so grateful to our interns for sharing their time and talent with us and our clients. We know they have many options when looking at internships, and we are very fortunate they chose us.