SPRINGFIELD CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN COMMISSIONS FIRST "PROJECT RETURN" TEAM

Pictured here are team members Paula Harris, Terry Dobbs, Jan Stoller, and Fletcher Farrar, along with Project Return Director Debi Edmund, and Pastor Kreston Lipscomb. Project Return is a non-profit organization with a mission to help incarcerated mothers reintegrate into the Springfield community. Assistance is given in areas such as finding housing, employment, child care, health care, counseling and addiction support, transportation and safety net resources. Modeled after Project Cope from the St. Louis area which has operated for 20 years; Project Return is new to Springfield. The Springfield team has completed 30 hours of training in areas of: reentry theology, restorative justice, diversity, ethics, boundaries, criminal justice system, effects of incarceration, criminal thinking, interpersonal violence, substance abuse, mental health issues, and community resourcing. With the first announcement of a need for a bed, a hand shot up and God had again provided through His people. Project Return is slowly branching out and is currently expanding into the Peoria area and is seeking volunteers.

-- Terry Link reporting from Springfield.