INDIANAPOLIS — Food and hygiene products are often necessities that people coming out of jail do not have.
“If I was sitting on a case load of 60, I would say 10 to 15 of my clients were needing something,” Aldon Johnson, Case Manager at Marion County Community Corrections, said.
Johnson wasn’t the only case manager noticing the need, especially since sometimes when people are being released from jail, food pantries and community resources are closed for the day.
“If they are on home detention, every location has to be accounted for and they have to get approval before they leave their home,” Taylor Pierson, Pre-Trial Case Manager at Marion County Community Corrections, said. “Say you get released on a Friday, the likelihood of you getting a pantry before that next week — it’s just not going to happen.”
At one point, the need of their clients was so high the case managers would give them food out of their own lunch boxes.
Johnson and Pierson knew there had to be a better system, so they created the Welcome Home Initiative.
“On the front-end, they are going to be able to give out small kits with food and hygiene items that last for two to three days,” Scott Hohl, Executive Director for Marion County Community Corrections, said. “That will allow them to breathe and have a moment to get everything ready.”
Each offender can fill out a form and select what items they need. They will also receive a bag of food and a resource pamphlet showing where to go for long-term help.
The case managers who began this program hope it will build trust with their clients, and in turn, help their clients make better decisions moving forward.
“I used to give clients stickers, and grown men would get excited to have a sticker,” Pierson said. “It’s because they have never had anyone say, ‘I am proud of you’ or have someone be their cheerleader. These changes will essentially reduce recidivism.”
"I think people always say, 'They work for Marion County Corrections, they don't offer you anything good.' We wanted to change that,” Johnson said.
Marion County Community Corrections is running the pantry based off donations. They have an Amazon Wishlist where you can donate. You can do so by clicking here.
