St. Paul's Episcopal Church celebrates The Way Home participants' success

The parish hall of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Georgetown, ablaze with light and Christmas decorations, was filled with the aroma of turkeys stuffing, and vegetables cooking to welcome and celebrate several successful participants of The Way Home program as they continue their journey to a new life.

For more than 14 years, The Way Home staff and volunteers have been meeting former prisoners at the prison gates and the office door in Georgetown to provide connections with community, meet needs and foster relationships that prevent return to prison. Since 1998, The Way Home, an interfaith community ministry, has helped hundreds of ex-offenders stay out of prison by providing case management to participants for less than one-sixth the cost of incarceration.

St. Paul’s parishioners worked diligently not only to prepare the food and decorate but also to shop and distribute Christmas gifts for the many celebrated participants. For the participants, it was a time to reflect not only on their difficulties in returning to society but also to verbalize their successes and gratefulness for The Way Home staff and volunteers who stand ready every day and night to help them. Family and friends were also present to show their support for their loved ones.

The Way Home Director Barbara Del Mastro explained: “Most of the men and women who come to us are homeless and penniless. Many have burned bridges with family, friends and former employers, and are often seeking to relocate to an area that does not have the same temptations and pitfalls that faced them before going to prison. Few of our participants have driver’s licenses, and most do not have adequate identification when we pick them up at the prison gates. We work with people to overcome challenges like these, so that they have a fighting chance at building a new, crime-free life. We offer encouragement, and emotional and spiritual support, as well as very practical help, letting our participants know that they are not alone in this struggle. This time they have a support team with them every step of the way. Honoring them for their hard work and diligence in making a new life for themselves is the intention of the quarterly dinners. We are grateful for St. Paul’s support in this effort.”

For more information about The Way Home or to volunteer, call the office at 302-856-9870 or email barbara@thewayhomeprogram.org.