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NC4RSO Volunteer of the Year Award
Award Recipient: Karen Bennett, Crocheting for Community (Salem, Oregon)
Karen Bennett, NC4RSO Volunteer of the Year
"Our lives matter to the extent that we make a difference of others (source unknown)."
Community organizations and individual volunteers work – often without much public fanfare - to make a difference in jails and prisons throughout the U.S. Services provided by these groups and individuals range from academic tutoring and life-skills programming to self-help programs, family re-integration, arts activities, and community re-entry support.
While these community groups and individuals don’t always get much public recognition, they make an active difference in the lives of current and formerly-incarcerated individuals. NC4RSO selects a volunteer annually to honor their corrections and re-entry work.
National Coalition of Community-Based Correctional and Community Re-Entry Service Organization's (NC4RSO) 2011
Making a Difference Volunteer of the Year Award goes to Karen Bennett of Salem, Oregon.
Karen Bennett spends up to four evenings per week running a crochet group at the Oregon State Correctional Institution. Her program is known as "Creative Arts Therapy - Crocheting 4 Community." Crafted items – afghans, hats, scarves, and toys - are donated to groups such as battered women’s shelters, needy children, veterans, and hospitals.
Ms. Bennett can be reached at (503) 339-7743 or mailto:Karen.auntellapathway@gmail.com (public donations of crochet supplies graciously accepted).
Link to Award: Click here
Page updated: February 22, 2012
