Jail Breakers Gets New Life and Leadership

 

The Jail Brakers logo was created by families of the program's first pilot group who stated they wanted a support that would help break the cycle and reduce their suffering. 

Jail Brakers, the program that offers support and services to the families of incarcerated individuals, is gearing up after the Coronavirus pandemic under the direction of new leadership.  Cheryl Niemo, the visionary founder and longtime director of the program, has retired from that role and James Carpenter is taking the reins.

Due to her personal experience with the incarceration of a family member and her experience in the social work field, Niemo founded Jail Brakers in 2009 to address the stigma related to incarceration and to provide meaningful resources to families and individuals affected by imprisonment to elevate family identity and improve outcomes.  She led the organization as a non-profit and then as an independent ministry of the Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation in McHenry.

Jail Brakers founder Cheryl Niemo outside of the McHenry County Court in Woodstock a few years ago.

The pandemic interrupted many of Jail Brakers’ programs, especially its monthly support group sessions and Niemo has taken a new full-time social work job in Elgin.  She said:  

I’m heartened by the ongoing support of Jail Brakers, a ministry benefiting individuals and families affected by incarceration. Countless community members, local churches and organizations have demonstrated a strong capacity for kindness, compassion and wisdom surrounding the heart rendering needs and issues encountered by this population. This is an exciting time for Jail Brakers as new leadership steps forward to maintain its programs and values with James Carpenter, the unwavering commitment of Tree of Life Church and it’s much appreciated community partners. To the future of Jail Brakers volunteers and recipients. May the warmth be with you!

Carpenter is a Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) and has worked in the behavioral health field for over a decade.  He has served on the Board of Directors for the Mental Health Court Association of Illinois and the Illinois Association of Problem Solving Courts and believes that individuals should be able to avoid the revolving door of the criminal justice system through involvement with the strict probationary option offered by Problem Solving Courts and improve their lives after serving their time by having a chance to have their records sealed or expunged and has been discussing this possible option with Prairie State Legal Services.

He will bring fresh prospective as Jail Brakers director.  He will also help coordinate other Tree of Life Congregation criminal justice projects including advocacy for prison and sentencing reform with the Unitarian Universalist Action Network of Illinois (UUANI), the U.U. Prison Ministry including a pen pal initiative and support teams for recently released inmates.

Carpenter will coordinate the monthly family support group which meets the 1st Thursday of every month from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm at The Unity Spiritual Center of Woodstock, 225 W Calhoun.  The first session will be on Thursday, June 2.

A Jail Brakers member checks in at the Illinois Taylorville Correctional Center to visit her son in 2012.

Jail Breakers also provides gas cards for families who wish to maintain strong family connections during their loved one’s incarceration. Often, family members are sent anywhere from 1.5 hours to 7 hours away from home. This imposes a significant financial barrier in addition to the emotional and physical challenges faced when visiting loved ones. Research confirms that being able to maintain positive support increases the likelihood of a successful reentry process which is helpful in reducing recidivism—the rate at which people are re-incarcerated.

Other assistance includes referrals and aid in navigating the court system and obtaining social services support, small donations for emergency needs, jail and prison phone costs, and commissary accounts.

Jail Brakers serves all community members regardless of religious affiliation or lack thereof and never demands creedal tests or engages in proselytizing.  

A Jail Brakers Turkey Bingo fundraiser in 2019.  The event is expected to return this fall.

In addition to support from the congregation and donations, Jail Brakers will resume fundraising activities like an annual Turkey Raffle event in the fall and participation in The Human Race.

Contributions to support Jail Brakers can be made by sending a check made out to Tree of Life UU Congregation, 5603 Bull Valley Road, McHenry, IL 60050 with Jail Brakers on the memo line or donate on-line at https://treeoflifeuu.breezechms.com/give/online and select Jail Brakers from the drop-down menu under “Give to Unpledged Donations.” The donations are placed in a dedicated fund and not used for any other purpose.   Tree of Life also donates all the administrative expenses of the program so 100% of all donations go directly to client assistance.

For assistance and information contact James Carpenter at 815 322-3223, e-mail him at  jailbrakers@gmail.com or visit  https://treeoflifeuu.org/justice/social-justice/jail-brakers/.

Jail Brakers Annual Turkey Bingo Offers Family Fun and Support

Jail Brakers, which serves families of incarcerated individuals, will hold its Annual Turkey Bingo and Silent Auction on Saturday, November 16 from Noon to 3 pm at the Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 5603 Bull Valley Road in McHenry. 

The popular family oriented event is Jail Brakers’ main fundraiser for the year.  There are plenty of prize turkeys just in time for Thanksgiving for lucky winners.  A single bingo card is $20 and additional cards can be purchased for $5 each.  Children not playing bingo are $5.

Jail Brakers founder and Executive Director, Cheyrl Niemo.

“But there is much more than just the Bingo,” according to Jail Brakers Founder and Executive Director Cheryl Niemo.  “There will be a silent auction and door prizes, lunch and refreshments, face painting for children and live entertainment by Northwest Highway—Les Urban, Gloria Gilard Buchfield, and Andy Andrick.”

Northwest Highway with Gloria Gilard Buchfield, Andy Andrick, and Les Urban will entertain at Turkey Bingo. 

Jail Brakers is a ministry of the Tree of Life Congregation.  Its mission is to:

Raise awareness about the needs and concerns of the children and families who have been affected by incarceration and provide opportunities to give children and families a voice and a place to be heard with respect and compassion. Together, we address the stigma that perpetuates fear, shame and isolation surrounding incarceration, and begin to cultivate hope.

For more information contact Jail Brakers at jailbrakers@gmail.com  or visit the Facebook Event.

Recycling a Poem—My Prayer Tonight

Norman "Mad Dwag" Siegle, Dave Drayer, Cheryl Niemo, and Andy Andrick in the back row, a fat old poet and Blues picker Andrew Cohen up front

Two years ago tonight it poured rain here in McHenry County.  It came down in buckets in what was a very soggy month.  That put a crimp in plans for an evening mini folk festival we planned for the grounds of the Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation in McHenry.  Undeterred, we moved the program into the sanctuary and a little more than 50 folk slogged through the storm anyway.

The program, grandiosely named Just Plain Folk—Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things, was a benefit for our Compassion4Campers program for homeless PADS clients and despite the gloomy weather raised enough money to keep it afloat through the rest of the season until the seasonal church-based overnight shelters resumed operations in October.  By the way that program is now in its third year of operation and is humming along nicely serving an often abused and neglected homeless population.

After a welcome by the Master of Ceremonies—That was me and greeting from our then brand new minister, the Rev. Sean Dennison, The Siblings featuring singer Cheryl Niemo, Dave Drayer on the stand-up bull fiddle and Andy Andrick on guitar set the table with a tasty set heavy on traditional Appalachian and early country music.

After that, as I observed, the stage would be dominated by old men with goatees for the rest of the night.  The first of these was Chicago folk scene vet Norman “Mad Dwag” Siegel who did a set heavy on singer-songwriter material from the 60’s.  But Andrew Cohen really showed why we was the headliner in a tight hour set that was a virtual clinic on great guitar picking and roots blues.  Picking up an all-steel resonator guitar and a pinky slide, he told the story of Casey Jones as the audience had never heard it before.

Then with all of the musicians on stage and the audience on its feet we closed with a Centennial birth year salute to Woody Guthrie by singing This Land is Your Land with the subversive, seldom sung verses.

At the beginning of the evening, I snuck in one of my poems.  Yeah, I know it wasn’t fair, but I was up there and had the microphone. The piece was written for the occasion and the theme of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

To tell you the truth, I had forgotten I wrote it until I stumbled on an old post about the event.  It struck me, he said immodestly, as not half bad.  And as a challenge.

My Prayer Tonight

A Poem for Just Plain Folk—Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things

August 9, 2012

Let me be worthy of those

whose names have been forgotten.

Those who stood up,

            stood out

            and stood down.

Those whose hands bled,

            brows sweated

            and backs bent.

Those who nurtured,

            nursed

            and loved without question.

Those who questioned,          

            created

            and cared.

Those who offered hands up,

            hand outs,

            and hands on deck when it mattered.

Those who saw far,

            saw clearly

            and saw what need be done.

Those who sang,

            who danced,

            and laughed despite it all.

Those of faith,

            free thought,

            and far horizons.

Oh, Greater Mystery,

            make me worthy of them all.

—Patrick Murfin

Looking for Something to Do? Jail Brakers Dinner and Auction Today

I know it’s short notice, but you have to eat.  Maybe you want to spend a little money on yourself or for Christmas gifts. And you love a good cause. 

Jail Brakers, the charitable organization that supports families coping with the incarceration of loved ones, is having their Dinner and Auction today from 4 to 7 pm at the Woodstock Moose Lodge, 406 Clay Street.

Jail Breaker founder and executive director Cheryl Niemo, recently deservedly named a McHenry County Woman of Distinction for her work with the organization, says “A $20 Donation will help our mission to help families cope with the stigma of incarceration.”

Woodstock’s favorite bluesman, J. W. Rice, will be on hand to provide entertainment.  In addition to the silent action, there will be Turkey Bingo and door prizes.