Jail Brakers’ Turkey Bingo—Family Fun to Aid Families Fractured by Incarceration

Jail Brakers, which serves families of incarcerated individuals, will hold its Annual Turkey Bingo and Silent Auction on Saturday, November 18 from 1-4 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.

NW Highway--Les Urban, Gloria Gilard Buchfield, and Andy Andrick--will entertain at the Turkey Raffel.

“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 NW Highway—Les Urban, Gloria Gilard Buchfield, and Andy Andrick.”

Jail Brakers is now 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 at https://www.facebook.com/events/509070552792420/.

Jail Brakers Presents True Life Stories of the Recently Incarcerated and Their Families

On Saturday, April 8 from 10 am to Noon a panel of members of Jail Brakers present a compelling series of stories related to being in prison and being a mother of a child in prison at the Tree of Life Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 5603 Bull Valley Road in McHenry.

The panel members are “Inspired to use their personal experience as a vehicle for change,” according Jail Brakers founder Cheryl Niemo, “Their stories help to illustrate many common themes and prophetically inspire a paradigm shift, on an individual scale as well as on societal and institutional levels.”

Jail Brakers founder Cheryl Niemo.

Jail Brakers is an organization of people who have been or are in prison as well family members of incarcerated individuals which offers support, increases awareness of special needs to develop more meaningful resources and policies for this underserved population, and aims at reducing the stigma of incarceration to remove barriers to a healthy reintegration into society.  

 

The program is co-sponsored by the Tree of Life UU Congregation Social Justice Team and is funded by a grant from the McHenry County Foundation.

The program is free and open to the public.

For information visit the Facebook Event page, https://www.facebook.com/events/1915365392083507/  or call the Tree of Life office at 815 322-2464.