BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A group of former prisoners have helped an Annunciation Monastery nun move her organization from a 1,000-square-foot storefront in downtown Bismarck to a location six times that size on the east side of the city.
Sister Kathleen Atkinson's Ministry on the Margins has spent the last four years helping prisoners re-enter society, according to the Bismarck Tribune (http://bit.ly/2fYhVaJ).
Former prisoner Donald Trowbridge was one of the more than 20 people who gathered to help Atkinson set up her prison re-entry ministry's new, expanded location. He said Atkinson has helped him so many times and that it was his opportunity to help her out.
Former prisoner Robert Rinehart, who was acting as foreman on light construction projects, said many of the participants put in 10-hour days over a full week.
The new location has separate rooms for coffee and dining, prayer, meetings and a food pantry. It's also much closer to the new jail and the probation and parole offices. The old location was too small for Atkinson, since she served more than 400 people weekly.
Atkinson said donations from the local community and the monastery are what made the move possible. Volunteers offered to help the nun with her program by assisting people with resumes, teaching classes and reviewing legal documents. Atkinson would also eventually like networking events for convicted felons and potential employers willing to interview them.
Atkinson's program is also known for a weekday coffeehouse for socializing, Sunday church services for people to share stories, and the "stay out of jail supper club," that gives former inmates a chance to eat and provide encouragement to each other.
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Information from: Bismarck Tribune, http://www.bismarcktribune.com
