St Leonard’s House

Although St. Leonard’s House is a bricks-​and-​mortar «place,» more than that it is a life-​changing experience. I’ve been volunteering at SLH (which is affiliated with St. Leonard’s Ministries and Episcopal Charities) for about four and a half years, leading a current events discussion group once a month through Chicago Cares.
SLH is a residential transitional facility for men released from prison without the resources needed to rebuild their lives. Acceptance is by invitation only, and the guys here have their heads in the right place — taking advantage of the opportunity ahead of them and avoiding at all costs the lives that got them into trouble. SLH has a 6-​month program, which includes career training, high school for those who didn’t finish, life skills education, substance abuse counseling… Pretty much everything they need. Only about 20% of the men who complete the program become re-​incarcerated, whereas more than half of other former inmates go back.
I think the strongest testament to the work SLH is doing is that the vast majority of their staff is comprised of people who came there are a resident, completed the program, and later felt driven to give back by leading others through the same program. SLH also relies heavily on volunteerism as they log more volunteer hours than staff hours in any given time frame. There are tons of ways to get involved, and if you do you will see the difference that’s being made here. Check out their website and send an email to find out what volunteer opportunities are available. You’ll be rewarded.