Hand in Hand Baltimore

Hand in Hand Baltimore 2505 N Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21218 410.889.5072 join us and volunteerdonatecontact

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To reduce juvenile recidivism among youth under 18 charged as adults, while providing youth with partnerships to create new opportunities for themselves and their families.

recidivism - a repeated relapsing into criminal or delinquent behavior

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connecting youth with opportunity

VOLUNTEER STORIES

assisting baltimore's youth

Stop the Youth Jail

Waived Up: Part 1

Waived Up: Part 2

Life in Prison at Only 16

Going the Distance! Need guidance getting into an educational program?Need assistance finding employment? Hand in Hand's Going the Distance program is looking for more youth in the Baltimore City area to join us!Contact us.
Meet the Team!Hand in Hand is blessed with dedicated volunteers whose main focus is on Baltimore's youth. Meet many of our volunteers and hear their stories about their experiences with working at Hand in Hand!
Media Hub!Go through the frequently updated videos to stay up to date with recent news as seen through video media!Use the 'pop out' arrows on the sides of the video applet to switch to a different video.

About us

HAND IN HAND
HISTORYEach year thousands of youth under the age of 18, are charged as adults and consequently detained in adult detention centers where there are no services available to cater to their youth and increased potential for self betterment. More specifically, there is an absolute void of mental health programs available to the youths housed in the Baltimore City Detention Center (BCDC). In September of 2009, Jessica Turral founded Hand in Hand Baltimore, inc. in an effort to diminish that void and provide the voiceless with a face.BCDCThe Baltimore City Detention Center houses from 105-115 youth individuals with adult charges prior to trial or serving a sentence of six months or less at any given time. Seventy percent of the youth released from BCDC are returned to their communities without any resources from the Department of Juvenile Services or Department of Corrections.THE YOUTHHIH provides the youth with mental health and case management services continuously while at BCDC and upon their release into the community, when we create and implement individual discharge and family plans. Each youth receives a mentor with whom they are in constant contact, in addition to aftercare providers and the resources critical to maintaining a positive new lifestyle.RECOGNITIONSHIH was made possible through collaboration with Alternative Directions, Inc, the Baltimore City Detention Center and The Rose Street Community Center.

Jessica TurralBaltimore, MarylandFounder of Hand in Hand BaltimoreUpon graduating from The Johns Hopkins University with a degree in Psychology, Jessica Turral desired to work with young people, but was unsure of how to do so. Since the tender age of 16, Jessica worked as a mentor with youth, and was able to understand the importance of developing relationships. So she began researching how several young people were charged as adults for specific crimes and detained at the Baltimore City Detention Center awaiting trial. Due to this she became very discouraged about the lack of mentoring and counseling opportunities for the youth, for most were between the ages of 15 and 18.In September of 2009, Ms. Turral started an organization called Hand in Hand Baltimore, which helps to connect charged juveniles with caring mentors (most of whom are graduate psychology based students) who are willing to help provide them with counseling, individual and group therapy, mentoring, academic enrichment, and case management. The awesome leadership skills of Ms. Turral help provide nearly 30 young men with contact with our volunteers three to four days a week. They spend time individually with a counselor once or twice a week, and also attend group therapy sessions on Tuesdays, in which our goal is to build relationships to help the young men eliminate feelings of isolation. On Fridays, the youth discuss and debate current events and write plays or poems to perform for their peers. Finally, on Sundays the youth are assisted with help focusing on academics and planning for their future.Jessica clearly emphasizes that she and the counselors arent here to save or help them, but are looking forward to empower them to help themselves.

Programs

About01

Dashes Pre-Release Program
HIHs Dashes Program is based on the track and field running events Dashes, they are the shortest and swiftest runs; prison is not a long term solution for our young men. The Dashes program takes place in BCDC while youth are awaiting trial. Our volunteer staff (college students, graduate students and community leaders) visit the youth five days a week and work with them on academic enrichment and life skills, as well as providing counseling, case- management and goal-planning services. In addition to being placed into small mentoring groups, each young man begins the creation of an individual life plan while working on tangible skills like resume writing and interview skills.

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Going The Distance Re-Entry Program
Going the distance is a combination of two ideas first, once home thats when the real race beginning for the young men creating a new life and that we will do what it takes to ensure that young people not only complete life but win! Our Going the Distance Program includes employment and housing assistance, individual and group mentoring, and placement into educational opportunities. Meeting three days a week, our youth participate in academic enrichment sessions focused on GED completion, college preparatory skills, and remediation, as needed. Once a young man has successfully attended an educational program for at least one month, we work with them on obtaining gainful employment. For example, our young men receive employment support from their mentors and financial support from HIH. Such costs my cover an ID, uniform, or training fee. Through our Reentry Program, we are dedicated to seeing that our young men make a successful transition back into the community such that criminal behavior is no longer a viable option.

Walk With Me Mentoring Program

Talk With Me Counseling Program

Reading Toward My Future Literacy Program
Talk with Me is a major component of both the pre-release and reentry program. Hand in Hand youth will partner with graduate students and mental health professionals to create a stable and healthy mental state. Mental health professionals counsel youth on a weekly basis in individual and group settings, helping youth to develop the tools necessary to deal with past trauma and other mental health issues. Mental health professionals will also assess the families of the young men to provide the necessary connections to become self-sufficient and successful individuals. Also, youth and mental health professionals will both co-create a life plan for the young men to assist with their journies back into their communities and families.
The purpose of our literacy program is to increase the reading levels of our young men in order to provide them with the useful tool of education and the various opportunities like better employment and life options. The literacy program operates within both the pre-release and reentry program. HIH begins by assessing all youth to determine their reading levels. HIH then matches youth with a reading tutor and the magic begins with the individualized creation of lesson plans for each student based upon their need.
Walk with Me operates in both the pre-release and reentry programs. Hand in Hand volunteers will pair up with the youth to understand them on a more intimate level. Mentors may go to incarcerated students' court hearings and work as an advocate for the student to attest to the individuals progress within the program. Mentors also work with students in the reentry program to promote life planning and ensuring a smooth transition back into the community. Mentors and the Walk with Me is an integral part of Hand in Hand.

News

None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We got here because somebody - a parent, a teacher, an Ivy League crony or a few nuns - bent down and helped us pick up our boots. Thurgood Marshall

Southern Maryland Online - Baltimore Woman Finds Way To Reach Detained YouthThe tall teenager looked down at his paper, then asked: "What else should I put on there to show my mother that I love her?" "I like smiley faces," Jessica Turral replied. "You don't like that? Well, we can do a poem. Let me think of something."It was three weeks before Mother's Day. The young man sitting at a metal table stared blankly at his card. He most likely wouldn't be able to see his mother to celebrate, because the Baltimore City Detention Center doesn't allow visitors on Sundays... "________________________________________________________________________________________________________Baltimore Magazine - The Other Side of Joe Squared (August 4, 2011)"Joe Squared owner Joe Edwardsen does more than bake great pizzas. He gives back to the community, too. Baltimore magazine intern Autumn Rose, a Towson University student, tells the story of Joe and one of his workers. Here are her words:Joe Squared and Baltimore nonprofit Hand in Hand are teaming up on Monday to throw a 20th birthday party for Corey Terry the first one he has celebrated as a free man in a while...." ________________________________________________________________________________________________________Facebook - Like Us On Facebook And Stay Up-To-Date With Our News!"Executive Director Jessica Turral founded Hand in Hand Baltimore (HIH) in 2009 in response to the lack of re-entry services for youth charged as adults in the city. With the support of the community and the young men in Baltimore City Detention Center (BCDC), Hand in Hand enrolled its first 10 students in September 2009 and has been running ever since." ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Vimeo - Watch Jessica Turral As She Speaks About The Beginnings of Hand in Hand"Jessica Turral founded Hand in Hand Baltimore in 2009 to help jailed teenagers who have been charged as adults. She oversees a group of about 25 volunteers who go into the Baltimore City Detention Center to talk with the jailed young men and to make plans for when they leave the detention center. The organization also helps the young men after they are released to follow through on those plans."

The team

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HAND IN HAND
Hand in Hand Baltimore is made up of several dedicated volunteers who arecommitted to the betterment of Baltimore's youth. They are middle school and high school students,undergraduate and graduate students,and devoted adults who just care.

About

JASMINE HARRIS

Jasmine is a undergraduate student at Goucher College studying psychology. Hear what she has to say about HIH!
I consider myself to be very privileged to be apart of this organization Hand in Hand. I find this experience to be very inspirational and life changing. Being a member of Baltimore City, I can honestly understand what it is like for many of the young men and can connect to them in many aspects. I think this is a reason why I take so much pride in working towards a better future for them and have so much hope for the young men who are apart of the program.
While showing them skills to apply to different aspects of life, I am thrilled to say that I see progress among the students every day and have learned so much from them as well. This experience for me has been ambitious but worthwhile and I am eager to see where we take it from here.

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EMILY LATIMER

Emily is going to be a senior at Ratford College. She is funny and dedicated. Call her Amy!
When I came to Hand in Hand I anticipated learning a little superficial information about how nonprofits worked and to build myresume. At the risk of sounding cliche, I got so much more. All of the volunteers are filled with a passion and drive to make a differencethat truly fills me with hope. Working with them has always been a pleasure, but what surprised me the most was how much our students have impacted me.
Their ultimate aspirations, to stay our of jail and continue their education, is so indicative of their resiliency and never fails to amaze me. Each of our students, both inside BCDC aswell as out, has taught me something about life and about myself. I won't be able to continue to work with Hand in Hand during the schoolyear, but I will certainly be returning next summer!

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ANNE JUN

Anne is an undergraduate at the Johns Hopkins University. Pleasant and outgoing, Anne has been an integral part of HIH!
Hand in Hand is a wonderful program that enables me to not only share my own skills as an eager citizen of this community but allows the opportunity to learn from the youth that we partner with. I am continually impressed by the potential that these youth are equipped with and hope to continually work with them in order to increase their potential for self betterment.
It has been a privilege to work with the youth and acknowledge that it has been a learning experience for both parties. I have never doubted that my time spent with this program has been worthwhile and aspire to continue to make a positive impact in these powerful services.

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DANIELLE DAVIS

Danielle is a junior at Towson University studying Family Studies. Always upbeat she lights up the faces of the students!
Hand-in-Hand is a great program that really supports the youth! My team & I on Sundays have seen so much progress from the young men we work with in the Baltimore City Detention Center. I know what it is like from firsthand experience to become frustrated with a system, from being within foster care, where social workers dont necessarily always support youth in addressing their needs. Even though the youth we work with have had a worse situatuation than I, they still deal with the everyday challenges of being believed in.
I believe in the young men I work with accomplishing their goals in a positive way no matter how many people may try to tell them no they cant do something or not assist them. They assure my faith in them each time I am able to work with them, and they make positive decisions such as having career goals for when they are able to go home. It has been a privilege to be able to teach these boys this concept along with other resourceful information. I am very thankful I was given this opportunity to work with them and hopefully made a difference in their life!

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DEDRIC OLIVER

Dedric is a senior at Towson University studying Communications. He is very outgoing and passionate about the youth.
"My experience at Hand in Hand thus far has been very "eye opening". I'm use to hearing stories about youth being incarcerated, but I never could empathize with them until I actually went inside the jail and saw the conditions in which they live. I just look forward to knowing them more and doing all I can to help them see their future outside of jail, and hopefully convincing them to make better decisions and never wanting to go back"

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PATRICE BROWN
"I have been volunteering with Hand in Hand since September 2010. Though my degree is in Finance, I was looking for a rewarding career change along with an opportunity to do something meaningful with my free time. Through this opportunity I was able to see the potential that the young men in the BCDC system have and help nourish it through the Hand in Hand curriculum. They have inspired me as much as I hope to have inspired them."

Graduate Students Hand in Hand is looking for graduate students pursuing their Masters or Doctorates in a variety of mental health fields (Psychology, Social Work, etc) to complete their field placements with Hand in Hand. Each graduate student will be responsible for providing individual and group therapy to the young men in our program. Graduate students will also assist the young men with creating discharge, life, and family plans allowing for all around success. If you are interested in completing your field placement with Hand in Hand please use the contact form on the website or email Jessica Turral at handinhandbaltimore_gmail.com.
Mentors Are you interested in forming a life changing relationship with a young man?Are you dedicated to working with youth to assist them with realizing their potential?If you answered yes to both of these questions or yes one, then Hand in Hand needs you! We are looking for both male and females who would be willing to volunteer 4-8 hours a month mentoring a young man inside or outside the detention center or inside a Department of Corrections facility. Mentors will form healthy bonds and provide guidance to young men as they continue to grow and create positive change in their lives.If you are interested in becoming a mentor with Hand in Hand please use the contact form on the website or email Jessica Turral at handinhandbaltimore_gmail.com.
Interns Dashes- Intern:Hand in Hand is always looking for college interns to complete an internship with Hand in Hand. We are looking for interns from various fields (Psychology, Criminal Justice, Social Work, etc.) Interns will work, both inside the detention center creating lesson plans, outside the detention center tutoring the young men or assisting with homework and forming partnerships with other organizations and services that will be provided to the young men following their release. If you are interested in completing your internship with Hand in Hand please use the contact form on the website or email Jessica Turral at handinhandbaltimore_gmail.com.

Student Corner

Student Corner

Student Corner
Our students are talented, determined and creative. They amaze us with their creations everyday. Join us here to see what our students are up to, what they have written and whom we reward as the student of the month.

Students of the Month

Poem of The Month
Who am I, I ask myself. Its too hard to rememberI opened up my ming but it is hard for me to enterwhere will I bee I wonder where Im goingmy life out my handz now Im wishing and Im hoping.I remember who I grew up with, I remember who raised meI remember life was messed up I remember life was crazyBut I think harder do I remember life?My facial expressions smiling but I know its time to fight.Im fighting for my freedom Im writing to myselfGod placed me in this world but Im on the devils shelfGive me back my sanity, Give me back my mind.Searching through my shadows no telling what I find.Who put me in this position is this where I want to beStaring at the same scene is this what I want to see?Im done questioning the world I began to know myself.So life is how I see it Im striving for my wealthNow I know who I am, I know where I beginBut its still that only questions where will my life END..Hand in Hand Student!
The NewcomerEach week TN actively participates in sessions. He seems to genuinely have an interest in the program. Hisknowledge of the subject matter and his desire to know more is very impressive.
The Unassuming LeaderUL, like most of our students, is a new addition to our group. He was very determined to join our group and asked and followed up with Wednesday volunteers repeatedly. He is very polite and level headed and provides thoughtfuland honest answers to discussion questions. Although we haven't beenworking with him long, we felt that he was the mostpromising student with the fewest "bad days" and we look forward to continuing to work with him.
The Role ModelRM has performed well in all areas (attendance,participatio, behavior, assignmnents and quizzes) of the Sunday sessions. He is a pleasure to work with, shows initiave and motivates the other students as well. He takes the program seriously and always brings his best.

Special Events

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Community Service event

Community Service Event

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Birthday Event

Community Service event

Birthday Event

Corey's 20th Birthday!

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Hand in Hand Fundraisers

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Join Hand In Hand for our "Power of One" Fundraiser on November 11, 2011.

Where: The Johns Hopkins University

Glass Pavilion

3400 N. Charles St

Baltimore MD 21218

Purchase Ticket Now _ PayPal

Price: $31.17 ($30 + $1.17 paypal fee)

HAND IN HAND CELEBRATES 2 YEARS!!!

Contact

JOIN US AND VOLUNTEER 410.889.5072

MAKE A DONATION APPLY ONLINE!

Directions

Directions
We are located on the second floor of Alternative Directions, Inc. right across the street from CVS Pharmacy.2505 N Charles StBaltimore MD 21218410.889.5072handinhandbaltimore_gmail.comwww.handinhandbaltimore.org

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