PHILADELPHIA, PA (USA) – 30 October 2017 – On Sunday, 5 November 2017 – the International Day of Prayer for Men and Boys — key stakeholders in Philadelphia will gather at the Juvenile Justice Center located at 91 North 48th Street from 10:00 A.M. through 12:00 P.M. to participate in a “Call To Action” designed to launch the SCI Graterford, PA Lifers Public Safety Initiative. Created by a group of Thought Leaders at SCI Graterford, the SCI Graterford PA Lifers Safety Initiative sets into motion the establishment of Transformational Centers in mosques and churches throughout the City of Philadelphia which will initiate a spiritual dialogue with youths in our communities; provide mentoring sessions which will positively transform their mindset, decision-making and behavior; and end the culture of crime gripping our communities. The SCI Graterford, PA Lifers Public Safety Initiative is a component of OPERATION FRESH START™, a multi-tiered Global Model for eradicating recidivism and creating pathways to reintegration for formerly incarcerated individuals. OPERATION FRESH START ™ is the brainchild of The Honorable James M. DeLeon, a highly acclaimed veteran jurist in the Criminal Court Division of Philadelphia’s Municipal Court and one of the featured speakers at the International Day of Prayer for Men and Boys on Sunday, 5 November 2017.
Judge DeLeon who is a past Chairman of the Security Committee for the Criminal Justice Center in Philadelphia; also serves under special assignment as Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia, and has practiced before the United States Court of International Trade, the United States Court of Military Appeals, United States Army Court of Military Review, and the United States Court of Appeals, will be joined at the podium by a broad-based group of key stakeholders, which include, but are not limited to:
Mr. Carl Cooper, Chairman of the SCI Graterford, PA Lifers Public Safety Initiative (via teleconference conference call).
Mr. Stephen Ridley who coordinates the External Navigation Project of the SCI Graterford, PA Lifers Public Safety Initiative which provides incarcerated individuals who are returning to their families and communities with tools and resources and prepares them to psychologically and emotionally transition from years and even decades of incarceration. Mr. Ridley also facilitates behavioral training for District 1199C in his role as the organization’s Manager of Collegiate Programs and Behavioral Health Training and is an Adjunct Instructor at Drexel University where he teaches a course in Behavioral Health Training.
Pastor Anthony L. Stevenson, Sr. who is the founder of Four Corner Crusade for Life Baptist Church located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; a Double Certified Master Fatherhood Trainer and Facilitator for the National Fatherhood Initiative; Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Peoples’ Unified Resources Center; Peace Ambassador for the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (“WANG”); and the International Men’s Day Tri-State (Pennsylvania/New Jersey/Delaware) (USA) Regional Coordinator
The Honorable Ronald G. Waters, a retired Pennsylvania state legislator who currently serves as the Chairman of PA FACT Program, Inc. which facilitates the successful two-tiered Fathers And Children Together Initiative (“FACT”). FACT, which was created by members of United Community Action Network (U-CAN) and the Latino American Cultural Exchange Organization (LACEO) at SCI Graterford in Graterford, Pennsylvania, is viewed as a Global Model to eradicate intergenerational incarceration and Fatherlessness.
Leaders in the Interfaith Community, the general public, Criminal Justice Reform and Restorative Justice Reform Thought Practitioners and Thought Leaders, Fatherhood Practitioners, legislators, legal professionals, law enforcement professionals, educators, school administrators, social entrepreneurs, community activists, block captains, and concerned citizens are encouraged to attend this event. Created in 2014 by the USA International Men’s Day Team, the International Day of Prayer for Men and Boys brings together religious leaders of all faiths and denominations to embark upon a collaborative journey with other key stakeholders to eradicate key challenges which prevent Men and Boys from reaching their full potential and empowering the communities in which they live. These key challenges include Fatherlessness, the “school-to-prison” pipeline, recidivism, violence, lack of real-life options, unequal or lack of access to mental and physical health resources and support services, hunger, poverty, homelessness, unemployment, and ethnic and religious intolerance. In the United States, the International Day of Prayer for Men and Boys launches the nation’s observance of International Men’s Day (www.internationalmensday.com) which is observed in over 82 nations on 19 November of each year and celebrates and honors the contributions and selfless sacrifices that Men make to our families, our communities, and our world.
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