Many of our mentees spend the Holidays alone. Family
connections are often times frayed and friends are inconsistent at best. For
some of our mentees, this will be their first Christmas in years not spent
either on the streets or behind bars.
This is true for one of our Craine House mentees, Shy (not
real name). I recently met Shy during one of our Trusted Mentors Recognition
Night events when she accepted an award from her mentor, Mary. Shy confidently took
the microphone from her mentor’s hands and launched into a heartfelt message of
gratitude. “Mary sees me for me. She doesn’t see me as a number, as a criminal,
as an ex-offender. She sees me for who I truly am.” Shy so eloquently
verbalized the value of the mentoring relationship that I quickly tracked her
down after the event to ask for an interview.
I met Shy a week later at her then home, the
Craine House. The Craine House is one of our agency partners that provides
a secure and structured environment
where women serve their sentences for non-violent felonies. It offers a
unique and positive environment in which preschool children may live with their mothers.
At 27,
Shy has lived many lives, and has the wisdom to show for it. She’s birthed two
children, spent years incarcerated in state prisons and has moved from a tiny
rural town to a bustling urban community.
In
exactly seven days, Shy will begin a new chapter of her life. She will move
into an apartment, along with her two kids, while maintaining the job she’s
held while living at the Craine House. “I’m mostly nervous about how my
children (ages five and eight) are going to react.” Since they were ages five
and two, her children have been raised back in her small rural hometown by
their grandmother.
When
asked how having a mentor has helped her to stay positive and focused while in
the Craine House, Shy spoke of the enduring value of friendship. “At first, I
mostly wanted a mentor to get out in the community.” It didn’t take long for Shy and Mary’s
mentoring relationship to blossom. “I love having Mary in my life. She’s not
like a counselor or case manager. She shares her life with me. She’s a true
friend. It’s great knowing you have someone you can trust and have freedom to
be yourself with.”
Mary and Shy have indeed explored the community. Shy shared a story
about a special outing that Margo planned as a surprise for her mentee. Shy
shared, “Mary doesn’t like the outdoors, but she knows I do.” Mary planned a day hike around the
IMA’s 100 Acres Woods one sunny fall day. Shy says that Mary was out of her
comfort zone: “She hates nature and bugs… She planned this outing because she
knew it was something I’d enjoy. That meant a lot.”
As Shy makes the transition from the Craine House to self-sufficiency,
she is thankful to have her Trusted Mentor, Mary, as a support and friend along
the way. Shy knows that she’s not alone on this journey. We are thankful that
this Christmas will truly be a bright one for Shy and her family. We are thankful
for Mary and all the mentors who make a difference.
