Dismas House
Address:
City: Burlington, East Allen, Hartford, Rutland
State/Territory: Vermont
Country: United States
Website: https://www.dismasofvt.org/
Description: Dismas of Vermont provides a supportive community for people leaving incarceration and trauma through family-style and step-down transitional housing that emphasizes relationship-building with community volunteers, college students, and international volunteers. Living in community actualizes the Dismas of Vermont mission of reconciliation and continues the original 1974 Dismas House of Nashville (TN) model.
Dismas can be described as a “family-like” community, with structured and supportive daily rhythms in our transitional homes. There is a spirit of openness and participation in consensus decision-making by all members of the Dismas community, which sometimes includes students and international volunteers. International volunteers connect with Dismas through the Volunteers for Peace Program and live in a Dismas home for three to six months, supporting house staff. Many countries have been represented: France, Germany, Spain, Japan, Russia, England, Belgium, and many others. It is a great learning experience for both residents and volunteers.
Life at Dismas follows the natural rhythms of family life. During the day, Dismas residents go to work and/or to school. In the evening, everyone shares the evening meal. Afterward, they might attend 12-step meetings, study, help with chores, prepare for the next day, reconnect with their families, relax, or socialize.
The evening meal is the centerpiece of the day, where community building takes place. One of the chief ingredients is the presence of our volunteer cooks. As they come month after month, they become an important part of the Dismas community. If the residential community and staff can be likened to the nuclear family, the volunteer cooks are the extended family: cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.
Creating community at Dismas is central to our mission. The presence of students and the many volunteers communicates a critical message to residents: “I care enough about you that I will spend some part of my life in relationship with you.” It is a message of acceptance rather than rejection, and of inclusion rather than separation.
Each house has a small staff responsible for interviewing and accepting residents, working with residents and volunteers to create community, and providing residents with individual support, guidance, and a connection to social services when needed.
Placement Type:
Adult Services,
Forensic/Criminal Justice,
Group Work,
Residential Services