Friends,

For many of us Christmas has lost some of its enchantement. We are busy
with decorations and food preparation and wrapping gifts. It’s not that we
aren’t grateful for the birth of Jesus but that we have so much and most of
those around us also have so much.

Last year Friends Over Fences hosted a Christmas Party on Christmas Day for
ex-offenders who have no where to go on Christmas and we were joined by
some of our volunteers. We had a great meal at Old Country Buffet on
Linglestown Road and then we had gifts for our friends.

[image: Inline image 1]

It was such a good time we want to do it again this year.

If you are available on Christmas Day please join us. If you know an
ex-offender who may enjoy celebrating with us, please let us know

If you would like to help you can:
.
Look around your office or den and see if you could repurpose a gift.

Gift Cards make a great gift and work so much better than cash….Giant,
Weis, Walmart or Target?

Donate the cost of a meal for an an inmate or two.

We will be collecting Christmas cookies again to take to the saints at
Perry County Prison.

Thank you for all your support and Friends Over Fences hopes your Christmas
is Merry!

Stephen

Stephen Sands, Co-Director
Family Circle Ministries D/B/A Friends Over Fences
a 501 (c) 3 non-profit
1601 Susan Lane
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
Cell – 717-439-0466
*ssands@friendsoverfences.org <ssands@familycircleministries.org> *

*Do you buy on Amazon? Follow this link AmazonSmile
will donate $$ to Family Circle
Ministries. No cost to you but support for those serving inmates and
ex-offenders.*

“Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can
and should be and
he will become as he can and should be.”
― Stephen R. Covey
, *The 7 Habits
of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
*

Friends,

We are viewing some videos that one of our supporters, Sandra Jamison,
recommended.

“After the Pen” and “Beyond Incarceration
”

Here are some good article too.

*How Churches Change the Equation for Life After Prison*
www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2016/september/life-after-prison.html

*Does Your Church Talk About Prison?*
www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2016/september/does-your-church-talk-about-prison.html

*Our Back-from-Prison Family*
In the suburbs of Chicago, a growing community gathers around those
released from prison—and those headed back in.
www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2016/september/our-back-from-prison-family.html

Come out and join us and invite a friend!

Thank you,

Stephen Sands, Co-Director
Family Circle Ministries D/B/A Friends Over Fences
a 501 (c) 3 non-profit
1601 Susan Lane
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
Cell – 717-439-0466
*ssands@friendsoverfences.org <ssands@familycircleministries.org> *

*Do you buy on Amazon? Follow this link AmazonSmile
will donate $$ to Family Circle
Ministries. No cost to you but support for those serving inmates and
ex-offenders.*

“Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can
and should be and he will become as he can and should be.”
― Stephen R. Covey
, *The 7 Habits
of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
*

Friends,

This week’s meeting we will be discussing Voting with a Criminal Record.

Plus we will review and update our Celebrations.

And to end the meeting we will talk about our housing needs and how we may
be able to get others to help.

Thank you,

Stephen Sands, Co-Director
Family Circle Ministries D/B/A Friends Over Fences
a 501 (c) 3 non-profit
1601 Susan Lane
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
Cell – 717-439-0466
*ssands@friendsoverfences.org <ssands@familycircleministries.org> *

“Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can
and should be and
he will become as he can and should be.”
― Stephen R. Covey
, *The 7 Habits
of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
*

Friends,

Please join us in helping to end solitary confinement.

Faith Leader Sign On: Urge Gov. Wolf to Work with Us to End the Torture of
Solitary Confinement

It is estimated that 80,000 to 100,000 incarcerated persons,
disproportionately adults and youth of color, are held in conditions of
solitary confinement nationwide on any given day. That number does not
include people in local jails, juvenile facilities, or in military and
immigration detention, and it does not tell you their names nor their
stories. It does tell the story of a social moral crisis.

www.pachurchesadvocacy.org/faith-leader-sign-on-urge-gov-wolf-to-work-with-us-to-end-the-torture-of-solitary-confinement/

ALSO ; One of the issues of the working poor and ex-offenders is lack of
affordable transportation. Many must resort to shysters who through
inflated prices and high interest rates end up paying way too much for a
vehicle (i.e. paying over $8,000 for a car worth $2300 at $360 per month)
If you have a reliable vehicle that you are thinking about selling or
trading, would you consider donating it to Friends Over Fences for a tax
deduction? We will cover all costs for the transfer and someone will get a
blessing that will allow them to get to work.

Please contact us if we can help in any manner.

Blessings,
Stephen

Stephen Sands, Co-Director
Family Circle Ministries D/B/A Friends Over Fences
a 501 (c) 3 non-profit
1601 Susan Lane
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
Cell – 717-439-0466
*ssands@friendsoverfences.org <ssands@familycircleministries.org> *

*Do you buy on Amazon? Follow this link AmazonSmile
will donate $$ to Family Circle
Ministries. No cost to you but support for those serving inmates and
ex-offenders.*

“Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can
and should be and
he will become as he can and should be.”
― Stephen R. Covey
, *The 7 Habits
of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
*

Friends,

Keith is out of town and I had surgery on my hand yesterday and starting
rehab Wednesday morning. That wouldn’t be an issue but when I am given
steriods I get terrible hiccups that last for up to three days…and Yes, I
warned them

Thank you,

Stephen

If you are involved with ex-offenders or even writing to inmates consider
this free training.

Blessings
Stephen

FREE MENTOR TRAINING
View this email in your browser


Mentors First Friday At Christian Churches United

*Mental Health and Mentoring*
May 6, 2016, 6 to 8:30 p.m., Free Pizza and Beverage
Christian Churches United
413 S. 19th St., Harrisburg
(Use GYM Entrance 1909 Kensington St.)
*Wondering about how to handle what appears to be mental health issues?*

– Resources Available
– Tips for handling mental health issues
– Signs to look for

Instructor: David DeSantos, Director of Dauphin County Crisis Intervention
Emergency Mental Health Services. He has had 19 years employed in the field

Who Should Attend:

– Anyone mentoring or befriending returning citizens
– Successful Ex-Offenders
– Parole Officers
– Pastors and Religious Leaders
– Interested persons
– Persons being mentored

The “First Fridays College for Mentors” is a partnership effort between the
Capital Region Ex-Offender Support Coalition (CRESC) and Christian Churches
United (CCU). For more information or to register go to CRESC Website at
www.reentrynow.org or contact Larry Coleman at 717-512-2718 or
ChapLarry@verizon.net

For information on future offerings, register for mailings at
www.reentrynow.org.

Friends, Come out to our meeting tonight and participate in the discussion.
–keith

Keith Sultzbaugh, Co-Director of Friend Over Fences

Member of Pennsylvania Prison Society

CRESC Housing Committee Chair

Capital Region Ex-offenders Support Coalition Board Member

Cell: 717-580-7426

Email: keith.friendsoverfences@gmail.com

FRIENDS-OVER-FENCES-Opportunities-03-16-16.doc

Dear Friends,In the past we were able to email inmates through jPay. The
state cancelled that service in favor of ConnectNetwork and GTL.
If the inmate purchases the Tablet for $147 and the inmate and
family/friends have paid into the account, the inmate can email approved
family/friends.
See the attached for this new program details.
You can still send money in inmates if you wish through jPay.
You can also send gifts of food via www.accesscatalog.com
Thank you,
Stephen Sands, Co-Director
Family Circle Ministries D/B/A Friends Over Fences
a 501 (c) 3 non-profit
1601 Susan Lane
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
Cell – 717-439-0466
*ssands@friendsoverfences.org <ssands@familycircleministries.org> *

gtl-tablet.pdf

Friends,

Joshua Vaugh wrote a good article about Friends Over Fences for the front
page of the Carlisle Sentinel called “Group aims to break cycle of
incarceration”

You can read it at:
cumberlink.com/news/local/closer_look/midstate-group-aims-to-break-the-cycle-of-homeless-and/article_a794131c-8b17-5a3c-909d-67f0c0a670e4.html

As you can see, we are using a new email system which will give us better
options and service.

Thank you,
Stephen

Stephen Sands, Co-Director
Family Circle Ministries D/B/A Friends Over Fences
a 501 (c) 3 non-profit
1601 Susan Lane
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
Cell – 717-439-0466
ssands@friendsoverfences.org

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