The River City Givers recently presented Sheriff C.T. Woody, Jr with a donation for the non-profit REAL Life, a program designed to support the efforts of Sheriff Woody’s Recovering from Everyday Addictive Lifestyles (REAL) Program. The check, in the amount of $5,300, was presented to the Sheriff, as well as Program Director, Dr. Sarah Scarbrough and the Internal Program staff, to bolster rehabilitation, recovery, and re-entry efforts post release.
“REAL Life is there to help those residents who participated in the REAL Program once they leave the Richmond Justice Center,” said Sheriff Woody. “These men and women face many obstacles once they are released; just because they are out of jail does not mean that their lives will automatically get better. While they have been given a great foundation through their work in the REAL Program, many of these residents have no choice but to return to the same environment they were in before they became incarcerated.”
“That is why REAL Life exists,” Sheriff Woody continued. “This program was created as a means to continue supporting the men and women post-incarceration. It has been a critical component to their success after release, as a means to assist in overcoming the many obstacles they face daily. While much of the assistance is through support and referrals, there is a financial component necessary for things like transportation, housing scholarships, and job training. We are extremely grateful for this generous donation from River City Givers; it will be put to good use, and will benefit the Richmond community in the long run.”
Dr. Scarbrough was also thrilled with the award. “We are so excited and honored to have received this donation,” she said. “The recognition that REAL Life has received not only from River City Givers, but from other individuals and groups in the Richmond area is proof that rehabilitation and recovery programs like these can and do work when implemented properly. The impact of these programs is felt not just by those who have been incarcerated, but their families – their parents, their children, and their neighbors. We look forward to working with River City Givers and their partners in the future.”
“River City Givers is thrilled to support the amazing work of the REAL Life Program,” said Angie Strickland, co-founder of River City Givers. “After a powerful presentation by one of our members, Nikki Nicholau, our membership voted to support this organization at our April meeting and we are excited to help further their mission.”
River City Givers is a local giving circle of women who support the greater Richmond community by contributing to local charities together, as a large group, to greatly increase the impact of their donations. To learn more about River City Givers or to apply to become a member, visit their website: http://www.rivercitygivers.com/.