Agency Details:

Alternative Directions, Inc.

Alternative Directions, Inc. (ADI) was founded in 1979 to serve individuals whose lives have been oppressed by poverty. A statewide organization, ADI is dedicated to helping inmates, ex-offenders, and others in need to become contributing members of our community through civil legal assistance, advocacy, and transitional services.

Description:
The Alternative Directions Mentoring Program is an extension of the Alternative Directions mission. As a component of the re-integration services provided by Alternative Directions, the Mentoring Program provides a child(ren) of an incarcerated individual with a volunteer mentor from the local community to reduce the likelihood that the child will follow in the footsteps of incarceration.

According to the Child Welfare League of America, children whose parents are in prison are at risk for gang affiliation, low academic achievement, teen pregnancy, and drug use/abuse. They are also likely to become incarcerated later: a tenth of these children will be detained before they turn 18, and up to half of the boys whose parents have been incarcerated will themselves be incarcerated.

Good mentors can help children improve social and cognitive skills by building trust and strengthening personal relationships. Mentors can be role models, confidants and emotionally supportive advocates. Alternative Directions’ CHIP program addresses the need children of prisoners have for positive adult role models in the community by supporting and establishing mentoring programs.

The primary purpose of the program is to provide a time-limited mentoring relationship that will motivate and support the child in through positive behavior and respectful community living.

The mentoring relationship is a dynamic, reciprocal relationship which is mutually beneficial to the mentor and the child(ren).

History:
Alternative Directions, Inc. was established in 1979 after being a department of Maryland New Directions. It was incorporated to meet the overwhelming need incarcerated women have for civil legal assistance. Our services have grown 600-fold since then, as we now extend our services to incarcerated men and low-income individuals.

Contact people:

Jessica Turral, Program Coordinator, (phone), (email) Michelle Kelly, Executive Director, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (410) 889-5092

Address:

2505 North Charles Street Baltimore, MD 21239 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.alternativedirectionsinc.org

Directions:

We are located on the corner of 25th avenue and Charles street on the NE side. We are across the street from the Safeway on 25th ave and our office is located on the second floor of the building.   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: North Avenue Lightrail Stop,   Walk distance (in minutes): 15   Nearest Bus Stop: Bus #3 Stop at 25th & Charles, 1 minute walk

Last updated on September 17, 2009