Webinar Topic: America on Fire! A racial equity conversation
Thursday, June 4, 2020, 6:00 pm (ET)
Webinar sponsored by the Southern Conference of the UCC
To attend, contact Jane Smith for the Zoom meeting information
Featured Presenter: Rev. LaShauna Austria is the Southern Conference Minister for Racial Equality and Justice
This webinar is part of the SOC's series Educating, Equipping and Empowering.
Here is a bio of Rev. Austria borrowed from the Rotary Club website:
LaShauna Austria Executive Director of Benevolence Farms
LaShauna grew up in Alamance County. She went to Alexander Wilson, then Southern Middle, then Southern High School. She joined the Army for a short while and then came back to Alamance County. She is married with four children. She is also a pastor for the United Church of Christ in Asheboro and she recently bought land in the southern part of the county to fulfill her dream of becoming a farmer. LaShauna became involved with Benevolence Farm four years ago. She was initially on the board; but was asked to become director when the previous director stepped down.
Benevolence Farm is a re-entry program for women leaving the NC prison system. It is only for women who have been incarcerated in the North Carolina prison system. It is located on Highway 87 in Southern Alamance on 13 acres.
https://alamancerotary.org/april-16-2019-lashauna-austria-executive-director-of-benevolence-farms/
They offer housing and employment for women who do not have these opportunities because of their incarceration record. They pay a living wage, $10 an hour. Many of these women have a history of substance abuse and/or mental illness. Around 90% suffer from mental illness.
LaShauna said as a community we need to do a better job of wrapping our arms around these women and providing them with the services they need. The farm provides things like emotional/psychological counseling, lessons in financial budgeting, writing a resume, and connecting them with outside resources such as Wheels for Hope, Mental Health, Second Chance landlords, and Second Chance employers.
The Farm can house and employ up to 6 women. The women are allowed to stay for up to 2 years. The Farm grows and sells their produce and makes products from the herbs and plants they grow. They make fabulous soaps, lotions, and rubs.
To learn more go to www.benevolencefarm.org.
Thursday, June 4, 2020, 6:00 pm (ET)
Webinar sponsored by the Southern Conference of the UCC
To attend, contact Jane Smith for the Zoom meeting information
Featured Presenter: Rev. LaShauna Austria is the Southern Conference Minister for Racial Equality and Justice
This webinar is part of the SOC's series Educating, Equipping and Empowering.
LaShauna Austria Executive Director of Benevolence Farms
LaShauna grew up in Alamance County. She went to Alexander Wilson, then Southern Middle, then Southern High School. She joined the Army for a short while and then came back to Alamance County. She is married with four children. She is also a pastor for the United Church of Christ in Asheboro and she recently bought land in the southern part of the county to fulfill her dream of becoming a farmer. LaShauna became involved with Benevolence Farm four years ago. She was initially on the board; but was asked to become director when the previous director stepped down.
Benevolence Farm is a re-entry program for women leaving the NC prison system. It is only for women who have been incarcerated in the North Carolina prison system. It is located on Highway 87 in Southern Alamance on 13 acres.
https://alamancerotary.org/april-16-2019-lashauna-austria-executive-director-of-benevolence-farms/
They offer housing and employment for women who do not have these opportunities because of their incarceration record. They pay a living wage, $10 an hour. Many of these women have a history of substance abuse and/or mental illness. Around 90% suffer from mental illness.
LaShauna said as a community we need to do a better job of wrapping our arms around these women and providing them with the services they need. The farm provides things like emotional/psychological counseling, lessons in financial budgeting, writing a resume, and connecting them with outside resources such as Wheels for Hope, Mental Health, Second Chance landlords, and Second Chance employers.
The Farm can house and employ up to 6 women. The women are allowed to stay for up to 2 years. The Farm grows and sells their produce and makes products from the herbs and plants they grow. They make fabulous soaps, lotions, and rubs.
To learn more go to www.benevolencefarm.org.