2022 Highlights + We're Hiring!

Happy New Year from relink.org! We are thankful for the many connections we made in the past year and look forward to making a positive impact in 2023.

2022 Highlights

• 131,287 community resource linkages.
• Launching relink.org in all ODRC correctional institutions for returning citizens.
• Creating an anti-human trafficking directory for Appalachia Ohio. Please reach out to our team at info@relink.org if you would like a copy.
• Launching the Family Resources category on the relink.org database.
• Hosting 11 webinars with discussion on addiction recovery, human trafficking, and mental health.

Reentry was the highest-searched category on relink.org in 2022. With the launch of relink.org on tablets in ODRC facilities, many inmates have been able to plan their lives after their release. We are happy to see so many individuals find reentry resources on our site.

Addiction was the next-highest searched category. Since we began work in 2017, the relink.org team has been passionate about helping the addiction recovery community. We are planning several recovery events and meetings in the coming year, so stay tuned for details on how to attend.

We're Hiring!

We are looking to hire an Administrative Assistant/Data Entry Specialist to join our team. The ideal candidate will have a passion for helping others and a desire to make an impact in their community.

If you would like to work with a dedicated group of people looking to help those in need, please reach out to our Data Project Manager Bill Picha at wpicha@relink.org.

January Is Human Trafficking Month

The relink.org team has been busy this month participating and supporting events around the state that help human trafficking victims find freedom and new lives. We have several initiatives planned for human trafficking month. Our team will be:

• Hosting part-3 of our human trafficking webinar series. 1 Social Work CEU will be awarded to participants.
• Participating in ODRC's Tuesday Talks focusing on anti-human trafficking resources.
• Attending Dear Dinah event in Dayton.
• Advertising and distributing Appalachia Ohio anti-human trafficking directories.
• Sharing anti-human trafficking resources.

Upcoming Human Trafficking Webinar

Human Trafficking Summit 2023

Each year, the Ohio Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Summit brings together survivors, social workers, victim advocates, police officers, lawyers, prosecutors, judges and other community stakeholders to learn how various disciplines are succeeding in the battle against trafficking.

Registration for the 2023 Human Trafficking Summit – scheduled for Jan. 26, 2023, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center – has limited seats. There is also an option to attend virtually. Online attendees will have their own set of workshops.

The summit cost, whether attending in person or online, is $50 per person. The deadline to register for the summit virtually is Jan. 17. If you have any questions, please email HTI@OhioAGO.gov.

Eligible attendees will be able to receive up to 4.5 Continuing Education Credits. Credits have been applied for through the Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board, Ohio Nursing Board, and the Supreme Court of Ohio.

Additional anti-human trafficking resources

• Survivors Against Familial Exploitation: https://www.safe4us.org/
• The Avery Center: https://theaverycenter.org/
• Navigating the Unique Complexities of Familial Trafficking: https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Navigating-the-Unique-Complexities-in-Familial-Trafficking_LOW.pdf
• Complex PTSD: https://cptsdfoundation.org
• ACEs: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html
• Cult & Ritual Abuse: https://www.icsahome.com/home
• DID: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9792-dissociative-identity-disorder-multiple-personality-disorder
• Mindfulness tutorials: www.frea.support
• Anti-human trafficking advocate Angela Clark's Trauma Anniversary Worksheet: https://angelaraeclark.com/survivorsrise/

To find more anti-trafficking resources in Ohio, please visit the relink.org needs page

Recovery is Happening: Stories of Hope

When we go into a youth correctional facility to share about relink.org, it makes our hearts sink. We see so many kids with amazing potential who are making poor choice after poor choice. Some of them struggle with anger, some of them have had very difficult upbringings, and some of them are hurting so deeply you can see it in their eyes.

When we share that we have thousands of resources that they can look through in the zip code where they will return, their eyes start to light up. They start asking questions like "Can I look for places hiring?" or "We do not have enough food at my mom's house. Can I find food pantries? What about clothes?" Every time the answer is yes, you can find that on relink.org, you can start seeing their eyes looking brighter, their smile getting bigger, and the HOPE in their heart swelling for a better future. At relink.org, our desire is to play a part in this being the start of good choice after good choice. 

In 2023, relink.org would like to receive and share stories of hope, not just from youth but from all those that have something to share. If you or anyone you know would like to share a story of hope, please click here.

Partner Connections

Every month, we like to feature an organizations working in the community that is part of the relink.org database. This month we had the chance to connect with the team at 180 Demo. 180 Demo is a professional demolition company in Columbus, Ohio. They are a passionate, fair-chance employer that creates a pipeline from prison to the construction trades.

180 Demo provides full-time, supportive employment with no background restrictions on who they hire. They provide training and safety equipment so their crews can complete the demolition projects on time and safely. Other advantages of working with 180 Demo include:

• "New Directions" Professional and Personal Development training
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• Computer skills training available and OSHA certification offered
• Housing assistance and Drivers License reinstatement assistance

If you are interested in applying for a job, please visit their careers page to fill out an application.

To find more reentry resource across Ohio, visit the relink.org needs page