The Northeast Potter's House (TNPH) Supports Inmates Giving Back
The prison outreach team and the members of The Northeast Potter's House (www.TNPH.org), a Christian bible church and ministry in Westchester, NY, continues to support the woman of the Westchester based Bedford Hills Woman's Correctional Facility through personal visitation, Christ-centered visitation in an envelope, as well as donations of literature, bibles and medical unit wish list supplies. The Northeast Potter's House strives to inspire these woman ever upward.
For many inmates, faith-based support from the outside and inside is vital. Equally vital to inmates and our community is ongoing training and support for their eventual release back into our communities.
But as The Northeast Potter's House often witnesses when visiting the correctional facility, Labrador retrievers are often seen with inmates as part of a program where a select group of woman are giving back to soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan in our communities throughout the United States through The Puppies Behind Bars Program.
Initiated at The Bedford Hills Correctional Facility (New York's only woman's maximum security prison) in 1997, man's best friend goes to jail. Puppies are raised in the cells with select woman who attend rigorous training programs which teach them how to care for all the dogs daily needs as well as train the dogs to perform over 50 simple to more advanced commands. These commands enable the dogs to support the blind, autistic and more recently disabled soldiers.
Pastor Jennifer Ferreyra states, "As we hear the stories of our soldiers coming back from war, many cannot yet go into public alone as they are startled by someone approaching from behind or fear going near high rise buildings due to traumatic recollection that windows might blow out. The dogs are trained to assist the soldiers through commands, actions and expressions which include walking backward to alert the soldier to someone approaching from behind, or to act as a barrier between a high rise building and the soldier. It is our pleasure to work with these woman and even more pleasure to see them give back."
Recently, a chocolate Labrador retriever named Meghan was placed with a soldier in his twenties returning from Afghanistan after several tours of duty. The assignment of Meghan was especially well received as the soldier had befriended a chocolate Labrador retriever during the war.
The dogs are offered free of charge to recipients, but the year the woman pour into these dogs is just priceless for our soldiers, our communities and for the inmate.
Please consider sowing seed toward the TNPH prison outreach at www.TNPH.org.