As a unique six-bed recovery residence for women in the City of Green, Lydia’s Home has been a successful example of Restorative Justice and community collaboration for seven years.
Established in 2017, Lydia’s Home provides a mentored, curriculum-based, faith-centered recovery program for women in a safe home environment.
Akron’s Urbean Café has contributed more than $8.5 million in economic impact to Summit County, provided workforce development for more than 160 citizens, and saved Ohioans more than $4 million in direct costs since 2011.
Launched as a Restorative Justice program by Broken Chains Ministry, Urbean Café has provided workforce development for formerly incarcerated citizens since its inception.
“The Urbean Café program was designed to help overcome the employment barriers faced by returning citizens,” said Dennis Shawhan, executive director of Broken Chains Ministry.
Located in Akron’s Robert K. Pfaff Metro Transit Center, café employees have a two percent or lower recidivism rate compared to the national average of about 82 percent within 10 years, and 43 percent within one year.
Pastor Bruce and Pastor Eric from Maranatha Bible Church sat down with Tamela Shawhan this month to learn more about her calling and the mission of Lydia’s Home.
Tamela shared her story of redemption and how her experience of faith-centered recovery led to God’s call to serve other women who are recovering from substance abuse and incarceration.
Tamela recalled the story of hearing Debbie Wiseman teach about how to “trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3: 5-6) and how the faith of a mustard seed can move mountains. That day in 1999, Tamela accepted Jesus Christ as her savior.
Now, as the Operations Director of Lydia’s Home, Tamela strives to help other women enter into a faith relationship with Jesus that transforms them and makes them new creations in Christ.
In November of 2021, Chuck Baldwin’s life changed for the better. Six months before, retired business manager John Wiseman had visited his bank and talked with Chuck’s sister about Urbean Café. She told John about Chuck.
When Chuck came to stay with his sister that Thanksgiving, he met with John and was hired to work at Urbean Café before the holiday. He assumed the role of general manager upon John’s retirement.
Originally from Ohio, Chuck had relocated to South Carolina in 2001 to work for Federal Express. During his prison stay, he worked as a cook at the Criminal Justice Academy for three and a half years. Prior to that, he was a certified mechanic.
“This is more than a job to me, it’s a way to give back,” Chuck says. “I like making a positive impact, and this is a great way to do it.”
Learn about our 20-year impact, our program highlights, and how our donors, sponsors, and volunteers make a difference in the communities where we live, work, and play.
We are deeply grateful for the accomplishments we celebrate during our 20th year.
300 Discipleship Program graduates.
60,000 Bibles, New Testaments, and spiritual references distributed.
19,000 Chaplain and volunteer visits, both in-person and virtual.
80,000 Chaplain assistance responses.
1,500 Bible Study sessions & Chapel services.
20,000 Volunteer hours.
Learn more about our Restorative Justice programs and our new Sponsorship Program.
In December 2023, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office decided not to renew our partnership and office location within the Summit County Jail.
Our collaborative partnership with the Summit County Jail stretches back to 1995. As a result of this change, we were presented with new challenges and opportunities.
Learn how we are expanding existing community partnerships and forging new relationships to serve five correctional facilities and reach more recovering citizens than ever.
Kurt and Renee Cox serve as mentors, chaplains, and volunteer coordinators. They play a vital role in fulfilling our mission. Once a client has completed his or her sentence and met the legal requirements for release, we serve as advocates and liaisons to help them with necessary services for reentry.
In the last 20 years, we have helped thousands of returning citizens in cooperation with countless community partners. Thank you, Kurt and Renee, for your years of dedicated service.
The Vision That Started it All
Dennis Shawhan saw a desperate community need and heeded a spiritual calling. At the time the ministry was established, prison ministry services were disappearing. Dennis had come to faith through the outreach ministry in Summit County Jail and he wanted to share the love of God with other men and women. In studying The Great Commission highlighted in Matthew 28:18-20, he realized that his calling was to foster personal transformation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Summit County.
What started as a jail and prison ministry has expanded to include a workforce development program and a certified women’s residential recovery home. These Restorative Justice programs emphasize community collaboration, support services, identity restoration, accountability, and restitution.
