Riverside House’s 2015 Christmas event for its clients was anything but typical. From our holiday hour prior to dinner to the toy giveaway, it was indeed a special evening! The festivities began before the social hall opened with a “holiday hour” in which our clients were invited to spend time with their families in a […]
On February 29, the ICCA (International Corrections and Prisons Association) held a Public Policy Forum in Washington, D.C. to discuss current trends and pending legislation impacting community corrections. The forum featured community and criminal justice leaders from both private and public sectors, including Mr. Cleveland Bell, the executive director at Riverside House in Miami. […]
After serving 13 years in prison, 41-year-old Martina Fernandez was eager to make a positive change. In 2007, she made the commitment get clean from drugs and begin a better life for God. Her transition from prison to Riverside House has only helped to reinforce her dedication to getting on the right track. One of […]
The purpose of Riverside House is to guide men and women convicted of crime into becoming productive citizens through a nondenominational, faith-based approach. Many of our clients that have come through the facility have left with skills and confidence necessary to enter society again. One such client is *Andrea Olson. After being at Riverside House […]
Reentry isn’t easy, period. When returning to society after prison, health problems and deep psychological issues can complicate a healthy transition back into society. Sixty-one year old returning citizen *Jerry Jenkins has been at Riverside House for two months. He is currently working on maintaining his health due to his long-term battle with diabetes. On […]
As a residential reentry center in Miami, we are all too familiar with the adjustment that our clients face not just in preparing for reentry, but also in transitioning from prison to life at a halfway house. Many of our clients, both men and women, are initially nervous because they don’t know what to expect. […]
Ending up in prison for most is a tragic or traumatic experience, but for our own *Johnathan Smith it was a lifesaver. Mr. Smith has been at Riverside House since March of this year as a BPO inmate. Upon first glance he can seem quite intimidating, having a tall and muscular build, but on the […]
The power of God’s love never ceases to amaze us. When our clients give their life to Him and begin to take action to change their lives for the better, remarkable things begin to occur for them. Their lives are forever altered giving them a much better change at a successful reentry as a returning […]
Here at Riverside House, we often express how happy we are for the alumni of our program, but we should also mention that we are also very excited for the positive changes and growth of our current residents and clients. A couple of our clients sat down with our Chaplain and gave their stories of […]
Here at Riverside House, we are fortunate to have amazing clients who send us notes and stories about their successes in reentry back into their lives and communities, especially with regards to finding employment. We are so proud to share these stories with you. Here is a note we received from a client who wanted […]
