Our mission is to nurture, protect, encourage and assist men and women transition from incarceration to the community. Our goal is to create a positive support system and community family for the released individual by utilizing faith based institutions and community resources. Our focus is to build these relationships during incarceration increasing the possibility of successful re-entry thus reducing recidivism.
Massachusetts Community Outreach Initiative (MCOI) is a Boston based non-profit organization that is a liaison to church and community agencies for confined adult offenders. The mission is to nurture, protect, encourage and assist men and women as they transition from incarceration to the community. MCOI’s vision is to provide clients with a greater opportunity to succeed by utilizing church and community agency resources to provide a positive spiritual support system. In our initial phase, MCOI will receive referrals from Department of Corrections (DOC) chaplains in conjunction with the Department of Corrections Treatment Directors of individuals seeking a change in their lives spiritually.
MCOI identifies, encourages, and promotes the individual’s talents and skills to build the individuals’ faith in self-sufficiency and individualism. While providing support, training, and updates of the individual institutional visits for the respective churches and community agencies. Our goal is create a positive support system and community family around the released individual that will ease their transition into society, and reduce the rate of recidivism.
Our target population includes male offenders’ ages 25 yrs. and older moderate to high risk releasing to Suffolk County currently incarcerated in Massachusetts Correctional Institutions. This population was chosen because of the solid partnership developed through the experience and expertise of its founder coupled with the community focus and a concern for community violence. According to the MA Department of Corrections, this target population (i.e. those in the age group of 25-29) is the largest incarcerated cohort. In 2011, the number of releases to Suffolk County was over 60% higher than any other city in the Commonwealth. Also, many programs have focused on the younger population leaving the target population to the correctional institutions and court system. Reportedly, there are over 300 youth organizations in the City of Boston.
Our collaboration with the Department of Corrections and subsequent, pilot program at the Boston Pre-Release Center (BPRC) can be viewed as our initial success as an organization. We conduct weekly sessions geared towards providing the men with faith, self awareness and confidence in their ability. The positive results and feedback opened the door for other DOC facilities.
During this past fiscal year MCOI increased its volunteer pool significantly. This boost is partially due to the success of our first Women’s Day luncheon. The luncheon highlighted women that have survived and overcome life threatening adversity including but not limited to incarceration.
MCOI was a grantee recipient from the Gloria Dei Foundation which allowed us to expand our reach via internet, website, and social media.
We are extremely excited about the upcoming year. We look forward to starting the program in Massachusetts Correction Institute (MCI) Shirley this fall. It will represent our first foray into a medium security facility at the program level.
We have scheduled a men’s revival to capitalize on the success of the Women’s Day Luncheon which touched many people in ways we had not anticipated. The shared stories of divine intervention in life and death situations revealed an appetite and a yearning for more modern day miracles. We will utilize the revival to share many more stories that have been revealed to MCOI through our relationships to touch the hearts of many, and recruit people to help transform communities from the inside out.
The DOC executives conduct bi-monthly dialogue session with its volunteers to discuss real issues and innovative ways to improve the system. The CEO has been invited to join these sessions after the summer break giving MCOI an opportunity promote its mission and vision.
MCOI has supported the DOC’s application for the Bureau of Justice’s Second Chance Act Mentoring Grant. Our goal is to become a vendor under this solicitation.
2) Funding for ADE tracking database and two new computers= 10k. The database allows the organization the opportunity to track clients, volunteers, and assisting agencies as well as produce a variety of assessments.
3) Funding for the Executive Director and Program Director salary 75K. Both are currently providing full-time efforts to the continued advancement and development of the organization without pay.
4) Finances for day to day operations= 50k i.e. utilities, supplies, incidentals annual dues and fees.
5) Board member(s) =to strengthen and revitalize board participation in overall vision and mission of the organization.
The Massachusetts Community Outreach Initiative (MCOI) is a culmination of the experiences and lessons of its founder and CEO Eustace Payne, Jr. Having spent twenty-five years in what can be described as the misery of other people’s lives has trained my emotional, mental, and spiritual being that people need to feel loved and cared for. Working in the Department of Youth Services, the Department of Social Services, Boston Municipal Court and U.S. District Court has provided me with the expertise, empathy, and understanding for this faith based vision.
As a social worker in the Department of Social Services, one must assess the needs of the family taking into consideration numerous social factors before designing a case plan for implementation. A probation officer in the Boston Municipal Court assesses the risk vs. need factors of a given individual always being mindful of public safety. A probation officer in the U.S. District Court combines social work by assessing the needs of the individual in consideration of their family, neighborhood, and public safety. In U.S. District Court, a court report is written for the sentencing process it is then forwarded to the probation officer. This report details the personal, educational, and family history of the individual prior to an initial meeting. This proactive approach allows for a more aggressive plan before the problems materialize. For example; your doctor will advise preventative medicine today to circumvent potential serious illness down the road.
MCOI takes this progressive approach with its clients before they are released from the Department of Corrections (DOC). We have partnered with the DOC and conduct weekly sessions in designated facilities. Our referrals come from DOC chaplains. These DOC chaplains work under extremely adverse circumstances to change the minds and hearts of their incarcerated congregation; however who continues to support these individuals spiritually upon their release?
We do. MCOI spends time building relationships to identify, encourage, and promote the individual talents and skills to strengthen their faith in self-sufficiency and in their God given ability. While providing support, training, and updates for the respective churches and community agencies partners regarding the sessions within in the DOC facilities. MCOI’s goal is to create a positive support system and community family around the released individual that will ease their transition into society, and reduce the rate of recidivism.
From the governance perspective what can be viewed as a challenge and a success is that as the founder and CEO is still the Board Chairman. One perspective could argue that an organization with a distinct and unique approach needs consistent leadership until it has been firmly established while an opposing viewpoint is that the organization could be limiting its opportunity for growth and diversity by having the same leadership in place. To its credit, the Board has discussed the issue at length and agreed that the consistency is necessary at this stage.
The Department of Corrections (DOC) Chaplains have been very receptive and confirmed that there is a tremendous need for follow up with inmates and MCOI’s intervention provides validation for the work of the chaplains. DOC policy does not allow the chaplains to contact inmates once they are released. As a result, we’ve been invited to other facilities; however we are cautious about growing too fast. Another challenge that has become evident is that each facility is as different from each other as one child is from another. We must tailor our program to the uniqueness of the facility. For example: At the Boston Pre-release Center (BPRC), many of the individuals leave the facility for work, school, and looking for work. Due to this fact, we are able to deal with conflicts and potential struggles that have become evident as they are reintegrating. While the individuals at Northeastern Correctional Center (also a pre-release center) in Concord are more sheltered and less distracted vs. BPRC. As a result, sessions at BPRC are more direct and aggressive. We anticipate starting in Massachusetts Correctional Institution (MCI) Shirley by fall, a medium security facility with walls, and barb wire where freedom is limited. Neither BPRC nor NCC has walls or barb wire. The cookie cutter approach i.e. presenting the same program in the same manner would not be effective.
I became involved in MCOI because in my previous occupations, I found that people respond to love, caring, and discipline like that of a good parent. Our caring means that there are expectations of success and excuses are just the things we overcome. We show them that the difficult life that they may have had led has provided them with the strength to succeed. For example; one woman acknowledged that she had faced death at least twice and the question was purposed, “If you have faced death then how scary is a job interview?” Translation, the necessary strength was within her she merely needed to access and utilize it. Life is difficult and we want build mentally strong and committed individuals to become part the solution instead of part of the problem.
Our approach has attracted volunteers from many different walks of life from a vice president of a communications company to a founder of a professional writing company, not to mention several individuals that have turned their lives around. The challenge has been to train each individual and place them in the best place for them to be successful.
Our primary geographic focus is individuals that will reside in Suffolk County which is considered part of the Greater Boston Area. According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2008, the population of Suffolk County is estimated to be 732,684. Economically speaking, the poverty rates for Suffolk County are the lowest in Massachusetts; its median household income is the third lowest in Massachusetts. However, we have worked with inmates releasing to other areas within the Commonwealth.
Massachusetts Community Outreach Initiative is a faith-based mentoring program designed to aid men and women as they transition from incarceration back into the community. The organization does not have any isolated programs within the program. The development plan for the organization would likely include family mentoring as well as a job search and soft skills training.
Evaluations of the program and feedback from Prison Chaplains, prove the faith based approach to mentoring to be a success. Men and women are less stress, more focused with and genuinely hopeful for change.
From a shared view point Department of Corrections (DOC) officials, DOC Chaplains, and MCOI acknowledge that a crucial step is missing. The program will provide the missing ingredient to bridge DOC services to the community and community resources.
The Community and the DOC is equally benefited by the ongoing support and efforts of MCOI. The community benefits as MCOI trained and certified mentors buffer the individuals’ re-entry experience. The DOC benefits from the intervention of MCOI to build on DOC re-entry services which cease upon the individual’s release. Programming through MCOI better prepares the individual to navigate with the obstacles that occur. In short, MCOI fills a void, the rate of recidivism is reduced, families and communities are restored.
MCOI currently conduct quarterly program evaluations in order to monitor success. For instance a survey conducted at the end of our first quarter in Boston Pre-release Center proved the initial teaching materials to be less effective. The hunger these gentlemen displayed required a custom curriculum designed for their personal collective strengths and concerns. Through hours of collaboration with MCOI program volunteers which include ministers, psychiatrists, prison chaplains and, our most valued contributors, men of God that had been previously incarcerated, a new curriculum was created.
MCOI has been invited to extend the program in multiple Department of Corrections facilities.
Rev Eustace Daniel Payne Jr.
Eustace Payne Jr. is the founder and Executive Director of the Massachusetts Community Outreach Initiative (MCOI). Mr. Payne is a graduate of Framingham State College with a Bachelors of Art in Sociology. He is currently a licentiate minister on the ministerial staff at Bethel AME church in Boston, MA. Recognizing the importance of stability as it pertains to re-entry Mr. Payne is an advocate and a voice in the community educating and assisting churches interested in developing, training and implementing prison ministries. Under the auspices of the Massachusetts Community Outreach Initiative (MCOI) Mr. Payne provides faith based leadership of integrity, maturity, and humility as he reconnects the incarcerated with their families, churches, and communities.
Mr. Payne has 21 years tenure in the Federal and State court system as a probation officer. His experience in the judicial system taught him that the standard Cognitive Behavioral Therapeutic approach although direct, is moderately effective in producing results within the target population. Consistent focus on an individual’s dysfunction by the law enforcement community, court system, correctional system, and often times family members leaves an individual in an emotionally vulnerable and abused mental state. Mr. Payne’s experience as a probation officer, as well as his experience as a Department of Social Services Case Manager has equipped him with the unique ability to advocate firmly but effectively for clients with perspective employers, continuing education facilities, churches and communities. Additionally, Mr. Payne has completed the Institute for Nonprofit Management and Leadership Certification program at Boston University School of Management.
LaShaun Shaw is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the Massachusetts Community Outreach Initiative. LaShaun was born in New Haven Connecticut, she her mother and three siblings moved to Massachusetts when she was four years old.LaShaun has 19 years of experience as the Administrative Manager at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston MA. In her tenure with the MGH Ms. Shaw was responsible for budgets, financials, grants, departmental and organizational compliance, The National Institute of Health (NIH) compliance, Joint Commission Accreditation Health Organization (JCAHO) compliance, community outreach, as well as program and project management. Ms. Shaw’s experience and responsibilities included staff and day-to-day operations management as well as new programs implementation. Ms. Shaw is a graduate of Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, MA with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration. Ms. Shaw has a Graduate Certificate in Biblical Studies from Hartford Seminary in Hartford, MA; she is currently pursuing a Masters of Arts in Spirituality with a primary focus on Women’s Leadership also at Hartford Seminary and has recently completed the Institute for Non-profit Leadership at Boston University.
Our most important collaboration is with the Department of Corrections (DOC).
Our most intimate collaboration is the home church of the ED, Bethel AME Church in Jamaica Plain. The senior Pastor, Reverend Dr. Ray Hammond has been instrumental in encouraging and supporting the vision and mission. Bethel AME is a Massachusetts Access To Recovery (MA-ATR) service provider (Massachusetts-Access to Recovery is a Federally-funded program designed to give people with substance use disorders wider access to community services to help them start or continue on the road to recovery). Through this collaboration, clients would be referred to Bethel AME to receive services ranging from basic needs, educational services, and employments services.
Many of our volunteers attend Morning Star Baptist Church (MSBC) in Mattapan. Through these volunteers, collaboration became a reality earlier this year. Minister Donald Osgood, Head of the Men’s Ministry at MSBC has been a Godsend.
We have a working relationship with Holy Tabernacle Church in Dorchester which ministers at MCI Norfolk and MCI Pondville.
Friendship Apostolic Church in Dorchester has expressed a desire to join the fold. The details have not been worked out.
We await word from the Congregation Lion De Judah of Boston.
The collaboration between the Massachusetts Community Outreach Initiative (MCOI), The Department of Corrections (DOC) Chaplains, and The Department of Corrections quickly exposed a size-able void. The need for expansion has become obvious however limited resource affect our ability to hire full-time staff, purchase computers, and offer ongoing training to staff, clients, churches and other collaboratives.
Funding also allows the CEO flexibility to build relationships and be a positive commodity within the community. This year networking opportunities opened the door for me to participate in several panel discussions in the City of Boston. The panel discussion at Andover-Newton Theological School led to collaboration with Partakers (www.partakers.org), a college behind bars program. MCOI now has clients that were accepted to the program and will begin classes with Boston University this summer.
We believe that through faith-based mentoring, love and direction under the support of the organization many more success stories can be realized.
Financial summary data in charts and graphs are per the organization's IRS 990s. Contributions from foundations and corporations are listed under individuals when the breakout was not available. Specific details about expense breakout was provided by the organization.
For FY 2011 specific information about revenue and expense totals was provided by the organization, as the Form 990-N did not contain this information.