Collaborative Art Project Debut! We recently coordinated an art project in which Sponsors community members came together (virtually!) to recreate a famous work of art - see the final product and more here.

Remote Scavenger Hunt! Have some fun with us on Wednesday, July 22nd, 6 – 7 pm. At the time of the event, join us on Zoom by clicking here. We'll be tasked with finding various items in and around our homes - with hilarious results! Prizes will be awarded to the winners! This event is free and open to all ages. Be sure to have Zoom set up on your device in advance; you can download Zoom here, and please don't hesitate to reach out to us for technical support. RSVP to Amy at amyers@sponsorsinc.org or (541) 972-3894‬.

Remote Mentor Support Group! Mentors only. Happening Tuesday, July 14th, 4 - 5:30 pm. At the time of the event, join us on Zoom by clicking here. This month's event will be an opportunity to discuss self-care and coping strategies for maintaining mentoring relationships during this pandemic.  Join us to share your concerns and learn what your peers are doing to cope with the stress. Be sure to have Zoom set up on your device in advance; you can download Zoom here, and please don't hesitate to reach out to us for technical support. RSVP to amyers@sponsorsinc.org or (541) 972-3894‬.

Active in Recovery (AIR): AIR is a program of Mentorship that offers certified peer recovery mentoring, and we currently have openings for new mentees who are looking for support in their recovery. For your convenience, our peer mentors are available remotely via video chat! A peer mentor can help you find your path to recovery by helping you locate available meetings, get a sponsor, build a positive support system, participate in healthy pro-social activities, and find a home group and learn about service work within that program. To qualify, you must have a desire to be clean and sober, be age 18 or older, have a criminal history, reside in the Eugene/Springfield area, and not be enrolled in the Mentorship Program Life Study. Interested? Women should contact Carrie Atkinson at catkinson@sponsorsinc.org or (541) 525-4745, and men should contact Ben Bryant at bbryant@sponsorsinc.org or (541) 521-7949. This program is gender-specific, but non-binary individuals' needs will be addressed on a case-by-case basis – contact either Carrie or Ben as you feel comfortable.

Free two-week gym passes! Want to work out at some of the nicest gyms in Eugene, for free? To receive a free 2-week pass to Elements Health Clubs, email Amy at amyers@sponsorsinc.org. You can visit the West Eugene location, the Oakway location, or the Springfield location. Take a water aerobics class, learn to box, do Pilates, and more!

Mentees Wanted! The Mentorship Program is in full swing, offering nearly all of our usual programming during these times of social distancing - and we know that there are folks out there who could use some extra support and human connection. Please spread the word about all of the amazing things that the Mentorship Program has to offer, and send potential mentees our way!

Don’t forget about the Mentor Referral Program! Do you know someone who would be a fantastic fit for the Mentorship Program? Refer them and get a $20 gift card! Contact Kristie at kmamac@sponsorsinc.org or (541) 505-5665 for more information.

Community "Potluck": Documentary and Discussion! Grab a snack and join us on Wednesday, July 29th, 6 – 7:45 pm! At the time of the event, join us on Zoom by clicking here. We'll check in, watch the documentary "Perception: From Prison to Purpose" (available for free on YouTube here), and follow it up with a discussion. "On April 14th, 2009, Noah Schultz was arrested for attempted murder in Portland, Oregon. This documentary is the story of his transformation. During his seven years of incarceration, Noah pushed himself not only to be better, but to challenge our perceptions of what it means to be an inmate. Noah's story is unique, but it doesn't have to be." This event is free. Ages 18+. Be sure to have Zoom set up on your device in advance; you can download Zoom here, and please don't hesitate to reach out to us for technical support. RSVP to amyers@sponsorsinc.org or (541) 972-3894‬.

Parents - complete a short interview and get a $30 gift card! Our friends at the University of Oregon are building a program to help parents successfully reenter the community and reintegrate with their children, and parents are needed to participate in a brief phone or Zoom interview about the most helpful ways to support positive reentry. The researchers are especially interested in speaking with parents who have struggled with opioid use. All participating parents will be compensated with a $30 gift card from a local retailer, and will be prioritized to have the opportunity to later take part in the Coached Parent-Child Program. During this pandemic it has been challenging to recruit interviewees, so if you know of anyone or any groups who might benefit from this offer, please help spread the word! To sign up, contact Jean Kjellstrand at (541) 346-6208 or jeank@uoregon.edu.

Mentor of the Month: The Mentorship Program wants to thank all our volunteer mentors for your dedication to our program and participants. We rely on you to offer support to dozens of people as they prepare to release into a dramatically different community and we are counting on you to help participants navigate the world as we all adjust to life during a pandemic. Thank you for continuing to show up and work with us toward successful reentry outcomes for all Sponsors participants. We are grateful to you for your resilience and flexibility during these very odd and uncertain times. Today, we want to acknowledge a specific mentor for going out of his way to continue to support our program. Some of you may know Tree Myers; he was a case manager with us for several years. When he left, he told us he still wanted to be involved - and we held him to that! Tree has volunteered several of his Saturdays to help with our monthly orientation (since he knows the material well!) and he has mentored several mentees, keeping in touch with them long after the match has ended. Tree is currently supporting one of our participants while he finishes out his sentence, preparing to enter our community and live at Sponsors. Thank you, Tree, for continuing to support our cause and provide a much-needed resource: social connection. Being an example to our participants is key; "consistent, persistent, and dependable" is our mantra! You are a great example of all three of those qualities as you continue to foster relationships in the Mentorship Program.

Share your stories about connecting virtually! How have you been communicating with your mentor or mentee while social distancing? Maybe you've been staying touch via text messages, and it's been smooth sailing; or perhaps your attempt to navigate a video chat app was an adventure in technical difficulties... Whatever your story, please share it with us!

Staying Connected: We have created a "Staying Connected" guide which includes tools for getting free internet access, communicating via video chat, and having fun from home: find it here!