The Second Chance Center of Hope will hold an ice cream social fundraiser on Saturday for the community to help support its work.
According to its website, the Second Chance Learning Center of Hope is a “Community Faith-Based Rehabilitation and Training Center.” The idea was conceived by the Washington Municipal Court Judge Victor Pontious, who is also the center’s founder. The center was founded upon the firm belief that everyone deserves a second chance in life. It is a place where those who have made wrong choices in their lives have the unique opportunity to turn their lives around and to begin making right choices, according to organizers, which will benefit both them and the community in which they live. At the core of the idea is the God-given belief that no one has sunk so far that they can’t change their lives and become a respectable member of the community.
The goal is to improve the quality of the lives of Fayette County residents by providing job training, rehabilitation assistance and counseling services. Participants include those assigned to complete the program as a condition of probation by either the Fayette County Common Pleas Court or the Washington City Municipal Court. The center is also open to individuals assigned by the Adult Parole Authority and by Fayette County Job and Family Services.
“God put it on my heart to help the homeless and domestic violence victims so that is what I am doing,” Chiquita Nash, program director at Second Chance, said. “I met with the board of Second Chance Leaning Center and the rest is history. We added Center of Hope to the name because we want to encourage our clients to believe in hope. We assist clients through referrals from Washington Court House Municipal Court, Common Pleas Court, Adult Probation Authority, and Community Action, Washington and Miami Trace schools, and Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health.”
The upcoming ice cream social will be held at the center, 420 W. Oakland Ave. in Washington C.H., on Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. The event is open to the public and will include fun for the whole family, according to organizers. Ice cream, hot dogs, sundaes, floats and baked goods will be available, as well as a Chinese auction will be held.
“We planned the ice cream social to help benefit our clients when we open,” Nash said. “Our goal is to raise funds to give them all their needs. We have a year’s supply of fundraisers planned because it not only brings awareness to our organization, they are fun. The programming here is through referrals and we are actively seeking volunteers who believe in our cause. You may come in any Monday through Friday to fill out an application. Volunteer duties are simply just being an ear, help with laundry, cooking, cleaning, sorting and hanging of clothing, and most importantly, praying for our friends who come in.”
The information in this article was provided by Chiquita Nash, program director at Second Chance Learning Center of Hope. Stay with the Record-Herald for more information on the center in future editions of the paper.
