RON TIJERINAExecutive Director and FounderThe RIDGE Project

A new year offers opportunities for new beginnings. The best new beginning I can think of is with your chil-dren. Recently, I met a young man who was in prison for five years and is a father of two little girls. As he shared his story and told me how he had missed out on so many things with them, he began to cry. I watched and listened as he shared his heartbreak with me while tears ran unchecked down his cheeks and dripped off his chin. I asked him at what moment in his life the truth hit him. In every man’s life, there is a moment when truth hits us and we realize the cost of our mistakes. He shared with me as if it had just happened yesterday.

He recounted how he would read to his baby girls at every visit. Then, on one visit, he was reading the children’s books to them and they stopped him and began reading to him. At that moment, he realized that he was missing out on everything in the lives of the two most precious people in his life. He realized his children were growing up without him and was powerless to stop time until that day when he could be with them again. It was at that moment that he decided he would never let them down again. He pledged to himself that he would never leave them again.

It has now been six years since I have been home. Six short, fast, but beautiful years. The pain of the lost 15 years is not completely healed and the memories are still strong. Sometimes, the realization of all that our family lost brings waves of grief over us. Most of the time, we are able to see the gift of our new, strong, healthy family life. I sat there in the interview with this young man who was recently released, all of the memories of watching my sons grow up in a prison visiting room came flooding back like a tsunami. I cried with him, and for my sons, as he cried for his daughters.

Every father should weep over their children. Every incarcerated father has an incredible opportunity to create a second chance. The incarceration experience provides a natural break in the routine of selfishness. It is a time to reflect on what could be, and begin to build your legacy on what will be. There will always be the pain of lost moments, the time we gave up and the rights we surrendered when we chose to be selfish instead of selfless.

Second chances are real but only if we take advantage of them. New beginnings can be created every day if we are willing to take our experiences and learn from them. If we do not change the way we think, our behavior will not change and the pain our family members suffered would be in vain.

Take advantage of every opportunity to invest in your children’s lives. It is the little things, like reading a book together, singing a song, or eating a meal that your children miss the most. Actions speak louder than words, patience sings a song of love, and laughter gives them hope for a brighter future. Here are some simple ways you can stay engaged in your children’s lives, whether you are home or not:

1. Write them encouraging notes each week. (You are amazing, I love your smile, Great job on

your writing, etc.)

2. Spend time listening to them. If you are doing all the talking, you will miss out on the greatest

stories ever told. The stories of your children’s lives and dreams.

3. Make something together. (This can be drawing a picture you send back and forth in the mail,

a craft, a story you write together, etc.)

Enjoy the gift of your children and the joy of connecting with them as you create a new beginning in your

relationships.

NEW BEGINNINGS

This year, as we made our New Year’s resolutions, I determined to focus on appre-ciation. While being apart for 15 years when Ron was incarcerated, I developed a whole new appreciation for the small things in my life. Twenty years ago, though I am somewhat embarrassed to admit, it was the small things that created the most conflict for me: a towel on the bathroom floor, a pair of shoes in the middle of the hall, or toothpaste in the sink.

Instead of simply moving the offending items by hanging up the towel, putting the shoes in the closet or wiping the sink, I would get so frustrated by these seemingly insignificant things that it would create a disagreement between my husband and I. I would spend thirty minutes complaining rather than thirty seconds changing the situation. While it did not matter to Ron if his things were moved it mattered to me, but I refused to move them! What a ridiculous standoff those small things led to in our home.

As I look back on those days, I cannot help but wish I had responded differently-both in my actions and my words. When Ron went to prison, I was completely devastated by his absence in our home. “Our” home had suddenly become “my” home and it felt empty, hollow, and lonely. I longed to see his towel on the floor, his shoes in the hall, or a bit of toothpaste in the sink. All those things would have been a visible reminder that he was still home. The grief of losing Ron’s presence in our daily lives was amplified by the absence of his things in our home. As strange as it seems, the very things that irritated me most were the things I missed the most.

Fifteen years later, as Ron reintegrated into our family and home, I cannot tell you the joy of hav-ing him back! I determined that I would practice appreciation for the small things in my life that were reminders our family was intact, healthy and strong. I am so thankful to have Ron back in our home and so grateful that he came home as a dedicated husband and father. If he leaves his shoes in the hall or his towel on the bathroom floor, I choose to see those things as reminders that he is here. His presence brings so much joy, peace, and appreciation into our home that moving a pair of shoes or a towel is no longer something I HAVE to do, it is something I GET to do. When we begin to realize the value of our relationships and the gifts our loved ones bring to our lives, we can truly begin to ap-preciate them. It is not that we no longer see their flaws, it is that their flaws do not matter. There is no such thing as a perfect person. Practice does not make perfect, it makes permanent, and our rela-tionships are permanent. Appreciation is a key ingredient in building a lasting, healthy, and fulfilling relationship.

APPRECIATIONBy Catherine Tijerina

Executive Director and Co-Founder, The RIDGE Project

Hello TYROs! My name is Tadd Petersen and I was recently hired as the Culinary Arts Coordinator for The Ridge Project. The RIDGE Project was recently provided an opportunity through funding from the US Department of Health and Human Services to expand their services to include a Culinary Arts training program for men who successfully complete the TYRO Dad’s training. This program is offered from the RIDGE’s McClure, Ohio office, and is available to men who have been released from incarceration for 6 months or less.

I recently graduated from the Organic Farmer Training Program (OFTP) at Michigan State University. It was there that I participated in a 10 month intensive agriculture program that focused on organic vegetable production, local food integration, integrated pest management and farm finances. This unique experience has given me the opportunity that I now have to train TYROs in the expanding career field of locally grown food.

So what exactly is a Farm-to-Plate Culinary Arts Academy? In short, we will teach students everything that they need to do to take a seed, grow it into a plant, and turn it into a gourmet meal. This one-of-a-kind training will give students opportunities for employment in a variety of high demand fields from food service to sustainable agriculture.

At The Ridge Project’s Organic Farm and Culinary Center, students will gain the knowledge and tools necessary to work in the innovative and revolutionary world of “farm to table” vegetable growing and culinary prepara-tion. While developing personal character traits and the skills necessary to become a culinary professional through the TYRO Dad’s program, you will also receive training in the world of organic vegetable production. We intend for this program to provide each participant with a unique set of skills that will help them achieve success in a highly competitive market.

From week one until the final week before exams, each student will have the opportunity to become totally immersed in an organic farm. They will

learn seeding and transplanting, how to properly water to prevent water borne diseases and many other propagation techniques. Because of the unique structure of this program they will have the opportunity to experience every aspect of an organic farm before their departure.

Students will also have the irreplaceable experience of training in hoop house construction and seasonal growing methods us-ing internal covers and over-wintering methods. They will experience the ups and downs of spring planting when the weather can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Students will become overwhelmed with the amount of harvesting to be done when sum-mer fruit season is in full swing, but will appreciate the fruits of their labor. With fall comes large amounts of melons, squash and pumpkins, and all the while spinach and greens will be growing in the houses and salad gardens. Each student will find his own place at the farm, and will come to appreciate the beauty of nature and the bounty provided.

Students will also have plenty of time outside of the farm and in the RIDGE Project’s professional kitchen facility. Culinary pro-fessionals will begin teach students the culinary techniques and disciplines that will serve as the foundation for successful careers in fine dining food preparation. Students will become oriented with using the equipment and tools of the professional kitchen and learn systems of organization and teamwork, which is at the heart of every serious kitchen. They will also receive exposure to culi-nary and French terms of communication in the kitchen and will learn proper food handling and storage techniques, earning them their ServSafeTM certification. Students will complete their education with an internship in a fine dining establishment. This one-of-a-kind training will give students opportunities for employment in a variety of high demand fields. It is currently being-operated only in the NW Ohio region.

CULTIVATING A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFEThe RIDGE Project Begins Farm-to-Plate Culinary ArtsTadd Petersen , Culinary Arts Coordinator and Farm Manager

If you are soon to be released from incarceration and are interested in this program, please write me, using the address listed on the back of this publication, and if you are not incarcerated and want more information, please give us a call – we are looking for more students!

THE RIDGE COMMUNITY GARDENA Division of The RIDGE Project’s Farm-to-Plate Culinary Arts Academy

As the previous article has mentioned, The RIDGE Project has taken their nationally recognized methods of building healthy families, and has created a Farm-to-Plate Culinary Arts Academy. An exciting element of the Academy is The RIDGE Community Garden, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) service where culinary arts students offer high-quality, organically-grown produce to the community. It is our goal to educate the com-munity and promote healthy eating habits, while providing state of the art training to students who are interested in the exciting and expanding field of locally grown produce, using organic methods of planting, growing, cultiva-tion and harvesting.

Culinary Arts students, as they learn the art and craft of organic growing methods will be marketing and sell-ing some of their produce to local groups and individuals. All of the funds raised by sales of the produce go directly back into The RIDGE Project’s Organic Farm and Culinary Center programs, and provide opportunities for future classes of culinary arts students. Anyone can pay to join the RIDGE’s CSA, and participants not only have a chance to provide quality, fresh food for their families, but through membership in the CSA, they essentially become a partner of our work.

Purchase A Share—Be A Partner

Would you or someone you know like to have fresh produce every week for the entire harvest season (about 20 weeks)? By purchasing a “share” in the Ridge Project Garden you become a stakeholder in the growing and harvesting of a wide variety of fresh vegetables that are grown in an organically friendly environment. We will grow 80 to 100 different types of produce throughout the season (more details on the types of vegetables grown can be found on The RIDGE Project’s website – if you or someone you know is interested in purchasing a share).

A share will provide fresh produce for a family of four each week for 20 weeks. Shares are created in two ways, a full share and a full sweat equity share. A full share is priced at $650 for the 20 week membership; For about $33 per week (less than the cost of what you would pay for produce in a grocery store) you can have a huge vari-ety of healthy, nutritious, locally grown produce all season long. Someone who wants to help out at the CSA for a minimum of four hours per week for the duration of the membership (20 weeks) reduces a share price to $400.

To participate in the 2013 growing season, payments must be received by May 31st, 2013 unless scheduled otherwise. Once someone is a member, they will receive vegetables each week according to what is in season. Depending on weather, the first distribution will be on or around June 1 and the last will be on or around the last week of October. This is an exciting opportunity both for the students who are able to sell the produce that they have grown, and for anyone who is interested in providing themselves and their family with nutritious food. For more information about the RIDGE Project’s CSA, visit our website, or contact us using the information on the back of this publication.

“All of the funds raised by sales of the produce go directly back into The RIDGE Project’s Organic Farm and Culinary Center programs, and provide opportunities for future classes of culinary arts students.”

CDL Driving to a New Career from Behind the Gates

To see a semi-truck parked on a street may not mean much to most people, but to Lequan Lofton, it means everything. That’s because this particular truck is HIS truck, and to be able to park it in front of his grandparent’s house when he is not driving for P.I. & I. Motor Express tells a story of success where he fought for a new career and a new chance, and he has made it. This can be your story, too.

Lequan is one of the first graduates of an innovative CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) program being offered by The RIDGE Project to those who qualify for the Keeping FAITH (Families And Inmates Together in Harmony) program. Lequan earned his CDL after he had been released from incarceration, but in a groundbreaking partnership with Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections (ODRC) this opportunity has been made available to RIDGE Project clients who are in Richland and Pickaway Correctional facilities. This is a program that offers men the ability to train for a high-demand industry while still in prison and hit the ground running when released.

“When I first got my truck, I was overjoyed. I did not know what to think other than that I had accomplished my goal. This is what I wanted, I worked for it and I got it and it was wonderful,” says Lequan. “I just feel ‘bigger’ than I used to feel when I was running the streets and doing absolutely nothing. Now that I am with the TYRO’s, I am a man worth following. I am a TYRO for sure.”

Many of the readers of this publication already know what a TYRO is, but for those who may not know, being a TYRO means being a man of accountability,

(Continued on next page)

REQUIREMENTS:Father of a minor chi ld (the chi ld must be 21 or younger)Successful ly complete the TYRO Dad’s tra in ing(Participants can be enrolled in TYRO Dads and CDL program at the same time)Have a dr iver ’s l icense or be able to get a dr iver ’s l icense1 year or less before re lease

TO APPLY, CONTACT YOUR CASE MANAGER OR A RIDGE PROJECT FACIL ITATOR.

TRUCKING COMPANIES CURRENTLY HIRING QUALIF IED EX-OFFENDERS

EARN YOUR CDL NOW!

Funding for this project was provided by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Grant: 90FO0005 or 90FK0026. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. These services are available to all eligible persons, regardless of race, gender, age, disability, or religion.

w w w . t h e r i d g e p r o j e c t . c o m

a man of integrity, a man worth following. The TYRO Dads/Keeping FAITH Programs were developed and inte-grated into prisons throughout Ohio by RIDGE Project Directors, Ron and Cathy Tijerna. Ron Tijerna was incarcer-ated for 15 years and understands the pain and hopelessness that can become the daily life of a father separated from his family.

“I know what you all are thinking. I know what you are dreaming. I have been there,” says Ron. “I know you lay on your bunk and try to convince yourself that you are worth saving. You try to convince your family that you are not the same man you used to be. You are telling your people, everyone you see, that you have changed. I know what you’re saying. I know your hurt and I know your pain.”

To counter the destructive effects prisons can have on the human spirit, the Tijerinas developed the TYRO Dad/Keeping FAITH Programs. Men successfully completing these programs of accountability and integrity are eligible to apply for this new, in-prison, CDL training program made possible through the partnership of The RIDGE Project with Trainco, Inc. and P. I. & I Motor Express. Trainco provides the CDL training with P. I. & I. provid-ing the equipment and the opportunities for employment once TYROs receive their CDL license and are released from prison.

For Joe Kerola, president of PI&I Motor Express, it is more than just employing truck drivers; it is giving men a chance at redemption. “This opportunity of truck driving gives (you) a chance. Maybe (you) have a past and therefore others don’t want to be around you because they don’t want to give you the chance to really see the real you, says Kerola. “Is he a good person that just made a mistake? That is what I believe The RIDGE Project (and TYRO Dads program) does. They identify those men. Everyone deserves a second chance if they are willing to change. I am looking for some TYRO’s.”

No one is more familiar with the struggle it takes for a family to have a second chance at a first rate life than Cathy Tijerina, Ron’s wife and mother of their two sons, who cared for her family, faithfully working towards the day Ron would return to the family. After Ron was incarcerated, she successfully worked her way off of welfare, earned her paralegal certificate, and with Ron went on to found The RIDGE Project.

“Once you set your foot onto the other side of freedom, you have an opportunity for a career. This is something that can transform your family’s life and bring stability to your home,” she says. And she stresses the importance of the career training of the CDL school, combined with the education and intervention offered by the TYRO Dads/Keeping FAITH programming. “This is what companies are looking for,” she says. “They are not just look-ing for someone to come and drive. They are looking for someone they can depend on, they are looking for a TYRO. That is also what your family is looking for because they are depending on you to come home and re-inte-grate into the home and into society. You have a lot resting on your shoulders.”

If you are reading this and are interested in participating in this training, contact your Case Manager to see if you qualify for the program. Fill out any applications that they request so that you can participate. It does not matter what institution you are currently in, you can contact your Case Worker or your Unit Manager and let them know that you are interested in The RIDGE Project’s CDL Program and you can be transferred to an institution where this program is being offered.

What is so unique about this CDL training and RIDGE Project programming is that the RIDGE Project is with you every step of the way. “We are going to be here to help your whole family make the transition back so you are not stepping into this career alone,” states RIDGE Director Cathy Tijerina. “The RIDGE Project is going to sur-round you with all of the support you need to make you successful.” RIDGE Director Ron Tijerina adds, “We are going to surround you with this organization, a company that is going to help strengthen you and your family. So, when you stand up and hold your head high, you know you have accomplished a great deal in your life. You are never going back to prison once you leave here.”

So become a new man, the man and father you were intended to be; check out being a TYRO dad today and the chance at a career through the CDL training program.

“Your children and your family are looking to you to lead and you can either pur-posefully lead them into a future defined by hope and peace or you leave them in the path of destruction. We want to help lead you into a future defined by hope.” -Ron Tijerina

Allen Correctional (ACI)

Belmont Correctional (BeCI)

Grafton Correctional (GCI)

London Correctional (LoCI)

Mansfield Correctional (ManCI)

Marion Correctional (MCI)

Noble Correctional (NCI)

Pickaway Correctional (PCI)

Richland Correctional (RiCI)

Southeast Correctional (SCI)

Toledo Correctional (ToCI)

Trumbull Correctional (TCI)

Did you know that The

RIDGE Project is serving

in all of the following

institutions?

ily and is a positive role model to his children.

My family already sees the changes I am mak-ing in becoming more involved with my chil-dren. It is sometimes challenging, however,

I am learning to have patience and recognize that communication

is the key.

I would challenge each of the TYROs that read this column to stand firm, to stick with the program and be open to change in your life.

Take this opportunity to open up to the other

TYROs you come in con-tact with and trust that you

can change into the best man and father you can be – a man worth

following. I am proud to be called TYRO!

Like many others in my circumstances, life has been hard and I have made many poor choices which caused me to end up in prison.

However, my participation in the TYRO Dads program allowed me to recognize my weaknesses and strengths and find that, through one step at a time, I can make choices that will lead me to being a better man and father to my children.

I enrolled in TYRO Dads because I wanted to become involved in a positive program. I felt that The RIDGE Project would help me as I worked to become a better man. They have helped me believe that, regardless of my background, I can achieve great things through hard work and prayer. I was able to see that I had been caught up feel-ing like I was owed something in life. I couldn’t have been more wrong! Begin a TYRO helped me understand that a real man serves his fam-

GETTING A SECOND CHANCETheodore Jones - Interview

TYRO: (Latin, n) an apprentice, novice, or young warrior, someone learning something new, or found-ing father. The TYRO Dads program offers men a clear picture of what a responsible father looks like and how they can achieve success with-in their own family. Just as a child needs a father, men need a hero or mentor to follow.

Japhet was born and raised in Uyo, Nigeria. We met while Jennifer was in Nigeria for schooling and mission work. Japhet relocated to Wooster, Ohio in 1996, where we were married and began our life together. Early in our marriage we began noticing so much need around us. We loved children and loved the idea of a strong, healthy family, but we were surrounded by brokenness throughout our neighborhood. We saw so many precious children without fathers. We met a single mother who had been in and out of prison throughout the lives of her young children. We would give them food and make sure they were safe while their mother was running the streets.

After she went back to prison, we were given custody of these children. We worked at taking them to visits, trying to help them through a process of healing. When we saw how much incarceration and bad decision had infected the lives of the children and families in our little community, we began sharing our home and life with those who were in need. With the modest resources we had, we began helping families without clothing or food, referring them to agencies that could help and attending court with them. As the need grew, we began partnering with our church to bring freedom, community, and hope to these broken lives.

For 12 years, we continued living this way. We took in people for short periods of time, and brought them into our family, teaching them what they needed to succeed – responsibility, family, basic life skills. Our children partnered with us in bringing life to those who were dead inside. Some of our friends went to a conference where they heard Ron and Cathy Tijerina speak. They could not wait to contact us when they returned home! They urged us to call The RIDGE Project to see if we could part-ner with them in some way. In September 2008, we traveled to Defiance and met Ron and Catherine Tijerina. We immediately felt a connection, and within a month we began training. By January 2009 we were serving as contractor’s, teaching in several prisons throughout Ohio. We felt so fulfilled by the expanded opportunities that we had to serve our community through the work of The RIDGE Project!

STORIES OF RESTORATION

AND HOPEBy Japhet and Jennifer Ntia

Northeast Regional DirectorRegional Family Program Coordinator

(Continued on next page)

As we continued to teach Couples Communication and TYRO Dads through the RIDGE, it gave us a greater opportunity to know and appreciate Ron and Catherine as well as the work of The RIDGE Project. What we did with the RIDGE really aligned with the work we were already involved with lo-cally. In 2011 we were offered full time employment. Japhet now functions as Regional Coordinator for Northeast Ohio, and Jennifer functions as the Family Program Coordinator for Northeast Ohio. Together, we are walking a dream and a purpose for which we were both born!

We would like to share a couple of success stories. There are so many stories we could share, but one in particular stands out as we observe where these families are today.

There was a young man who was told he would never be able to function as a man, never hold a job, have a healthy family, or even influence anyone in a positive way. Today, this man has beaten all the odds. He stands upright, not because he is haughty, but because he has hope! This man decided to trust, and as he opened up and embraced the truth of his “locked-up” thinking. The lies he believed began to break apart one by one. After completing the TYRO Dads program, he and his wife attended a marriage event that was put on by the RIDGE Project. This was a refreshing weekend retreat where both he and his wife began to understand what it took to have a healthy relationship. This young man and his wife have not only embraced healthy change, but they have looked for opportunities to experience change. He is now employed full-time, he and his wife have a beautiful family, and they are building a strong, healthy family. This couple is an example for all those who said they could never…or would never change! Daily, with our own eyes, we see those changes and gratefully declare - “Look what we get to do!”

We see men taking jobs after completing TYRO Dads, and also observe that companies are now asking all their new hires to be trained by this TYRO hire because of this one man who had hope – and he’s walking his beliefs. He is representing the change that so many only dream about! These men are then recruiting other men, bringing hope and life to them. What awesome work we are blessed to be involved in!

Our Northeast Ohio office is located in Canton, Ohio and this wonderful city has embraced the RIDGE with open arms, and our relationships continue to grow. We LOVE to see the power of part-nering. The many additional lives we see come alive and have hope, leaving a legacy of strong fami-lies! We are seeing beneficial relationships with judges, probation/parole officers, re-entry coalition groups, prison officials, employment organizations, child support, job and family services, etc. We currently have 22 classes operating in the region. Our Workforce Development Division has been engaging local businesses and leveraging relationships to lower the barriers and help our clients gain employment. We believe that in following years we will grow even stronger relationships, and additional employment opportunities! We look forward to plowing the furrows for future generations!

Connect with The RIDGE Project!

LADIEs sUppORT GROUp

facebook.com/theridgeproject

twitter.com/theridgeproject

Call Us! 419-278-0092

www.theridgeproject.comJ169 State Route 65

McClure, Ohio 43534-9740

We understand the struggles you have and the need for a support network around you as you seek to grow and make better choices in your life. A support network is just as critical (if not more so) for your partners and children outside the gates, as they struggle with their own day-to-day hardships. The RIDGE project is offering a great opportunity for your partner to be encouraged and receive on-going sup-port from others who have been in their shoes. please let them know about these available support groups, and encourage them to join with others who can give them hope and reassurance. Ongoing support for your family is critical to the success of your relationship.

Region 1 - Northwest OhioWhen: 1st Thursday of the month

Time: 5:30 - 7:30pm

Where: McClure Office

Address: J169 st. Rt. 65

City: McClure, OH 43534

phone: 419-278-0092

Contact: Alicia Hernandez

Dates:Febuary 7

March 7

April 4

May 2

June 6

July (no support group)

August 1

september 5

Region 2 - NE OhioWhen: 2nd Thursday of the month

Time: 10:00 - 11:30 am

Where: Canton Office

Address: 370 Tuscarawas st. West

City: Canton, OH 44702

phone: 330-456-8220

Contact: Jennifer Ntia

Dates:Febuary 14

March 14

April 11

May 9

June (no support group)

July 11

August 8

september 12

Region 3 - Central OhioWhen: 3rd Wed. of the month

Time: 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Where: panera Bread Community Room

Address: 875 Bethel Rd.

City: Columbus, OH 43214

phone: 419-278-0092

Contact: Elizabeth Brown

Dates:Febuary 21

March 21

April 17

May 15

June 19

July 17

August 14

september 18

Region 4 - SW OhioWhen: 4th Wed. of the month

Time: 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Where: Dayton Office

Address: 1717 salem Ave.

City: Dayton, OH 45406

phone: 937-279-9994

Contact: Michele shehee

Dates:Febuary 27

March 27

April 24

May 22

June 26

July 24

August 21

september 25

Funding for this project was provided by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Grant: 90FO0005 or 90FK0026. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recom-mendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. These services are available to all eligible persons, regardless of race, gender, age, disability, or religion.