Opportunities, Alternatives And Resources (OAR) Of Fairfax County, Inc.

The mission statement of OAR of Fairfax County, Inc is to rebuild lives and break the cycle of crime with opportunities, alternatives, and resources for offenders and their families to create a safer community.

Description:
OAR provides a variety of services designed to assist inmates of the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center (ADC), as well as offenders residing in Fairfax County and the surrounding areas. OAR also provides services to immediate family members of offenders dealing with crisis and hardships incurred due to incarceration. The primary function is to encourage individuals to become self-sufficient, productive members of the community.

Depending on funds available and eligibility requirements the following services may be facilitated through OAR:
Transportation; Job-search; Medical care assistance: Identification documentation; Emergency food and clothing;Budgeting;Family Support Group meetings.
Mentoring one on one and classes are available in the ADC.

History:
At the heart of OAR is citizen action: in lives of offenders and in the struggle for a more just corrections system. The idea of OAR's approach to corrections began 1968 with a prison strike at the State Penitentiary in Richmond, Virginia. In response to the strike, people from several local churches convened a conference on "Churches and the Correctional System."

Jay Worrall, founder of OAR, was involved from the start. Prompted by the plight of an inmate, who had been in and out of jails 22 times, Worrall wrote the proposal that would later become OAR. Worrall worked with a task group of the Virginia Council of Churches in 1969 to come up with a concept of mobilizing citizens to help city and county jail prisoners.

Mr. Worrall obtained a grant and in September of 1970 Offender Aid and Restoration of Virginia received its certificate of incorporation from the State Corporation Commission. The pilot program was set up in Roanoke, Virginia. Soon afterwards several OAR offices opened in Virginia. OAR of Fairfax later changed its name to Opportunities, Alternatives and Resources of Fairfax County. The remaining OARs are autonomous and respond to the individual needs of their particular communities and clients by offering a variety of services.

Contact people:

Tasha Coleman, (703) 246-3055, (email) Lauren Hillegas, Volunteer Coordinator, (703) 246-3139, (email)

Address:

10640 Page Ave Ste 250 Fairfax, VA 22030 (See a map)

Directions:

Turn on to Page Avenue off of Judicail Drive at the Red Hot and Blue Restaurant on Rt 123. Stay on Judicial following the curve to the right. At that point you will see a large new Post Office. Turn. . . (more)   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: Vienna,   Walk distance (in minutes): N/A   Nearest Bus Stop: Que, 5 minute walk