Hartford Dismas House is a local organization dedicated to serving people transitioning out of the prison system and helping them reconcile with the community. In early 2020, HDH wanted to start a new tradition for its annual Dinner Celebration and Auction. An idea of a house quilt was born, and residents suggested embroidering words and phrases to express what being part of the Dismas life was about, in order to help express what it means to their successes. Thanks to four brilliant, beautiful women in the community, the quilt came to life, each contributing a special gift to the process.
The blending of words that express the hope and gratitude of the Dismas House residents, joined by the compassion of these volunteers, resulted in a beautiful symbol of the HDH mission. And while our event was canceled due to the pandemic, the quilt itself has found new life as a project called Another Chance, Fresh Start. It is now traveling to venues across the Upper Valley, sharing the Dismas story and underscoring our core value: the importance of reintroduction to the community after incarceration and how truly vital it is to have a community behind all those who struggle to regain a hopeful future.
Our goal is to spread both the story of the quilt and the stories of those who have felt the impact of HDH in their lives. To do so, the quilt is visiting local businesses throughout the coming months, including places like the Upper Valley Aquatic Center. The full list with dates can be found below, and we will continue to updates and locations in the coming weeks. For those who cannot visit it in person, we’re posting images from each location on Facebook and Instagram (@hartforddismashouse), as well as new words and short reflections from the residents each week. We invite everyone in the Upper Valley to join us as we celebrate the new chance and fresh start that Dismas is, both for individuals and for our community!
Finally, we want to invite people to become involved with Hartford Dismas House through the use of their own talents and gifts, much like the women who created this quilt! Volunteers have returned to cooking dinner for the house, and are welcome to stay while remaining responsibly distant if they are comfortable. Scheduling is usually done best through email. The quilt will also be raffled off at the conclusion of its tour! We’re asking people to please consider contributing to our home by purchasing a raffle ticket, either in-person, by pledge or online at our page on RallyUp. Tickets are $25 per person, 5 for $100, or 30 for $500. People are also welcome to contact us to enter at this time. Thanks so much for taking time to learn about our nonprofit! We look forward to meeting new members of our Upper Valley community.
Contacts:
- Phone Number: (802) 698-8661
- House Director: Jeff Backus
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://dismasofvt.org/hartford-dismas/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HartfordDismasHouse
- Instagram: @hartforddismashouse
- Raffle info: https://dismasofvt.org/hartford-dismas/quilt-raffle/
Schedule:
- Dan & Whit’s | 9/28-10/3
- Aquinas House | 10/4
- Edgewater Farm Stand | 10/6-10/8
- Norwich Farmers Market | 10/10
- Riverview Farm | 10/11
- COVER Home Repair | 10/12-10/18
- CCBA | 10/19-10/25
- Tuckerbox & Piecemeal Pies | 10/26-10/31
- Upper Valley Aquatic Center | 11/1-11/8
