The Boaz & Ruth family is saddened by the loss of Claude Stevens.  Claude filled many rolls while here at Boaz & Ruth (2005 - 2009) including volunteer, Board member, teacher, mentor, Chief Operations Officer, Toastmaster extraordinaire, strategic thinker, friend and Chief Story Teller.  

When someone is released from prison, a decent job, a safe home and healthy relationships are hard to come by.  Add to these challenges of re-entry the fact that individuals often return to communities weighed down by the very problems and issues that help spawn crime and it is easy to understand the vicious cycle of recidivism.  It is difficult to sustain long-term individual change without changing the community as well. That's what makes  RestoreCorpsTM  so unique.

Planted in the center of Highland Park, one of Richmond, Virginia's most troubled areas, the mission of  Boaz & Ruth's RestoreCorps is to rebuild lives and communities through relationships, training, transitional jobs, and economic revitalization. 

Three key strategies of RestoreCorps:
•   Rebuilding lives of formerly incarcerated men and women through relationships, transitional jobs and training.
•   Empowering the physically blighted commercial corridor of Highland Park by restoring buildings, incubating and operating businesses, and providing jobs.
•    Connecting Highland Park and our program participants to the wider Richmond community through activities that bridge racial, economic, and geographic barriers

 A key component of the strategies is collaborative partnerships with the criminal justice system, other non-profits and government agencies, as well as individuals and the business, faith-based and academic communities.   The creative vision of Boaz & Ruth's RestoreCorps has received national recognition including  an invitation to the White House for an event recognizing social entrepreneurs who pursue innovative solutions to serious social issues.