POINT PLEASANT — Clients at the Mason County Day Report Center joined in supporting the less fortunate in the county during last week’s observance of Homelessness Awareness Week.

In place of their regular fee for the program, clients brought in more than 15 bags and boxes of food as donations to a local food pantry. Rev. John S. Holland, pastor of Point Pleasant Presbyterian Church, collected the food for the pantry.

“This is such a neat idea,” Rev. Holland said. “It is something real for those in the program to bring in food to really help someone out.”

The food collected will help the church feed those in the community who are less fortunate, including the homeless.

Last week, local businesses displayed purple and orange bows to promote awareness of homelessness and hunger.

According to Allie Crawford, director of the Day Report Center, the clients who became involved in the project had a great time bringing in non-perishable items and canned food.

“The clients were excited about helping out the community for a good cause,” Crawford said. “It is good for them to give back and that is what our program is all about.”

Amanda Tarbett, administrative assistant, said that the clients brought in food as soon as they found out they could help in some way.

“Within the first day, we had the entire floor covered with canned food,” Tarbett said.

The Mason County Day Report Program is a community-based correctional program that addresses important issues within the criminal justice system. The primary purpose of the center is to provide eligible, court ordered offenders an opportunity to receive the services needed to reduce the likelihood that the person will re-offend. This is accomplished by developing a program of counseling and instruction that addresses the individual’s needs.

The program operates with mission statements similar to rehabilitation centers, while also mandating offenders to “give back” to the community through community service for any non-profit agency in Mason County.

The brochure for the program also provides information about how the program provides courts a sentencing alternative for low to medium risk offenders. The participating offender still receives daily monitoring thus addressing issues of public safety for offenders who are not incarcerated. In addition, the Day Report Program aids in reducing the cost of the county’s regional jail fees. Since this program is an alternative sentencing program, offenders who are ordered to participate in the program end up saving the county $48.50 per day.

The program does require reporting fees. The standard fee for Day Report participation is $2.00 per calendar day. The fee can vary from $1.00 to $5.00.

“The idea behind community correction program is to treat the offender and restore justice to the community,” Crawford said.

In addition to the classes that the program offers throughout the day for the clients, they also participate in community service including working with area non-profit agencies including Goodwill, Hartford Community Center, Point Pleasant River Museum and litter collection. Crawford is hoping the community will become even more involved in assisting the improvement of the center and program.

Each case is assessed, according to Crawford, and is designed to meet the client’s needs. Current services provided include G.E.D., literacy, individual mental health counseling, substance abuse counseling, relapse prevention, parenting, anger management, batterer’s intervention and prevention program, life skills, family planning and social health, occupational therapy and assistance with entering impatient treatment.

The Mason County Day Report Center is funded by a community grant and operates on its own budget. The Community Correction Board consists of 11 members who meet the WV Code 62-11C-6.

The center also provides programs that are open to the community. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meet at the center on Monday through Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. and on Thursday at 1 p.m.

“Instead of jail time, our low to medium risk offenders are improving their lives and the lives of others through our program here,” Crawford said.

The Mason County Day Report Center is located at 225 6th Street in Point Pleasant.