The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO SISTER THERESA HARPIN--CALIFORNIA'S 24TH CONGRESSIONAL WOMAN
OF THE YEAR
______
HON. SALUD O. CARBAJAL
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, March 8, 2022
Mr. CARBAJAL. Madam Speaker, each year, through the Women of the Year Award, my office extends special recognition to women on the Central Coast who have made a difference in our community. I would like to recognize one outstanding Women of the Year Award recipient, Sister Theresa Harpin of San Luis Obispo, California.
With over 40 years as a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Sister Theresa looks at the world through the lens of
``everyone is our dear neighbor.'' While Cal Poly's Newman Catholic Center brought the gifted educator to the Central Coast, it is through her social and restorative justice work that she has truly made her mark.
On the heels of her energetic work with students and community parishes, and following medical leave for serious illness, she brought the ``Get on the Bus'' program to California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo County. A bus filled with the children and spouses of prisoners travels to the prison for a reunion party that offers hope for the families.
Sister Theresa has worked with the SLO County Sheriff, the California Department of Corrections, Parole and the Courts to make restorative justice a reality in San Luis Obispo County. This tireless, well respected community leader believes offenders were once victims whose own traumas were never addressed. She is devoted to healing those injuries so that once released, prisoners can move forward to productive lives.
Her fervent dedication to helping the incarcerated led to founding Restorative Partners, a program providing re-entry services to the incarcerated. Sister Theresa is a certified facilitator for the Alternatives to Violence Project, the Aggression Replacement Training and the Thinking for A Change Program. She has implemented and taught non-judgmental techniques and most importantly, restorative justice, which provides healing for all parties, both victim and offender.
Restorative Partners, founded over an In N Out Burger conversation with Sheriff Ian Parkinson, celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. The successful program has brought together law enforcement, private business and faith-based organizations, under the shared mission to
``get to the source'' of individual's issues and move forward.
In just ten years, Restorative Partners has expanded mentorship to help returning citizens navigate reentry. With an eye on the high cost of living on the Central Coast, RP now provides re-entry homes for men and women, including Anna's Home for Women and Children, which reunites formerly incarcerated mothers with their children while offering a drug treatment program. The challenges of COVID created an entirely new set of needs, chief among them domestic violence treatment and expanded drug and alcohol treatment. With Sister Theresa's leadership, Restorative Partners continues to evolve and offer life-changing support. What began started as an in-custody service, the non-profit organization has grown to meet any need of families affected by incarceration and the challenges of re-entry. And it is working: the recidivism rate for those Sister Theresa works with is only 10 percent.
Sister Theresa is an incredible presence in our community. I am honored to recognize Sister Theresa for her continued commitment to residents of San Luis Obispo County. I ask all Members to join me today in honoring an exceptional woman of California's 24th Congressional District, Sister Theresa Harpin, for her incredible service to her community.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 41
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