Helping Those At Risk

The Helping the At Risk Community (HARC) program helps people re-entering the workforce after drug addiction or jail by providing the emotional and educational support they need to change their lives around.

HARC is a unique faith-based program in that it provides a bridge for people struggling with the demands of life after being in jail or recovering from an addiction. The idea was sparked over lunch with Pastor Tim Remington, of The Altar Church in Coeur d’Alene; Ron Nilson, president and CEO of Ground Force Worldwide; and Frank Genetti, a businessman and long-time leader of groups assisting the at-risk community.

“We thought there was a piece missing with young people who may have gotten in trouble with the law or drugs. They may have a hard time finding employment and lose their self-respect and dignity,” Genetti said. “We thought a certificate program would help.”

Genetti is no stranger to hard times. For years as a child, he struggled with school until he was diagnosed with a hearing condition. He went on to college and become a successful business man. However, later, he was challenged with alcoholism and has been in recovery for 45 years. He also has a son in prison and can relate to the struggles ex-felons must face.

“I’m open about my recovery. When I bring it up, people feel comfortable talking about it,” he said. “I have a passion for this. The kids respect that because I’ve ‘been there, done that.’”

To create HARC, Remington, Nilson and Genetti partnered with Kootenai Technical Education Campus (KTEC) and the Manufacturer’s Consortium, which includes more than 45 member manufacturers in Northern Idaho.

Students are referred to HARC via word-of-mouth and through the Department of Labor, the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Department of Parole and Probation.

“We take them where they’re at – someone who’s struggling and has no direction in life – if they want to turn their life around, that’s enough for me. We want to give them hope and an opportunity,” he said.

It’s not easy work for anyone. Students come with a lot of emotional baggage. “They’re complex individuals,” he said.

People who have made poor choices that led to addiction or incarceration often lack the basic values of manners, respect, honesty and having a good work ethic. HARC’s main focus is a series of character-building classes that students must take. The classes, held at Real Life, Lake City Community Church or The Altar Church, teach character traits written by Dan Pinkerton. He is the president and CEO of Pinkerton Retirement Specialists and identified 49 successful character traits by which to live.

“We go through that book every day. We identify a different trait in a hands-on style versus in a classroom style,” Genetti said.

At HARC, students receive drug or alcohol counseling, life skills, anger management, financial counseling, nutrition classes, one-on-one counseling and mentoring. Students also participate in the Celebrate Recovery program at Lake City Community Church.

“They don’t have to be Christian, they just have to be open to it,” Genetti said. He noted that faith-based 12-Step programs have a higher success rate than secular ones.

In addition to the classes at HARC, students must take evening vocational classes in a trade at KTEC. Classes include auto repair, computer repair and networking, health professions, construction, welding, metal fabrication and manufacturing.

“We’re blessed to have KTEC in our community. The instructors are not teaching something they learned from a book. They have experience and on-the-job training,” he said.

New to the program at a Post Falls facility are classes to build tiny houses, hydroponics and aquaponics and culinary arts.

When students complete the HARC program, they receive a certificate plus a KTEC vocational certificate. Toward the end of both programs, HARC prepares students for jobs with resume writing and interviewing skills. Lastly, HARC has an open house where companies meet the students.

The cost of the program varies and there is funding from the Department of Labor in addition to scholarships from HARC. However, they will not turn anyone away because of cost.

“We don’t want to leave anyone out. We’ll find a way to work with them,” he said. “We’re always there for them,” Genetti said. “We always say that we try to give them a hand up not a hand out. We want them to be committed to the program and be accountable and work for it.”

For more information, go to harc-hope.com.

#goodnews