Former Inmate Receives Award for Volunteer Work

Last week, a former Dane County jail inmate received the Presidential Award for his service in volunteering at Second Harvest Food Bank. A news story from Channel3000.com discusses Dominic Davis’s journey from an inmate at the Dane County jail to a dedicated volunteer at Second Harvest Food Bank.

Two years ago, Davis served his year sentence for drug charges at the Dane County jail and took part in the Pathfinders treatment program at the Chris Farley House. The Chris Farley House is a treatment facility in Madison that focuses on providing substance abuse services to a wide range of people.

While participating in the treatment program at the Chris Farley House, Davis opted to join an inmate volunteer program at the jail. Through this program, Davis volunteered at the Second Harvest Food Bank in the warehouse, where he also learned basic skills that later helped him get a job there. Davis says, “I worked harder than I had ever worked before in my life.”

A manager at the Chris Farley House nominated Davis for the Presidential Award, which he was awarded at the Faith in Action Celebration on November 12. Sheriff David Mahoney says, “Dominic Davis is an example of when the criminal justice system addresses the problems that bring a person into the system, rather than focusing on punishment, we can change lives to the positive.”

To read the Channel3000.com article and watch a news clip of the story, click here.

Cover Photo: Philip Gritzmacher via Flickr