Beck Institute on Religion and Poverty Restorative Community

What are Restorative Communities?

Restorative communities are dedicated to social justice in action by cultivating fellowship and connection with people in transition. Restorative communities counter people’s experience of isolation and alienation by building a trusting, safe space where all participants have a voice and a role, and where our shared humanity, as well as our struggles and achievements, are recognized.

Restorative Community Collaborative (RCC)

A major initiative of the Beck Institute has been the creation and growth of the Restorative Community Collaborative (RCC), a Beck-supported partnership of 13 faith communities. These communities of faith host evidence-informed programs that meet the needs of individuals in transition: the homeless, those returning from prison and military service, and domestic violence survivors.

RCC is the culmination of six years of work and relationships with key stakeholders, foremost being the leadership support from Catholic Charities and the Interfaith Assembly on Homelessness and Housing. Faith and community leaders, Fordham staff and students, and our generous benefactors have also made it possible to make quality, evidence-informed restorative experiences possible for over 700 men and women since 2011. The complete story of this extraordinary development also involves the transformative experiences of both participants and the rich array of committed providers. Faith in action has brought forth caring communities that are making a difference.

The RCC supports program development, sustainability, and fidelity. Continued program evaluation underscores the efficacy of this program in meeting many of the needs of program participants: significantly increasing coping, social support and empowerment, while reducing trauma. Six years of research have enabled us to identify the role community and restorative practices have played in supporting these outcomes.