’Coldwater Kitchen’ showing evokes empathy

On Aug. 29, Sharon Daniel, the executive director of Choosing Integrity welcomed people to the Milford Theater to watch a film called “Coldwater Kitchen” featuring gourmet chef Jimmy Hill’s culinary training program inside a prison. The film explores the struggles of incarcerated people and their reintegration into a full life after having been given a second chance. This fundraiser was catered by chef Peter Daniel, Sharon’s husband.

Most of the audience never really knew an incarcerated person

After the film, John DiLeo lead a fascinating discussion on stage with people who have actually been incarcerated and are currently in the process of reintegrating into society.

Most of the audience never really knew an incarcerated person, but when asked how many people cried when watching the raw emotion in the film, almost every hand was raised. The film showed some heartbreaking scenes of inmates and their struggles. Food was simply a conduit in the film, but the real substance of the movie was the daily hardships, the fear of change, the difficulty of recovery, the stigma, and reintegration.

Dr. Gabor Mate, an addiction specialist, had a favorite quote, “Don’t ask why the addiction, ask why the pain.” While the film brought a level of awareness to the audience, nothing was as overwhelmingly impactful as seeing, hearing, and reacting to the people on the panel. Here were “regular folks” who might have been their next door neighbor, sharing their trauma as they reach for a second chance. They had all been incarcerated for drugs and alcohol related offences, and as they told their stories, there wasn’t a dry eye in the place.

Chef Hill moves the audience with surprise appearance

Everyone was moved, when Chef Hill joined the event electronically. His surprise appearance was very uplifting and inspiring.

“I was moved to tears by the stories shared on screen, and afterwards by the participants on stage,” said Chuck O’Neil, Milford’s Poet Laureate, “Their humanity, humility, and courage to choose hope over despair was an inspiration for everyone in attendance. What a blessing to have an organization like Choosing Integrity working daily for the good of our community. Kudos to the Milford Theater for hosting such an important event.”

Sharon Daniel leads Choosing Integrity’s many initiatives

Choosing Integrity is indeed working daily, and Sharon Daniel is the lynchpin of their efforts.

She runs a program called “Smart Recovery,” a leading self-empowering addiction recovery support group which teaches the prisoner participants recovery tools based on the latest scientific research and helps them participate in a worldwide community with free, self-empowering, mutual help groups and online services. She runs weekly SMART Recovery groups inside the jail in Honesdale, as well as in the Choosing Integrity office in Milford. People can also join these supportive meetings on Zoom. They are also developing Peer Support groups which she moderates. These involve people who have been incarcerated helping a person who just got out. They have been in their shoes and they listen as they literally and figuratively walk beside them. This kind of judgement-free support is really empowering.

Program envokes an aura of empathy

At the end of the program, there was a certain quietness, an aura of empathy, a sense of awareness of people willing to look at people in a different light. And the people on the panel, while originally somewhat trepidatious about being onstage, felt very supported and impressed.

Choosing Integrity has a lot of community support, particularly from the Pike County Commissioners. They are also the recipients of a Barbar J. Buchanan award from the Greater Pike Foundation.

Sharon Daniel urges people from the community to get involved, to volunteer or to reach out for help. Her door is always open.

For more information, visit https://www.choosingintegrity.org, or call 507-229-2007. Choosing Integrity is located at 105 West High Street in Milford.