ABOUT US
History
How we started, our relatives
Founder Harley Noel has spent 60 years in prison ministry.
Harley Noel was the man with the idea for Hawkes Home. It started many years ago when he visited an acquaintance who had taken a wrong turn and ended up in prison. The many different stories of those Harley met there lit a fire within him to help these men overcome the hurdles holding them back from being productive members of society.
Hawkes Home is the result and is based on the success of Harley's first nonprofit, McIntyre House in Los Angeles, which is in its 23rd year of successful operation.
What we do
New beginnings, support
Our managers live at Hawkes Home where they help clients start new lives.
Photo: Bill Wechter
Simply put, we help formerly incarcerated men move from the cycle of recidivism to a new path, one of productivity.
All of our clients are recovering from the traumas of incarceration. This makes it difficult for them to transition into society.
Simultaneously they need to adjust to life outside the walls and learn how to live and function productively in society. Hawkes Home is that transitional space.
By giving our clients a place to live removed from their old neighborhoods—the areas that led them to incarceration—they have somewhere to reflect and learn new healthy behaviors. Through support and guidance, we help them obtain the tools they need to assimilate into society.
Hawkes Home provides the chance these men need to not only glimpse another way of life, but to prepare for it and live it before fully emerging into society.
Doing this in the company of others who are going through the same process is supportive and empowering. Having the guidance of the manager keeps them on track. Seeing our alumni who have gone through the Program and are now successfully living the dream brings hope.
How we do it
The household "classroom"
Helping to maintain Hawkes Home gives clients a sense of responsibility and ownership.
We accept only men serious about change. With a limited number of beds, we focus on those who are ready to turn their lives around.
Before being admitted, all clients must sign off on our Guidelines (obtain employment, behave appropriately, maintain proper hygiene, complete daily chores, remain sober, attend at least two AA/NA meetings/week, submit to random drug testing, meet curfew, attend all House Meetings, and understand there is zero tolerance of drugs, alcohol, weapons, or violence).
We keep a positive environment. In our supportive familial living, the men learn responsibility, accountability, and trust.
We coach our clients in living skills that include:
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Computer proficiency
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Job search techniques
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Financial literacy (opening a bank account, checking credit score, obtaining a credit/debit card, establish/fix credit, and filing taxes)
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Health maintenance (encourage medical, dental, and vision exams; how to obtain health insurance)
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Independent living (hygiene, cooking, cleaning—things most of us take for granted but which life in prison/jail prevented the men from learning)
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Chores
We require all clients to obtain employment since it is tantamount to productivity. Finding work is extra difficult for anyone with a record because the opportunities are more limited. For this reason, we also incorporate workforce development in our Program—scholarships for anyone wishing to obtain their GED or vocational training; help with placement services; networking—for which our alumni are a valuable source; and most importantly, guidance in determining a career path instead of a job.
Our "classroom" is the shared living of the home led by our Manager who guides all activity.
Through this familial experience—which includes daily chores, group activities, and networking—our clients learn that they are capable of doing much more than they thought possible.
Success!
From client to alumni
Our alumni are proof that our program is working. Just take a look at some of their success stories.
