By Uncle Jack . . .
My story is not typical, since I was retired with a pension when I was charged. So, money or a place to live was not an issue. Traveling, especially outside the US has been a crazy experience other people would not believe. However, my issue here is “volunteer work.” Before being on the SOR, I used to volunteer for Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity and a few others. My state’s restrictions against SOR’s says you must notify organizations, where you volunteer, of your SOR status. Not wanting to tell people all about my situation, I simply quit volunteering. Simple. To do volunteer work without telling the organization could be a felony. So, what experiences have other SOR’s had in this regard?
I grew up Gay in the 60s. Everything I experience as a RSO is exactly the same I always experienced as a Gay man. Just saying…
I was actually recruited to join a non profit and the person who recruited me was fully aware of my status. I doubt I would have volunteered because of my piss poor luck with applying for jobs. Even today almost 7 years post release I still can’t pass a background check. Nothing shows up anymore but the SO registry thing. It’s a scarlet letter for sure. In any event this non profit assists those experiencing homelessness and I was once a homeless vet myself after release from prison. The same organization that helped me via a referral from the VA (Vererans Affairs) was the organization that recruited me to serve as a board member. Today I am the president of that board. I have always been honest with other board members about my past and one prior board President quit because of me but that was their problem not mine. It’s not been easy living as a registrant but I’ve managed. Hang in there!
Good Morning, Uncle Jack. I have heard of this during crises as well…”we need all the volunteers that we can get…except registrants”. It drives me crazy. A lot of it is lack of education…people only know what they are told, and unfortunately, registrants are an easy target to hate. I started a non profit in Florida, and I will take help from a registrant over anyone else. I could use the help so if you want to volunteer, I can find something of interest to you (most things can be done remotely). Let me know…I can be found at https://UnbrokenDreams.net!
I volunteered for years at a Christian Organization. Was answering phones for them taking donations. Eventually someone found out I was on the registry and I was asked to never return. They never came out and told me why but we all know why. I was their top fund raiser for 4 seasons in a row. Their loss. Because of that incident, my family and many others that know me, stopped donating to that organization. I will not mention the name of the place as that would stir up a hive of bees I do not want stirred.
I volunteered for the local food pantry as well as the dog pound for about 18 months. As soon as my plea was in…that was all over. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t a pedophile, it didn’t matter that I had no prior felonies…nope they killed even more of what I loved.
Hi. I believe there was a posting from a participant who tried and did volunteered during the pandemic only to be terminated while performing his duty because he was recognized as an RSO. He volunteered working to take vitals to people to screen for covid risking his own life because he was not vaccinated and he wanted to free up important nursing staff and medical persons . Another volunteer organization also barred him.