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On Saturday, May 17, Whiskey, Wine & Whiskers returns for its fourth year raising funds for Dismas House — a residential reentry program that provides housing and holistic support services for formerly incarcerated men. Founded in Nashville in 1974, Dismas House provides vital services, including life skills classes, legal support, employment training, access to employment, mental health assessments, behavioral health counseling, substance abuse support, and educational programming to help formerly incarcerated individuals successfully transition back into the community.
The fundraising event will be held at Horton Events from noon to 4 p.m., and attendees can expect a pet-friendly afternoon complete with a pet costume competition, silent auction, DJ, dancing, food trucks, and unlimited samples of some of Tennessee’s finest wines and spirits. It’s sure to be a fun-filled day for guests and their furry friends alike, and we chatted with Lori Bell, Development Chair of Dismas House, to learn more about the event and all that the organization works to achieve.
Nashville Lifestyles: What made you want to get involved with Dismas House?
Lori Bell: EOA Architects designed the new Dismas House building that opened in 2020, and I, their Sr. Interior Designer, also designed the interiors for the building. I initially learned about the program by designing the building. The residents going through Dismas House’s reentry program had a three-year recidivism rate of under 10 percent compared to the almost 30 percent state average. After learning this fact, I knew I had to be part of this vital need in the community, so I asked if I could join the Board of Directors. After being on the board for a few years, I was asked if I would consider becoming the Chair of the Development Committee. It was my honor to say yes. Jessica Guzman, VP of Development, has done an amazing job of fundraising for Dismas House and running the development, and marketing and communications team for Dismas House. Our team, including Amber Jordan, Development and Special Events Manager, has worked tirelessly to pull off our two fundraisers each year — our spring fundraiser event, Whiskey, Wine & Whiskers, and our annual fall event, the Forgiveness Luncheon.
NL: How are the funds raised from this event utilized and how much has been raised over the years?
LB: Since 2022, Whiskey, Wine & Whiskers has raised over $112,000. One hundred percent of net proceeds benefit the mission of Dismas House, a nonprofit residential reentry program in the heart of Nashville. Dismas House serves men returning to the community from state correctional facilities and county jails. Dismas House is one of the largest reentry programs of its kind in Tennessee, serving more than 140 men annually. Our goal is to support residents as they navigate the challenging transition from prison back to society, helping them overcome the many barriers to successful reentry. Dismas House has two core programs — the primary Reentry Program and an Independent Living Program. After operating from an 8-bed house on Music Row for 46 years, Dismas House moved to a new 72-bed campus in 2020. The new campus has 56 reentry program beds and 16 independent living units. Along with this physical expansion came an intentional re-envisioning, redesign, and diversification of our program offerings with an emphasis on supporting the whole person.
NL: Why is supporting Whiskey, Wine & Whiskers important and why is Dismas House vital to our community?
LB: This spring fundraiser offers an incredible opportunity to sample Tennessee’s finest wines and spirits, enjoy a pet-friendly atmosphere, and, most importantly, learn about Dismas House’s mission to transform the lives of our residents through holistic reentry solutions. The event has a DJ with dancing, incredible tastings, and my favorite part — all our fur babies dress to impress and attend with us. To understand why Dismas House is vital to our community is to first understand our mission and vision. Our mission is to transform lives and strengthen communities by providing the formerly incarcerated with holistic reentry solutions, and our vision is to set the national standard for reentry success. Men going through our program are given a new start in life by going through the four pillars of our program. Basic Needs, including housing (no cost for the first month), food, clothing, transportation, and cell phone and computer access; Health & Well-Being, which includes the first 30 days of prescriptions, individual and group therapy, relapse prevention plans, and wellness classes (yoga and rock climbing); Life Skills of interpersonal skills, technology training, banking and budgeting, and cooking classes, to name a few; and Legal Support, including expungement of records, reinstatement of driver’s license, voting rights restoration, and reduction of fines and fees.