The Lionheart Foundation, Inc.

CONTACT:

629 Highland Avenue
Needham, MA 02494
781-444-6667
www.lionheart.org

Robin Casarjian, Executive Director

DESCRIPTION:

When Robin Casarjian agreed to speak in a local prison about anger and forgiveness, they expected maybe four inmates to show up. Instead, 120 appeared. Robin talked about achieving skills in managing and expressing emotions and feelings in ways that avoid violence and overcome destructive behavior. Four years later (1992) she founded Lionheart, which has since achieved nationwide influence in the rehabilitation field, distributing to prisons for free tens of thousands of books and videos on “emotional literacy,” and training 1,600 professionals in 16 states. Harvard University’s Richard Wolman has now published research showing that Lionheart’s programs do in fact help prisoners decrease hostility, depression, self-deprecation and alexythymia (an inability to understand and manage emotions). In 2003, the foundation launched a prevention program for at-risk youth, staffed by volunteers, which is showing very encouraging early evaluations. To have such promising results, with such high cost-efficiency, in such a difficult field, is truly extraordinary. Now Lionheart needs to increase its productivity. You can make significant differences here.

(2005: HUMAN SERVICES: Well-Being)