Partners in Restorative Initiatives

It was not so long ago that very few people in Rochester had even heard of restorative practices. In 1998, Will Bontrager was completing his Master's Degree in Restorative Justice at Eastern Mennonite University. He decided to gather people from various groups in Rochester—nonprofits, government agencies, victim advocacy groups and others—to introduce them to these groundbreaking ideas. That meeting kindled an interest in restorative practices. About two years later, he used that momentum to found the Finger Lakes Restorative Justice Center. That organization grew—attracting numerous volunteers and affecting thousands of lives. In 2008, the organization received funding from the Hope Grant and changed its name to Partners in Restorative Initiatives. Partners in Restorative Initiatives has now touched the lives of over 8,000 people through its more than 50 active volunteers. Today Partners in Restorative Initiatives is impacting local schools through training teachers, administrators, students and support staff in the use of restorative practices to improve the culture of the classroom and resolve conflict.