SCRANTON, PA—August of 2020, The Robert H. Spitz Foundation, administered through the Scranton Area Community Foundation since 2016, granted Keystone Mission $15,000.00 to help fund training and resources for a cognitive-behavioral resource; called “Genesis Process.” The program is evidence-based training giving the staff at Keystone Mission tools to have one-on-one discussions with guests in the fight-and-flight mode.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Keystone Mission staff participated in the online training with the owner and founder of the Genesis Process. Our team learned about cognitive behavior training through a biblical perspective, applying faith to their healing.

Keystone Mission uses the Genesis Process part of the Day Center in Scranton and one of the 5-pillars of Transformation at the New 15-bed Transformation Center in Luzerne County. Justin Behrens, CEO & Executive Director of Keystone Mission, says, “The Genesis Process will allow our staff to have good starting point conversations with guests at the Day Center and upcoming Transformation Center. Our goal is to see our guests decide for themselves to see more help from the community resources available and to see them make good decisions for themselves instead of a fight-and-flight thought process. We understand that they can’t achieve success alone and need to build relationships. Keystone’s mission is dedicated to walking that path with each one of our guests and helping them bring them closer to God.”

Keystone Mission is excited for the staff’s training to better the men and women who are broken and experiencing homelessness in NEPA. The goal is to build a community of hope for men and women in NEPA.