There is no place like home for the holidays!
This year, more than 2,400 women were released from North Carolina prisons. Many of them were released without healthy supports, returning to the same unsafe environments and unstable lifestyles that contributed to their prison sentences.
Fortunately, there were many who made the decision to relocate to Raleigh (Wake County) after their release ... to stay away from the toxic situations of their pasts ... and to start over someplace new.
And because of your generosity and partnership, we can help make Raleigh and our community their home!
Meet Mindy.
In March of 2022, Mindy was released from prison. Prior to release, Mindy worked with IPMW/Arise Collective staff to register for the Women’s Reentry Program (WRP). Mindy promised herself that she would work hard, do her best, and reunite with her son.
The first month of the reentry program, Mindy agreed to take the required 30-day hiatus from her job at Burger King to focus on her mental and emotional health. When she returned to work after those 30 days, Mindy continued to save money, knowing that one day (soon) she wanted a place for her and her son to call “home.”
It only took Mindy four months in the reentry program before she landed a higher-paying job at Publix in Cary and purchased a car through IPMW’s/Arise Collective’s partnership with Wheels4Hope. In January of 2023, Mindy will begin courses at Campbell University to earn her Associates of Arts degree. Ultimately, she wants to become a nurse.
Mindy held true to her promise of working hard and doing her best. Now, it was time for her to reunite with her son.
Mindy began looking for a home.
As is the case with many formerly incarcerated women, it is difficult to find landlords who will rent to someone who has been in prison, even with help from organizations like ours. “[Landlords] are just afraid to give formerly incarcerated people a chance. As soon as the ‘have you ever been convicted of a felony’ box is checked, doors shut,” says one woman about her experience finding a place to live post-release.
In November 2022, Mindy met with a potential landlord. Initially, the landlord judged Mindy and her past. Mindy stood tall and spoke graciously, knowing that she could not change her past, but she would do everything she could to change her future. The meeting turned into a beautiful conversation, and Mindy ended up signing a lease for a lovely, safe, two-bedroom apartment.
Mindy and her son, Myles, moved into their new home on December 18th. There truly is no place like home for the holidays!
“I am so grateful for [IPMW/Arise Collective],” said Mindy. “God is the reason why I am here. And ‘here’ is where I can thrive thanks to the loving support from this organization and this community. I do not think I could have done this without you all.”
It is because of you that women, like Mindy, succeed. And it is because of your generosity, Interfaith Prison Ministry for Women (soon becoming Arise Collective) was able to provide life-changing opportunities to over 421 incarcerated women and 55 formerly-incarcerated women who have become part of our community in 2022.
We invite you to make your end-of-year, tax-deductible donation today. No gift is too small, and every dollar makes a difference in the lives of the women we serve.
Thank you for supporting justice-involved women as they heal, grow, and thrive this holiday season and beyond. And thank you for making our community a place to call “home.”
This year, more than 2,400 women were released from North Carolina prisons. Many of them were released without healthy supports, returning to the same unsafe environments and unstable lifestyles that contributed to their prison sentences.
Fortunately, there were many who made the decision to relocate to Raleigh (Wake County) after their release ... to stay away from the toxic situations of their pasts ... and to start over someplace new.
And because of your generosity and partnership, we can help make Raleigh and our community their home!
Meet Mindy.
In March of 2022, Mindy was released from prison. Prior to release, Mindy worked with IPMW/Arise Collective staff to register for the Women’s Reentry Program (WRP). Mindy promised herself that she would work hard, do her best, and reunite with her son.
The first month of the reentry program, Mindy agreed to take the required 30-day hiatus from her job at Burger King to focus on her mental and emotional health. When she returned to work after those 30 days, Mindy continued to save money, knowing that one day (soon) she wanted a place for her and her son to call “home.”
It only took Mindy four months in the reentry program before she landed a higher-paying job at Publix in Cary and purchased a car through IPMW’s/Arise Collective’s partnership with Wheels4Hope. In January of 2023, Mindy will begin courses at Campbell University to earn her Associates of Arts degree. Ultimately, she wants to become a nurse.
Mindy held true to her promise of working hard and doing her best. Now, it was time for her to reunite with her son.
Mindy began looking for a home.
As is the case with many formerly incarcerated women, it is difficult to find landlords who will rent to someone who has been in prison, even with help from organizations like ours. “[Landlords] are just afraid to give formerly incarcerated people a chance. As soon as the ‘have you ever been convicted of a felony’ box is checked, doors shut,” says one woman about her experience finding a place to live post-release.
In November 2022, Mindy met with a potential landlord. Initially, the landlord judged Mindy and her past. Mindy stood tall and spoke graciously, knowing that she could not change her past, but she would do everything she could to change her future. The meeting turned into a beautiful conversation, and Mindy ended up signing a lease for a lovely, safe, two-bedroom apartment.
Mindy and her son, Myles, moved into their new home on December 18th. There truly is no place like home for the holidays!
“I am so grateful for [IPMW/Arise Collective],” said Mindy. “God is the reason why I am here. And ‘here’ is where I can thrive thanks to the loving support from this organization and this community. I do not think I could have done this without you all.”
It is because of you that women, like Mindy, succeed. And it is because of your generosity, Interfaith Prison Ministry for Women (soon becoming Arise Collective) was able to provide life-changing opportunities to over 421 incarcerated women and 55 formerly-incarcerated women who have become part of our community in 2022.
We invite you to make your end-of-year, tax-deductible donation today. No gift is too small, and every dollar makes a difference in the lives of the women we serve.
Thank you for supporting justice-involved women as they heal, grow, and thrive this holiday season and beyond. And thank you for making our community a place to call “home.”