Meeting New Women through G.R.A.C.E.
Beloved Haven’s Jail Outreach Program has been eye opening and rewarding. We have seen a much greater need than we ever imagined. The women who are currently incarcerated are there for a wide variety of reasons. They are also living with a lot of trauma. Our team is hoping to be able to expand our scope as the need arises. We do not ever want to turn away a woman in need due to lack of funding, staffing or other resources.
We have received calls from inmates, staff, and families of these women. Hearing “Is this the place that helps the ladies?” always makes us smile. That’s us. Their needs are as varied as their charges. We are seeing a common thread in two major areas, however. Homelessness and substance abuse. Unfortunately, we are in an location without solutions.
We are grateful to be working with a compassionate administration and staff at the Albemarle District Jail. They have helped us get in to see women for private counseling, and to help them navigate paperwork and procedures. We have searched for shelter and addiction treatment upon their release. The resources are scarce. We know, through conversations with some of these women that if they don’t have options, they will return to the lives that aided in their incarceration in the first place. This can include sexual exploitation for many.
Our jail outreach program is called G.R.A.C.E. This stands for Guided Restoration and Collaborative Empowerment. Restore and empower. It is a huge task. But, as we have seen in these last few weeks since starting G.R.A.C.E, it is so very needed. Our goal is to follow through with each woman. To advocate for her restoration in court, to build her up through support during her incarceration, and to empower her upon release.
When faced with a young woman who wants a better path, a way out, a glimmer of hope, we are committed to help. In the jail setting, we have time to sit with them and make plans. We know they are fed and have a place to lay their heads at night. This doesn’t alleviate all of our stress, but it buys us some time. In these moments, we can really work to see where the needs are located. Upon release, a woman can have all the dreams in the world, but if her body is ruled by her addiction, her mind is fighting off memories of trauma, and she is trying to find a safe place to survive the night, we haven’t done our job.
Grace is defined as a bestowal of blessings. We offer tangible grace to these women in need, in the form of resources. They offer grace to us by welcoming us into their lives and allowing us to serve and bless them with a new start.