Nonprofit creates transitional housing in Zebulon for women to get back on their feet after missteps

When complete, the house will be able to accommodate up to six women at a time. They will undergo an 18-month program with counseling, mentorship, employment resources and more.

“Instead of being ladies that have taken from society, they will become women who contribute to society,” founder and executive director Jane Wolfe said.

The nonprofit started hosting bible studies at the North Carolina Correctional Institute for Women in Raleigh in about 2006. It was during that time that Wolfe said some of the issues of recidivism became more apparent to her.

“For the sample as a whole, the first recidivist arrest occurred, on average, eight months after entry to probation or release from prison,” according to the report.

“It wasn’t necessarily that they were habitual criminals; it was often times that they didn’t have a place to go,” Wolfe said.

During the pandemic, the nonprofit was not allowed inside the prison. It was during that time, she says she and her team came upon the idea to offer transitional housing. They’re calling it the ‘Greenhouse Project.’

“We sold our office and took that money to reinvest in a house,” she said.

They bought the house knowing that it would need a lot of work. Luckily, she said much of the renovations have been funded through donations; that’s something she’s very thankful for.

The state budget also allocates $75,000 for the project.

“There’s so many people coming out of rehabs and jails that are struggling that don’t have families to turn to,” said Miriam Pearce. “There’s not a lot of places like this. It would just be good for people to know that there’s help.”

Pearce said she turned to Dew4Him Ministries when she hit a hard place in her life.

“I showed up one day. I was like, ‘Hey, I need help. Can you guys help me?’ They had open arms,” she recalled. “There’s definitely been a difference from the moment I showed up to their door to now.”

Pearce believes this program will help women stay focused, if they commit to the process.

“It’s a process. Sometimes, it feels hard and you want to give up. But if you let yourself go through that process, you will get better. It’s an amazing feeling once you get to that point,” Pearce said.