Vote   Send

Monmouth University partnered with Reedem-Her Organization to help ex-inmates find a new path in life after prision. Every year thousands of incarcerated women are realesed from prision with no where to go, no family or friends, and no money to survive. Redeem-Her, a  nonprofit, is an inmate and ex-offender directed, self-help, service organization. Redeem-Her has its roots inside the confines of the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in Clinton, New Jersey. It was birthed there by inmates who were bold enough to forge a new direction in a place where one is expected only to follow directions; by women who sought to change the culture of the institution to one of cooperation, community, and service.  But as they were released back to society, they found that their needs only increased, and remained, by and large, unmet. To this end, Redeem-Her exists to bridge the gap between incarcerated women and their community.  They strive to prepare the incarcerated woman for reconciliation with God, herself, her family and her community.

These women are living in transitional homes, which are homes where people released from prision without any direction go to live. Many people donate clothes and other items these women need to survive. It came to a point where these women in these homes were overloaded with donations, but still didn't have enough money or room to grow or the ability to help themselves. Monmouth University stepped in and helped these women open up a business (Second Chances Thrift Boutique) to sell the overload of generous donations from the community. Students from Monmouth University found a businees location in Neptune,  cleaned, polished, and merchandised the entire store, obtained a loan ($20,000) for the business, and got the women on thier way to a new career.  This store gave these women a new life and a real future.  Monmouth University students are still invovled in helping the store by constantly visiting the store, merchandising, reorganizeing, helping with stock, and keeping work shifts in place.  This store was able to expand the origional transitional home and open 2 more transitional homes to bring in and help other ex-incarerated women. The Monmouth Universtiy students will continue with this project hoping to generate addtional income through opening other thrift boutique locations and expand new career pathways for the ever present recently released incarcerated women.

Related Links:

• Monmouth University

* YouTube video views since this project was published at TrueHero.com