NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Re-entering society after being released from prison can be challenging, especially without the right support. Tennessee Prison Outreach Ministry (TPOM) is creating a new safe haven for women leaving the prison system: The Morgan House.
The 10,000-square-foot facility will offer affordable housing for 18 women transitioning out of prison in Tennessee.
"If we can make a change in that woman's life, then it will have generational impact," said Tennessee Prison Outreach Ministry Executive Director Thomas Snow.
Residents will be able to stay as long as they need, providing crucial stability during the reintegration process.
"This will allow them to stay long term, continue to provide services that we have, save up money as they prepare for even further independence," said Snow.
The growth comes not just from state funding, but from Ms. Morgan—a neighbor who initially questioned the ministry's work.
"She came to me and said that she needed a wheelchair ramp. And so one of the men said, 'I have construction skills. I'll build it.' And TPOM paid for it," said Snow
Before her death in 2019, Morgan instructed her family to sell the land exclusively to the ministry.
"When her daughter came to see me after her funeral, she said, 'Our mother was your biggest critic, and she became your biggest fan,'" Snow said.
Stable housing is one of the most important factors in preventing people from returning to prison, according to the non-profit.
"This house is going to take away that stress and give women a respite to be able to say, okay, I can relax. I can save my money. There's no rush for me to get out," said Melissa Lopez
Mary McCrary and Melissa Lopez both committed to TPOM after years behind bars.
"They just love on you, teach you some skills, help you with employment, housing and change. Just changes your life," Mccrary said.
They wish more people realized the value in helping people have productive lives after prison.
"People make mistakes and bad choices, and a lot of times that is from trauma they have experienced through their life, and it's out of desperation and surviving. It does not make us bad people," McCrary said.
The Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services provided funding for the project through its Creating Homes Initiative.
"This program started back in the year 2000 and over the course of the last 25 years [we] leveraged more than $1.35 billion and created more than 37,500 housing opportunities," said Matthew Parriott, Director of Communications with the department.
The program initially focused on affordable housing for people living with mental health challenges. Its success led Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly to expand it twice, adding housing for people in recovery from substance use disorder and reentry housing for individuals returning from incarceration.
TPOM hopes to complete construction of Morgan's House and have a grand opening by this time next year.
More than 30,000 women are incarcerated in Tennessee each year. The Morgan House aims to be a first step toward independence, employment, and long-term recovery for the women it serves.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@Newschannel5.com
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