Tried By Fire, Inc. is pleased to announce the award of a $40,000 grant as well as a $5,000 Challenge Grant that has just been awarded by The Anonymous Trust in Raleigh. The Challenge is for Tried By Fire, Inc. to attract $5,000 in “new” donations from individuals, businesses, organizations, and churches that have not previously donated to the project establishing My Sister’s House in New Bern. The Challenge begins on July 16 and ends on October 17, 2022.
“We are so grateful that this grant and Challenge comes at the same time as our “Focusing on the Future” Open House on Saturday, July 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.,” said Bonita Simmons, Executive Director of Tried By Fire, Inc. “We want to show off the progress we’ve made on construction at 524 Roundtree Street as well as introduce our Adopt-A-Room opportunity. There will be information on how an entire room can be sponsored, with appropriate recognition, as well as general support for finishing the house,” explained Simmons. This will give people a chance to be involved, and if they are donating funds to this project for the first time, it will count toward the $5,000 Challenge.
“There have been many offers for donations of furniture, clothing, and household items,” said Deedra Durocher, Volunteer & Resource Coordinator for Tried By Fire, Inc. “However, our Board has made a decision to plan for all new furnishings to make a subtle statement to our guests that they are worth it, and we’re also fortunate to have a committee who has contacts with various furniture vendors working on this,” explained Durocher.
At this point, clothing, linens, and household items are being directed to the Helping Hands Boutique on Neuse Blvd., a thrift and consignment store operated by the Coastal Women’s Shelter. Any furniture donations are referred to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore on Pollock Street. “Eventually, we hope to create a furniture bank to collect items that women will be able to draw from when they move out of My Sister’s House into their own permanent housing, but we’re not there yet,” said Durocher.
My Sister’s House will be the first transitional home specifically for post-incarcerated women east of Raleigh and north of Wilmington. Right now, there are approximately 560 women being held in the 29 prisons and jails located in nine counties of Eastern North Carolina. When a woman is released, her most critical need is for a safe and secure place to live, with a valid address, so she can begin to work on rebuilding her life. Without such housing, she may have to return to an abusive partner, or a dysfunctional family, or become homeless.
Community-based short-term housing in a supportive environment can significantly reduce recidivism and provide an opportunity for post-incarcerated women to realize a more successful reentry to their community and reunification with their children. Providing temporary shelter and referrals to a variety of programs, services, and resources already existing in the community is behind the mission of My Sister’s House.
Tried By Fire, Inc. is a registered 501-c-3 non-profit organization, and all donations for My Sister’s House will be formally acknowledged. Checks can be made payable to Tried By Fire, Inc., and mailed to P. O. Box 12691, New Bern, NC 28561. Online donations can be made three ways: on their website at triedbyfireinc.org, with the Cash App: $TriedByFireInc, or the GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/cc47ws-my-sisters-house.
By Deedra Durocher