Named for 19th century "underground railroad" heroine Harriet Tubman, this program offers female ex-offenders leaving prison the opportunity to re-enter the community in positive and responsible ways. This is a 24-month program.
Women are referred to the Harriet's House program from North Carolina Dept. of Corrections social workers within the prison facilities. After securing full-time employment, the women enter into an intensive casework program and begin setting life goals - generally, to reunite with their children and to live self-sufficiently. Many of the women go on to become homeowners, earn bachelors and masters degrees. This program has among the highest success rates of any re-entry program in the nation: 85%; with 15% recidivism.
Passage Home was nationally recognized for this program in 2004, by receiving the Annie E. Casey Foundation "Families Count" Award for excellence in strengthening families.
Graduates of the program established a mentoring program called Women Overcoming Obstacles, designed to preserve the peer network and to provide outreach and hope to new clients who may be struggling with major life changes.