Meet Nicole

Tenfold’s Beth Shalom House of Peace provides housing and supportive services to mothers transitioning out of prison in Lancaster County, empowering them to regain stability, reconnect with their children, and move forward together as a family.  

Nicole, a mother to a 1½-year-old son Noah, is so thankful for the Beth Shalom program. “I can’t put into words how great it has been to be accepted into this program and to get my life in order. I heard about Beth Shalom’s program and believed it would be the program for me, and sure enough, it was.”  

Within an 8-month timeframe, Nicole embarked on a transformative journey. The Beth Shalom program takes a holistic approach to addressing financial and housing challenges. Residents are encouraged to work or receive job training, participate in life-skills programs, and access mental health counseling and substance use disorder treatment as needed. Throughout her journey, Nicole embraced positive parenting and financial responsibility. She shares “I needed this time to get my life in order, be myself again. My goal continues to be the best mother I can be. Beth Shalom provided me those skills, like learning to cook for myself and my son.” 

In addition to empowering residents with life skills, Beth Shalom is dedicated to creating a nurturing environment for residents and their families, guided by core Christian faith principles. Our partnership with a local church volunteer group, Faith, Fun & Fellowship (F3), provides mentoring and engaging activities to foster a sense of belonging within the community. “I adore these women,” Nicole says of the F3 group. “They share what life can be and they reassured me that I can do it. They also redid the backyard at Beth Shalom, making a great place to have fun with our kids.”   

Nicole’s words reflect the impact of community support in rebuilding lives. “During my stay at Beth Shalom, I was surrounded by family,” she says. “The other girls and I shared our challenges and motivated each other on our journeys. Lenara and Lisa [Beth Shalom staff] were there to provide much needed direction.”  

Surrounded by a supportive family, Nicole found structure and was motivated to work towards renewing her driver’s license, securing a job, and pursuing a degree in counseling. “As an addict, I lost structure and accountability, but I found that at Beth Shalom,” she says. The supportive community and unwavering hope instilled in her at Beth Shalom led to a remarkable transformation in her life, and she is looking forward to the future with her son. 

Your support allows us to continue empowering mothers like Nicole. To donate to Beth Shalom during this year’s ExtraGive, click here: https://www.extragive.org/campaigns/beth-shalom