Local rehabilitation nonprofit, Grace and Mercy celebrated their ninth graduating class, spotlighted their alumnae, provided updates to their 2024 fundraising campaign and to their plans for expansion on Thursday at New Work Fellowship.
Grace and Mercy is a one-to-two-year Christian nonprofit program in Hopkinsville that opened in 2015 to provide support and housing to women who have recently been incarcerated in order to help them find employment and reunite with their children.
To kick off the evening, Grace and Mercy Executive Director, Joanna Mack says she wanted to honor Grace and Mercy Founder Carolyn Self and Board member David Gardner. Mack says Self showed her how to partner clinical and religious healing and Gardner helped them start their fudge production with donations.
Thursday’s graduates included, Kylin Fazio of Kirkland, Washington, Phylecia Ford of Russellville, Haley Worley of Elkton, Karen Copeland of Lobelville, Tennessee, Ansley Meyer of Griffin, Georgia, Chancie Gray of Princeton and Katie Bagget of Cadiz.
Each graduate was presented with a certificate and was given the stage to thank those who supported them and share how their journey at Grace and Mercy has impacted them.
Gray thanked those who dedicated their time to helping her recover and feels as though she is now able to achieve milestones that she could not have imagined herself reaching before her time in the program.
Along with spotlighting the evening’s graduates, Grace and Mercy Board Chair, Paula Halcomb shared that previous graduates of their program have been joining the Grace and Mercy team as board members and workers at their thrift store.
Halcomb says alumnae who have gone through the program will be able to connect with those currently in the program as they were once in the same position.
Concerning expansion and the yearly fundraiser, Halcomb previously shared the nonprofit’s plans to establish apartments for program graduates. At the graduation she announced that the plan was underway as they have purchased a home.
For 2024, Grace and Mercy announced their plans of raising $200,000 to support their work in the community and to conclude the ceremony, Mack announced that they have raised around $145,000 and thanked those that have donated so far.
Mack says they are still accepting donations and those interested in supporting their mission can visit graceandmercyky.org. The full graduation ceremony is available at Grace and Mercy on Facebook.