Building Lives Beyond Prison Walls

Our mission

As followers of Christ, we empower currently and recently incarcerated women to achieve lasting, positive change through programming and personalized mental, emotional, physical and spiritual support.

Our Story

Back in 1999, Ruth Snyder began visiting two women incarcerated in the Mecklenburg County Detention Center (MCDC) Detention Center. She found the ladies broken, afraid and feeling very much alone. Ruth recruited others and they began to teach, mentor and encourage an increasing number of women at MCDC on a spiritual and emotional level. When the women left MCDC to go to prison, personal contact continued through the mail and phone calls. It was out of this that “Changed Choices” was born. A nonprofit agency which has continued to develop; meeting the needs of the “clients” they followed into prison. 

Building Lives Beyond Prison Walls

Our mission

As followers of Christ, we empower currently and recently incarcerated women to achieve lasting, positive change through programming and personalized mental, emotional, physical and spiritual support.

Our Story

Back in 1999, Ruth Snyder began visiting two women incarcerated in the Mecklenburg County Detention Center (MCDC) Detention Center. She found the ladies broken, afraid and feeling very much alone. Ruth recruited others and they began to teach, mentor and encourage an increasing number of women at MCDC on a spiritual and emotional level. When the women left MCDC to go to prison, personal contact continued through the mail and phone calls. It was out of this that “Changed Choices” was born. A nonprofit agency which has continued to develop; meeting the needs of the “clients” they followed into prison. 

Changed Choices, as a ministry and as individuals called to serve this ministry, is committed to anti-racism, knowing that it is a learning, challenging and even uncomfortable process.