Pell Grants for incarcerated students
On July 1, Pell Grant eligibility will extend to incarcerated students ending a ban that prevented most incarcerated individuals for receiving federal aid for continuing education. This momentous change invalidates the ban put in place in 1994. This change will make 760,000 eligible incarcerated students eligible for $7,395 in Pell Grant awards. A Bureau of […]
A day of celebration!
On Saturday, our clients, volunteers, and staff gathered to celebrate 19 women’s accomplishments over the last year. Each year, Changed Choices celebrates pre-release and re-entry clients reaching their goals at our annual graduation party. This year, goals included: A big thank you to Matthews United Methodist Church for providing amazing food and fellowship. We can’t […]
How do we find new clients?
Each quarter, our admissions committee gathers to identify new clients for Changed Choices. The process begins long before that quarterly meeting. Before the pandemic, we met potential clients through our work at the Mecklenburg County Detention Center, and our classes, counseling, and mentorship program. During COVID, we entrusted our current clients to be our advocates […]
The power of continuing education
Last month, our staff had the opportunity to cheer for two clients continuing their education journey. Each women achieve a their goal of receiving their associate’s degree. Not only is this achievement something to celebrate, it’s an investment in their future. A Bureau of Justice Statistics study showed there is a 43% reduction in recidivism […]