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A woman hundreds of women call mom, has given birth to a haven of second chances. Women who've been imprisoned or can't cope with life, are finding a way to rebuild their lives. The facility is a city within a city. It offers, love, hope and new beginnings for women who have faced tough times. Many of the women come to the Lovelady Center after they leave prison. It's a place they can learn how to cope in society. The place has a lot of love, encouragement and training to completely get a new start.
Brenda Spahn is the Executive Director. She says, "What kind of person in their right mind would do this if they didn't think God called them to do this?"
Hundreds of women, with heartaches and past mistakes can heal.
Jennifer Calloway is now the Outreach Coordinator at Lovelady. It's a job that makes her proud. She's one of many that has a story to tell. Jennifer says, "When I was 25 I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. I started taking prescription pain medication and I formed a very powerful addiction. "
That addiction led to incarceration. Jennifer says she.. was arrested for attempting to fill a fraudulent prescription.
But now, hers is one of hundreds of lives restored here at the lovelady center. A representative showed us around the centerl.. They're assigned a room. She usually has a roomate.
Most of the women come here after prison. Without the Lovelady center, they'd only get 10 dollars and a buss ticket home. Brenda Spahnn Has tried to help the women by witnessing to them in prison.
Brenda Spahn says they'd pray before they got out and then when they'd get out they'd be right back. So she started by hosting women just out of prison in her home, in her own home. But now they're hundreds in the old East Lake Hospital Facility. But now there are hundreds in the old east lake hospital facility complete with a chaplain, a nursery, Children are reunited with their mothers after prison. From six to fourteen the children call this place home as well. There's also a convenience store, a library and a job training center, a college program, a counselor, a nurse, and much more. Here they try to get the physical part of our women taken care of as well as the mental part.
Brenda Spahn says, " We want to take a holistic approach to our women and so what we've done is we've formed an educationald department and so when the women come in each woman is tested ... For where she is adademically. "
They are trained for a job they choose for their new begfinning, Jennifer Calloway started in the Lovelady Beauty salon, there her possiblilities blossomed.
Jennifer says, "That openned up to people inviting me to go out to do publice speaking and go out into their churches. "
Now Jennifer is an ambassador for the Lovelady Center. From five women to hundreds it's changing lives and more importantly hearts.
BRENDA SPAHN. "I think I would have kept it a secret but as the need has gotten so large I know that I had to reach more and more... People. We've become more of a community project. "
The center runs on two million a year which is bare bones considering all the mouths they have to feed. But here the women learn not only to depend on each other but themselves and their faith.
ABC 33/40 News to leave comments on news stories.