The Ministry of Hope, Swannanoa

The Ministry of Hope, Swannanoa The Ministry of Hope is a community funded nonprofit providing on-site prison chaplains & programs

Our Mission Statement:
"Believing that no one is beyond God’s love, the Ministry of Hope provides safe experiences and develops supportive relationships at Swannanoa Correctional Center for Women. These will enable the discovery of and belief in hope for renewal, reconciliation, and restoration."

Did you know that more than half of incarcerated women are mothers? 💔For a woman , the weight of the sentence isn’t just...
04/06/2026

Did you know that more than half of incarcerated women are mothers? 💔

For a woman , the weight of the sentence isn’t just the time served—it’s the "invisible sentence" of being separated from her children.

Incarcerated women face unique hurdles that often go unseen:
✨Higher rates of past trauma: survivors of domestic violence or sexual abuse.
✨Primary Caregiver Stress: the sole providers for their kids before their arrest, leading to anxiety about their children’s well-being.
✨Lack of Support Systems: Women often receive fewer visits and less outside financial support than incarcerated men.

This is why we are dedicated to supporting and lifting up the women at WCCW. Our chaplains along with the countless volunteers they coordinate, run incredible programs and classes, as well as providing individualized connection to support healing. 🕊️

Our intention is to provide a safe, judgment-free space for women to process grief, heal from trauma, and find the spiritual strength to navigate these specific challenges. Whether it’s a listening ear during a difficult anniversary or guidance on breaking cycles, this support is a lifeline.

We believe in the power of education to transform lives—and a recent article about education in prisons in North Carolin...
03/27/2026

We believe in the power of education to transform lives—and a recent article about education in prisons in North Carolina reinforces exactly why this work matters.

Every day inside WCCW, we see firsthand that education is more than lessons or credentials. It’s confidence rebuilt. It’s voices rediscovered. It’s the moment someone begins to see a future beyond their current circumstances.

The women we work with show up ready to learn, grow, and challenge themselves. They bring resilience, insight, and determination into every classroom space. As one student shared in the article, “Knowledge is not only power, but freedom.” We see that truth lived out every day.

Because most incarcerated individuals will eventually return home, access to education isn’t just an opportunity—it’s an investment in stronger families and safer communities.

But too many women still don’t have access to these programs.

We remain committed to expanding opportunities, advocating for access, and standing alongside the women who are doing the hard work of building a new path forward.

https://www.ednc.org/inside-north-carolinas-prison-classrooms-where-knowledge-is-not-only-power-but-freedom/

Deep Time Coffee, CELEBRATING, EMPLOYING, AND CREATING SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY WITH PEOPLE IMPACTED BY INCARCERATION will be...
03/13/2026

Deep Time Coffee, CELEBRATING, EMPLOYING, AND CREATING SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY WITH PEOPLE IMPACTED BY INCARCERATION will be at the Stitching Stories Reimagined exhibit this Saturday and Sunday, March 14 & 15, 2026.

The exhibit, free and open to the public is located at the United Methodist Church’s green space at 101 Church St, Black Mountain, NC. It’s not to be missed!

Ministry of Hope mourns the passing of one of its founders. Back in the 1990s Rev. Dr. Melba Banks was a Disciples of Ch...
03/12/2026

Ministry of Hope mourns the passing of one of its founders.

Back in the 1990s Rev. Dr. Melba Banks was a Disciples of Christ minister who served as a part-time volunteer chaplain at the Black Mountain Correctional Center for Women. She recognized the need for a full-time paid chaplain position and began working with others to raise money to fund such a position. At the time she was the executive director of Christmount Christian Assembly and had developed expertise in non-profits.

She brought that expertise to the establishment of what is now known as Ministry of Hope.

https://www.harwoodhomeforfunerals.com/obituaries/Melba-Lucille-Banks?obId=47519879

COMING TO BLACK MOUNTAIN FEB 21: "Stitching Stories Reimagined" art installation translating incarcerated women’s’ indiv...
02/17/2026

COMING TO BLACK MOUNTAIN FEB 21: "Stitching Stories Reimagined" art installation translating incarcerated women’s’ individual struggles into a symbol of resilience...

Beginning Feb 21 through March 26, the traveling exhibit "Stitching Stories Reimagined" will be available for viewing daily from 9am-6pm on the Black Mountain United Methodist Church's (BMUMC) green space, facing W. State Street in downtown Black Mountain, NC.

We are so excited to partner with BMUMC to host this incredible exhibit!

This exhibit is a retelling of "Stitching Stories: A Prison Awareness Quilt" that was
crocheted at the minimum-security Canary Unit of the North Carolina Corrections Institution for Women by members of the H.A.T.S. (Handcrafted and Totally Special) group during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This exhibit piece recreates the quilt’s stories using a mosaic wall, an opposing mirror wall, and a vinyl wrap. Each square in the mosaic reflects one year of time served, highlighted with ribbons representing each woman’s struggles with addiction, domestic violence, sexual assault, mental health, COVID-19, children left behind, and the death of a loved one.

The mirror wall stands proudly in opposition, a chance for the viewer to stand in the place of one of the original quilt artists or the many women incarcerated in North Carolina today.

The words surrounding the portraits are from workshops held in the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women and in the community with women in Arise Collective’s Women’s Reentry Project.

This traveling exhibit has visited three previous locations across North Carolina since beginning its journey in October.

As the last stop (and only stop in WNC) before returning to its permanent residence in Raleigh, don’t miss the opportunity to experience this powerful exhibit’s message, translating incarcerated women’s’ individual struggles into a symbol of resilience - we hope it inspires healing, empathy, and advocacy.

More information about the Black Mountain stop of this public arts display can be found here at www.MinistryOfHopeWNC.org

🐣 Help the women at WCCW Send Love Home This Easter! 🌷We are collecting store-bought Easter card packs to help them shar...
02/13/2026

🐣 Help the women at WCCW Send Love Home This Easter! 🌷

We are collecting store-bought Easter card packs to help them share a message of hope! 🕊️

How to Donate:
✅ Cards: New, store-bought cards only
✅ Where to send: email us at [email protected] to arrange drop-off options

Let’s help these families stay connected. ❤️

… as always, we appreciate your continued support!

In case you missed it...our end of year "Heartbeat" newsletter is available here: https://ministryofhopewnc.org/newslett...
02/09/2026

In case you missed it...

our end of year "Heartbeat" newsletter is available here:
https://ministryofhopewnc.org/newsletters/

In this issue:
✨Finding Freedom in Prison by Dani, current WCCW Resident
✨More Hope and Healing note from Lauronda, MOH ED
✨Honoring What We've Lost in remembrance of Nancy Hankins and Mike Gregory
✨Thank you to all of our contributors this year!
✨+MORE!

Thank you for all of your support and participation in 2025!

A poem written by a volunteer yoga teacher at WCCW  Gilchrist, reflecting on her experience, was published in the lovely...
01/12/2026

A poem written by a volunteer yoga teacher at WCCW Gilchrist, reflecting on her experience, was published in the lovely online journal, Susurrus, A Literary Arts Magazine of the American South.

"The women want to hear about okra, yellow squash, anything not from an aluminum can."

Read and listen here:
https://www.susurrusthemagazine.com/yoga-at-western-correctional

What beautifully written words. Thank you for sharing, Paige.

Light A Path brings yoga and strength teachers into WCCW on a weekly basis and is another incredible group doing work at Western.

THANK YOU to Kitty Kelly and Amy Moore for your years of service on the Ministry of Hope Board, and all of the volunteer...
01/05/2026

THANK YOU to Kitty Kelly and Amy Moore for your years of service on the Ministry of Hope Board, and all of the volunteer hours you've given to the women of WCCW!

As your tenure on the board comes to an end, we offer these words of thanks:

Kitty and Amy have had a huge impact on the women served by Ministry of Hope. They have always been willing to do whatever necessary to share light and love at the prison. They brought their gifts to share with the board and helped sustain efforts through COVID and Hurricane Helene. They will be sorely missed. ~Susan Verbrugge, MOH Chaplain

Serving for the better part of the past decade in various roles within Ministry of Hope, Amy Moore and Kitty Kelly have left a permanent mark on Ministry of Hope through their generous contributions of time and energy to support the women of WCCW. Their passion for these women and this work has always been clear through the deep care and intention they've brought to every person and project they've supported over the years. They have beautifully demonstrated for all of us what it means to live your values and lead with heart. ~Cari Barcas, MOH Board Member

THANK YOU Kitty and Amy, we love you!

Address

55 Lake Eden Road
Black Mountain, NC
28711

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