Who They AreAngela House was founded in 2001 and was initially identified as a “Special Work” of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, under the directive of Bishop Joseph Fiorenza. In July 2006, Angela House became an independent, 501c3 non-profit entity within the Archdiocese of Galveston/Houston. In December 2013, Angela House relocated to a newly renovated facility south of downtown Houston. Since welcoming their first resident in April 2002, Angela House has provided transitional service to 368 women.
At 206 per 100,000 residents, Texas has one of the highest incarceration rates among female offenders in the world. Considering that at least 95% of people incarcerated in Texas will be released back to their communities, the majority of whom return to the greater Houston area, Angela House serves a critical need by supporting the reintegration of women upon their release and reduces their reliance on more expensive public services.
The mission of Angela House is to successfully transition women into society after incarceration. Angela House provides services that target individual needs and behaviors. In Texas, 46.5% of the formerly incarcerated are rearrested 3 years after release and 30% are reincarcerated. Inmates at the Harris County jail that are charged with state jail felonies, the majority of whom are drug offenders, have a 75% recidivism rate. By comparison:
The majority of Angela House residents have achieved positive outcomes in all major service areas, In addition to providing residents with safe housing, food, and clothing, Angela House offers weekly programming, including:
Angela House also provides referrals, as needed, to services in the community for residents in need of:
To donate or learn more about this great cause, please visit the Angela House website at http://angelahouse.org/donate-online
Angela House is always looking for volunteers if you live in the Houston area. Some of the tasks the volunteers may be asked to help with are: administrative tasks, organizing clothing room and donations, tutoring, transporting women to appointments, coordinating community events for the women, gardening workshops, healthy cooking/nutrition classes, and fundraisers and donation drives. Visit their website for more information http://angelahouse.org/volunteer