When Lourdes Moreno walked out of prison, she carried more than her past. She carried the weight of starting over with limited options for housing, employment, and support.
“I was incarcerated,” Moreno said. “If I wouldn’t have been able to learn the things I learned through St. Joseph the Worker; finding employment, finishing school, I would not be able to sustain myself right now.”
For women like Moreno, that chance to rebuild is rare. Formerly incarcerated individuals are 10 times more likely to face homelessness than the general population, making the first steps toward self-sufficiency some of the hardest to take.
St. Joseph the Worker, a Phoenix-based nonprofit, is committed to changing that. Since 1988, the organization has provided pathways to employment as the foundation for long-term stability.
Its Workforce Villages Re-entry Program offers women safe, short-term housing as they transition back into society. Over the course of 30 to 45 days, participants secure employment and begin saving for the future. With ongoing life skills training and transitional housing options, the program is designed to break cycles of poverty and recidivism.
This year, that mission received a boost through a Lowe’s Hometowns grant. Now in its fourth year, Lowe’s Hometowns supports community projects nationwide that create lasting impact.
For St. Joseph the Worker, the grant is funding critical renovations to its Workforce Villages Re-entry Program home, including upgrades to flooring, kitchen cabinetry, countertops, electrical systems, and more. These improvements will provide women with a safe, welcoming environment as they work to transform their lives.
“The support from Lowe’s and the community is vital,” said Derek Strunk, chief operating officer of St. Joseph the Worker. “All the women who have come through our program, we haven’t had any recidivism. We know it works when people are given the opportunity to move forward”.
The Lowe’s team didn’t just provide funding. They rolled up their sleeves. Phoenix store manager Ben Metcalf joined associates in installing light fixtures, fans, and landscaping to ensure the renovated space felt like home from the very first day.
“This is the community where we live and work,” Metcalf said. “If we can pay it forward through Lowe’s Hometowns, that’s exactly what we’re looking to do.”
For Moreno, the program has been life-changing, not just for her, but for her family. “They’re not only impacting her life,” she said of the program and its supporters, “they’re impacting the children’s life and the family’s life”.
With each woman who walks through St. Joseph the Worker's doors, the ripple effect grows. And thanks to partners like Lowe’s, those second chances are becoming sturdier foundations for brighter futures.
