Patience and perseverance paid off. After seemingly endless roadblocks and delays, Mercy’s Shore is finally open and welcoming its first families.
As featured in the June 2022 East Dallas/Lakewood Advocate, Mercy’s Shore is a neighborhood faith-based non-profit with a mission to reunite children and their previously incarcerated mothers in a safe residential program providing trauma-informed services, accountability and grace.
“Since before the founding of Mercy’s Shore in 2021, the fingerprints of God could be seen everywhere and at every turn. When an obstacle was encountered getting the ministry off the ground, as long as we did not quit, God provided a solution. We have been amazed over and over again,” says neighborhood resident Douglas Dunn, CEO and founder.
Last month, after much prayer, preparation and compassion, Mercy’s Shore opened its doors and filled apartments with new families, including mothers with a four-year-old, a 21-month-old and three children less than two months old.
As with most non-profits, funding is no small detail, but Dunn says not for God.
For example, support came from a missionary who had spent 25 years serving in remote, dangerous places. The missionary approached Dunn to say that God had placed on his heart to financially support Mercy’s Shore.
“We were touched by his willingness to toss a few coins in the basket, until we found out how many coins he was thinking,” Dunn says.
The missionary said he was moved to take $40,000 out of his meager savings to help Mercy’s Shore raise enough money to open.
“When he told us what he was planning to do, we were no longer touched, we were overcome with emotion.”
Eventually, after raising enough to satisfy start-up goals, the real work began: Finding a physical “home” for the ministry.
Dunn and his team had heard how hard it is for people with criminal records to secure suitable housing. Then he learned about it firsthand as they reached out to many East Dallas apartment complexes in order to locate just one that would support their mission.
Most owners wouldn’t lease to people with criminal backgrounds. Others wouldn’t honor promises to even call back after the leasing agent talked with a manager.
Finally, Dunn says divine providence intervened; a landlord who owned several properties in the desired area agreed to consider helping. The first complex he offered for consideration was affordable but not appropriate for small children; another had a pool, which could be dangerous for young kids; another was in a great location but wasn’t affordable.
“At that point, we began to question whether we were chasing our tails,” Dunn says.
“It appeared this landlord was trying to be helpful and came up with one last property, and produced a proposal for six apartments: four for families, one for a resident manager and one for an office.”
Then, a representative for the owner said: “I think we can do better.”
The rent had already been reduced below market rate in the initial proposal. Then additional financial concessions were made, and an agreement was ultimately reached.
It didn’t take long to secure furnishings for the apartments, Dunn says.
“The garage at our home soon filled up with tables, chairs, beds and virtually everything needed to make an apartment a home. Benevolent neighbors donated new cribs and mattresses.
“The search for additional do-dads and what-nots continues, but each of the apartments is a place our clients can call ‘home,’” Dunn says.
In order to fill apartments with families, it was time for community awareness, via a search for organizations and churches with prison ministries.
“Many of them have in-prison ministries for women serving sentences, but not residential programs,” Dunn says. “What were the women to do upon release?
“Unfortunately, those women can’t rent apartments because many landlords require tenants to have income that is at least three times the rent for their units. Women coming out of prison have few life skills, job skills, or a resume that would allow them to earn $3,000-$6,000 a month.”
He adds that many end up returning to where they lived prior to prison, only to re-engage with people, places and things that led to their downfall.
Mercy’s Shore offers a real solution. No rent or utilities are charged, and each apartment is fully furnished and tastefully decorated.
Mercy’s Shore isn’t a free housing program, Dunn says. Instead, he says it’s a comprehensive solution for single moms wanting to change their lifestyles, with housing as a component.
Women arriving at Mercy’s Shore undergo vocational, academic-aptitude and interest assessments.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a livable wage for a single adult in Dallas is about $43,576, or $20.92 per hour. For a single adult with one child, a livable wage here is $76,611, or about $35.39 per hour.
Mercy’s Shore residents receive weekly counseling with a licensed professional counselor for themselves and each school-aged child living with them; counseling is designed to help overcome trauma endured leading to and during incarceration.
The non-profit also offers a weekly 12-step recovery program and Bible study meetings, instruction in financial literacy, critical thinking, conflict resolution, anger management, parenting and more.
Mentoring for moms and older children provides a different perspective on life and world views than that to which they have been exposed.
“The road to recovery and healing is long and difficult. It requires a great deal of patience by those serving and a great deal of commitment by those seeking recovery and healing. And candidates are reaching out,” he says.
How can neighbors help?
Dunn says the ministry is praying for several needs to be met:
- Full-time social worker. Paid position.
- Mentors for each mom. A listening ear, “mom” experience or just a caring voice
- Apartment furnishings. When residents graduate from Mercy’s Shore’s 9- to 18-month program, they get to take everything with them. Replacement décor is always needed for the next resident and family
- Your time. Please share what you know: teach classes such as critical thinking, how-to-shop, health and nutrition, creative subjects like art and cooking — volunteers are needed in many areas.
- Financial support. God loves a cheerful giver, Dunn says.
- Prayers. Best for last.
Help Mercy’s Shore give a hand up, not a handout, to those wanting to break the cycle of incarceration and broken families. Call Dunn today to learn more. 214-446-1811. P.O. Box 141062 in Dallas, 75214-1062. Mercysshore.org.
