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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FORSYTH JAIL & PRISON MINISTRIES OPENS TRANSITION HOUSE
FJPM establishes a new transition house for ex-offenders in Forsyth County.
WINSTON-SALEM, NC (March 3, 2025): Forsyth Jail & Prison Ministries (FJPM) opened its first transition house on Saturday, March 1, to provide safe and affordable housing for several ex-offenders. “While we have worked for many years with the established transition houses in Winston-Salem, there’s never enough room for those who need it,” said Mark Hogsed, FJPM’s Executive Director. “This is the right time for the ministry to open a new transition house to provide another housing option for graduates of our Transition to Work program.”
Forsyth Jail & Prison Ministries was established more than 48 years ago to provide chaplaincy services to offenders and inmates in Forsyth County. Established in 2015, FJPM’s Transition to Work program (TTW) helps prepare offenders at the Forsyth Correctional Center for their return to society. The offenders complete a series of classes during the last two years of their incarceration. These classes include 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Financial Peace University, Human Resource Development, Reality 101, and Project Re-entry. Upon program graduation and prison release, each ex-offender then receives financial, spiritual, and practical support for their re-entry into the local community.
Transition House is Key to Successful Re-entry
“Employment and safe, affordable housing are vital for an ex-offender’s successful re-entry into society,” Hogsed continued. “FJPM works to bring a community of support around each ex-offender to help in those critical first months after their release from prison.” This support also includes assistance with transportation, basic needs such as food, clothing, and toiletries, mentorship, and connection with a local faith community. The overarching goal of FJPM’s work in re-entry is to create safer communities and build stronger families. This helps reduce recidivism significantly. TTW has reduced the recidivism rate for its graduates to 8%, as compared to North Carolina’s average of 40% and the national average of 60%.
FJPM’s first two residents are graduates of the TTW program. Both are gainfully employed, have purchased cars through FJPM’s car purchase program, and are involved with their local churches. Each resident pays monthly rent and is responsible for caring for the home and yard. In the next six to 12 months, they plan to secure permanent housing. “These are the outcomes we expect and are grateful for,” said Hogsed. “These men have worked hard to become participating members of our community. The TTW model will continue to transform the lives of incarcerated individuals in Forsyth County for years to come.”
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Forsyth Jail & Prison Ministries is an interdenominational ministry serving more than 10,000 incarcerated men, women, and families in Forsyth County each year. Chaplains, along with the assistance of volunteers, provide spiritual counseling for all faiths, crisis counseling, worship services, literacy classes, employment assistance, support groups, re-entry assistance, parenting classes, healing prayer, and Bible studies for offenders and their families. FJPM is dedicated to the belief that the light of love can heal and reconcile the offender to family and the community.
For more information, please contact Holly Kessler at holly@forsythjpm.org.
