Local Non-Profit Giving Mothers A Second Chance

OKC's ReMerge is helping formerly incarcerated women find hope.

Monday, October 16th 2023, 10:03 am

By: Jordan Ryan

OKLAHOMA CITY -

Local non-profit, ReMerge helps remove barriers and push formerly incarcerated mothers along a path of success.

The program presents opportunities for these women to start fresh and create a new life for them and their families. The program recently received a grant from Google.org to fund their diversion programs.

Jenna Maroney, executive director at ReMerge, said they provide services to help women achieve their goals.

"We have an on-sight facilitator that is teaching them the IT curriculum. They are getting childcare, they are getting transportation," Morey said.

For those in trouble with the law, it can often feel like a dead end road. ReMerge hopes to show formerly incarcerated women another way.

Samantha Rooney said she had convinced herself she was worthless until finding ReMerge and reading their mission statement that was full of hope.

"ReMerge gives you a safe place. They are going to break you down, you can get all of that trauma out and so you can just start rebuilding from fresh," Rooney said.

She started the Grow With Google program and gained the skills to land a job in IT.

While Rooney faced challenges along the way, she said her peers and mentors pushed her to keep going.

"There are so many amazing women around here that believe in you until you can believe in yourself," Rooney said.

She landed a job with the state and now comes back to ReMerge to encourage her former peers.

Program participant Ashley Johnson said Rooney has helped inspire her.

"She is a big inspiration to me just as far as coming in, getting it done and rolling the ball,” Johnson said.

Since 2011, 182 women have graduated the ReMerge program who parent a total of 455 children.

Rooney wants people to know that difficult roads can lead to beautiful places.

"That means that it wasn't all for nothing, that means all those bad choices I made, and all of that trauma wasn't for nothing. It all has a purpose," Rooney said.

For more information on Remerge and their programing, click here.