one by one® story: New Mexico Women’s Re-entry Center
Battling a 15-year substance abuse addiction, Natasha Garcia had lived a life in and out of prison. After experiencing first-hand how hard it can be to work through addiction after incarceration, she set her sights on becoming clean. That was six years ago. Not only did Garcia meet her goal, but she also founded the New Mexico Women’s Re-entry Center (NMWRC) in Albuquerque. With judgment-free support groups and practical education, NMWRC is different from any other program in the city. To get the word out about this unique program, Garcia equipped herself with promotional materials, including branded notepad gifts, that helped spread awareness to supporters and those who need her help.
An empowering “sister provider”
For previously incarcerated women overcoming substance use and mental health issues, finding a support group in Albuquerque isn’t difficult. But finding one that feels like a get-together with friends or one that provides educational classes is much harder. That’s where NMWRC steps in. NMWRC considers itself a “sister provider,” where women with similar struggles empower, uplift and encourage one another.
To help women more easily navigate the roadblocks that come with re-entering the community after incarceration, NMWRC offers two programs. One is called “Kicking it With the Home Girls.” In it, women build relationships and freely share their thoughts and feelings, with no pressure. The other program, “Looking Ahead,” provides classes that help ensure women’s futures are more secure. The women learn everything from credit repair and financial literacy to how to build a strong work ethic.
Garcia has plans to expand NMWRC into a place that can create job opportunities. To do so, she needs more funding. And to get that funding, she needed to expand awareness of her organization. That’s where a 4imprint® one by one grant helped.
“The 4imprint products turned out absolutely beautiful. They’re perfect. We’re now able to spread more awareness and catch more people’s attention when we go to an event and set up our booth with our table cover and sign. And we can hand out notepad gifts with our logo and colors to help people remember us,” Garcia said.
A note from Cheryl
We’re humbled to play a part in helping NMWRC reach even more women with notepad gifts and other promotional products. If you’re interested in applying for a one by one grant, visit onebyone.4imprint.com.