Mercy’s Shore: Reuniting families and rebuilding lives after incarceration

Interview by Angelica Villa. Photos provided by Mercy's Shore.

Mercy’s Shore is an organization on a mission to reunite children with their previously incarcerated mothers, offering them a fresh start and a foundation for lasting stability. Founded in October 2021 by Douglas Dunn, a seasoned attorney with nearly five decades of experience in child welfare and the legal system, Mercy’s Shore takes a unique, child-focused approach to breaking cycles of incarceration and instability.

Douglas Dunn, Chairman and CEO at Mercy’s Shore.

At the heart of Mercy’s Shore is Dunn’s vision to create a safe and supportive space where mothers can rebuild their lives and strengthen their bond with their children. The organization provides free housing for up to 18 months in an apartment complex, allowing the women to focus on healing, personal growth, and regaining their role as mothers. Beyond housing, Mercy’s Shore equips them with essential life skills through parenting classes, financial management workshops, and Bible studies– empowering them to find employment, support their families, and avoid returning to past patterns.

We sat down with Douglass Dunn, CEO of Mercy’s Shore, to learn more about the inspiration behind the organization, the challenges families face after incarceration, and how Mercy’s Shore is creating pathways to hope and healing.

Can you share the story behind Mercy’s Shore? What inspired you to focus on reuniting children with their previously incarcerated mothers and providing them with a fresh start?

Dunn: The story behind Mercy’s Shore is a long one, but I’ll keep it brief. I’m a lawyer by training, with 47 years of experience, and I still hold my license today. During my career, I worked as a solo practitioner and handled roughly 2,000 child welfare cases. The families we serve here could easily have become involved in the child welfare system, but they haven’t– at least not yet.

After practicing law, I worked in bankruptcy and served as a truancy court judge. Later, I joined Exodus Ministries, where I spent over four years helping formerly incarcerated mothers reunite with their children. While Exodus focused on the moms, I wanted to create something that prioritized the children while still supporting their mothers.

That idea led me to found Mercy’s Shore in October 2021. Since then, we’ve been working hard to establish a place for families to thrive. We currently rent an apartment complex– though we don’t own it– where we provide housing and support for families. Our four one-bedroom apartments offer a safe and stable environment for the families we serve.

What makes Mercy’s Shore different is our unique focus on the children, although we deliver services to the mothers. When the moms and kids leave our program, the mom will be the constant in their lives, and if she gets the support she needs, she can pass that on to her children in the “real world.” That’s how Mercy’s Shore started, and we’ve been building on that foundation ever since.

With over 70% of incarcerated women in Texas being mothers, what are the biggest challenges they face upon reentry, and how do these obstacles affect their ability to rebuild their lives and care for their children?

Dunn: That’s a tough question with a sad reality. Many women leaving prison have never had strong role models or learned basic life skills. Addiction often leads to “arrested development,” meaning their emotional and psychological growth stalled when they started using. As a result, they’ve missed critical milestones such as learning to manage responsibilities, build relationships, and parent effectively. Instead, their focus has been on survival.

Beyond that, housing is a major challenge. Many landlords won’t rent to those with a criminal record due to stigma, assuming they’re untrustworthy or troublemakers. But that’s not the case. These women aren’t bad actors; they’re people who made mistakes and are trying to rebuild. Even if they could find a willing landlord, financial barriers remain. To qualify for housing in neighborhoods like this, they’d need to earn three times the monthly rent– often $4,500 or more– which is simply out of reach for most.

Employment is another hurdle. Many employers overlook or reject applicants with a criminal record, assuming they’re unreliable. But these women aren’t looking to cause trouble; they’re trying to break free from survival mode and create a stable future. The problem is that without stable housing, income, or support, the odds are stacked against them, making it incredibly difficult to reunite with their children and truly start over.

Can you describe a success story where children and mothers have turned their lives around through the Mercy’s Shore program? 

Dunn: That’s a great question. Mercy’s Shore has only recently received the keys to the apartments we currently rent, so we haven’t had anyone complete the program yet. Our residents are still in the process of working through it. However, even in this short time, we’ve already seen significant changes.

For example, one of the women who came to us initially had a really negative attitude. My wife, who volunteers here, and I even discussed whether she would make it. But the truth is, her life has transformed. Her outlook has changed dramatically. She now views herself, her children, and the world in a much more positive and respectful way. It’s been incredible to witness.

As for how the program has helped, we’ve always said from the beginning that, whether a woman stays for the full 9 to 18 months or leaves earlier, we want them to be able to say, “That was a great program, I’m glad I was a part of it.” Even if they feel it wasn’t for them, we want them to say, “Those people loved us exceptionally well.” We want them to know we care about them deeply, as if they were our own family, and that we genuinely want what’s best for them.

We don’t expect anything in return. Our residents don’t pay rent or utilities. We have a van to transport them when needed, whether it’s hot, cold, or rainy. While we can’t take them everywhere they want to go, we ensure they get where they need to be.

what programs or services does Mercy’s Shore provide?

Dunn: In terms of support, they’re involved in various classes. They’ve already gone through financial literacy training. They’ll also be participating in parenting classes, critical thinking, conflict resolution, anger management, and health & wellness classes. We also offer Zumba when the weather is nice, and we’re about to start a yoga class. All of these resources contribute to a shift in how they see themselves and the world. They’re starting to believe that they matter, that they have value. For many women, that wasn’t something they felt when they first arrived to the program.

In addition to the classes I mentioned earlier, our residents also receive weekly sessions with a licensed professional counselor, which we cover the cost of. They participate in a 12-step recovery program, as well as a Bible study and worship service every Sunday morning.

We also connect them with other community partners who offer services we don’t provide directly. We believe in leveraging the expertise of other nonprofit organizations in the community, so if someone else is doing something well, we partner with them to ensure our residents get the best possible care. We don’t feel the need to reinvent the wheel if other organizations are already excelling in certain areas.

How do you envision the future of Mercy’s Shore? What are some of your long-term goals for the organization and the families you serve?

Dunn: Our goal is to expand. We hope to eventually have a facility of our own, with 15 to 20 apartments, instead of just four. Starting with just four families doesn’t make a huge dent in addressing the needs of women who have been incarcerated and have a criminal record. Right now, we have six apartments—this office we’re sitting in, a resident manager who lives on-site, and four apartments for the families.

Initially, we set our sights on purchasing a property with 15 to 20 apartments. We found a good option, but the challenge was funding. We couldn’t raise the $3 million needed at the time, and now, three years later, it’s likely closer to $5 or $6 million.

Our vision is to serve more women and become thought leaders in this space, especially when it comes to understanding how to best support our clients. One thing I always tell people is this: I’m older, I’m a lawyer, and I don’t have all the answers. We need people around us who can contribute their expertise and ideas to help us improve what we’re doing and make a bigger impact.

What can the community do to get involved or do to help support the mission of Mercy’s Shore?

Dunn: We definitely need volunteers. Specifically, we need people who can watch the children while the moms are in class, attending Zumba or yoga, or participating in other activities. We also need volunteers who can serve as mentors for the moms. As for the children, right now we have two 7-month-olds (born on the same day to mothers who were roommates at Nexus Recovery Center) and a 2-year-old. When we have older children in the future, we’d like to have male mentors who are interested in guiding young boys.

We could also use volunteers to teach some of the classes we offer. Additionally, we always welcome people who are willing to pray for Mercy’s Shore and the families we serve.

Lastly, and certainly not least, we rely on financial support. Mercy’s Shore is a volunteer-driven organization with three staff members, and only one of those is on payroll. The other two staff members work without pay, which isn’t a problem, but it does highlight the importance of attracting and retaining talented individuals. Financial contributions, along with volunteering your time and prayers, form the three pillars of support for a nonprofit: talent, treasures, and time.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Dunn: Mercy’s Shore is one of only three organizations I’m aware of in the state that serves previously incarcerated mothers and their children simultaneously. I’ve reached out to many organizations to spread the word about what we’re doing, and as far as I know, there are only three programs like ours in Texas. Statewide, I estimate there are around 30 apartments dedicated to serving mothers and children in longer-term programs (9 to 18 months). Meanwhile, there are about 20,000 women incarcerated in Texas prisons and county jails on any given day. This is a demographic that desperately needs support. If we don’t serve them, their children are at high risk of following the same path.

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