Local nonprofit expands to provide more help to women in need
Local nonprofit Heaven’s Army of Resources, founded by Lanora Purvis, will be establishing a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit called The First Step Program. The home base for the organization will be located in Lufkin. The program will work in conjunction with t
The Heaven’s Army Home of Amazing Grace, located in Cleveland, has been working to empower women struggling with various hardships since its doors first opened.
Currently, the home offers women the chance to turn their lives around through support and discipleship by incorporating classes in success and business education, all stemming from faithbased teachings.
The home is not a shelter or a rehabilitation facility, though it does help women in various situations, including those fleeing domestic violence or struggling with addiction. The women staying at the residence are ready to surrender to the ministry and the organization’s efforts to point them toward success in all aspects of life.
Since its foundation, founder Lanora Purvis, along with community members and volunteers of the organization, has helped hundreds of women by offering them a home and the tools for their own personal success.
Now, Purvis is looking forward to building on the success of the organization by founding The First Step Program, which will be a separate 501( c)( 3) nonprofit that will be working in conjunction with the current one and will allow the organization to help women in more ways.
While the Heaven’s Army Home of Amazing Grace often works with those struggling with addictions of all types, The First Step Program will allow the organization to team up with members of the medical community to provide further support.
“ Heaven’s Army is faithbased and has helped many women in all kinds of situations, but The First Step Program will allow us to have more resources for those who need them and to partner with hospitals, law enforcement and the local community in new ways,” said Purvis.
Purvis plans to work closely with local hospitals to curate a partnership that will allow members of the organization to find help for individuals who may be in need of detox or medical treatment.
“ It will be a charity organization birthed from Heaven’s Army that is geared toward reaching these women where they’re at,” said Purvis.
The journey will kick off with the opening of a new location in Hardin, which will occur on Friday, Nov. 11.
“ This will allow us to help these women in new ways and will give us another place for a first step,” said Purvis.
From that first step, the women will be allowed a short- term stay at the Hardin location where they can search themselves to determine what they need for the future, both immediate and long term and where they will go from there. “ We want them to be able to take a step back and think of what they need or want for themselves, whether they are rescued from trafficking, or it’s an emergency placement, we just want to get them to safety and evaluate what they need from there,” said Purvis. “ We can offer them recovery and crisis intervention in the midst of the crisis and discover how we can intervene to help.”
For more information on the Heaven’s Army Home of Amazing Grace, The First Step Program, or to donate time or resources, contact Lanora Purvis at 832- 4017965. More information can also be found online at www. heavensarmyofresources. com or on the organization’s Facebook page.