Benevolence Farm is a trauma-informed, nonprofit social enterprise that provides transitional employment and housing for formerly incarcerated women in rural communities across North Carolina. As part of the program, residents develop various life skills, including small business practices, sustainable farming, and food and product preparation. The program does not discriminate based on the offense, sentence length, or mental health diagnosis and residents can live at the farm for up to two years. The staff at Benevolence Farm—all formerly incarcerated women—coordinate reentry needs, manage the farm, and design the body care enterprise program. Community organizations provide wraparound services and staff assist residents to look for independent housing and employment. In 2022, the Rural Justice Collaborative named Benevolence Farm one of the nine most innovative rural justice programs across the country.

As part of Sol Systems’ Community Impact Engagement Speaker Series, Executive Director Kristen Powers and Community Advocacy Director Mona Evans joined our team to celebrate Women’s History Month. Kristen and Mona highlighted their focus on uplifting formerly incarcerated women and equipping them with the workforce and social skills critical for navigating life upon release. Benevolence Farm’s mission emphasizes wraparound support as a key element in community impact programs designed to create positive long-term socio-economic benefits. Their drive to promote and sustain a positive societal impact in under-resourced communities aligns strongly with Sol Systems’ Infrastructure + Impact strategy. Through our Infrastructure + Impact strategy, Sol Systems looks forward to partnering with and promoting organizations with similar positive societal and environmental impact missions within the communities where our projects are located.