Finding support in a new home: Healing Homes Farm opens for women leaving prison in Michigan

# What happened

# Who Quiana Lovett is

# Early days back home: many "firsts"

# What support looks like to residents Quiana emphasizes that the biggest need after long prison terms is support. She lists several sources: family, organizations, and others who have lived through incarceration. Peer understanding matters because people who have not been inside prison often struggle to grasp the lived experience.

Quiana described the farm as a new, fresh option for women returning after long sentences—some may want to live in the main house, others in more private units. The environment is intended to reduce isolation and build connections with people who have shared histories.

# Vision: tiny houses and a community of choice A key part of the farm's future plan is to add tiny houses on the property. Quiana sees tiny homes as an alternative for women who prefer more privacy than the main house allows. She said this was part of a broader vision that began as conversations and has moved into reality: creating housing options that accommodate different needs during reentry.

# Personal goals and approach to the future After living with a constant focus on future milestones during incarceration, Quiana now wants to live day to day. She still has concrete goals: financing a car, owning a home, taking a trip, completing parole successfully, holding stable employment, continuing entrepreneurial work, and advocating for survivors of domestic violence and for college-in-prison programs. She also prioritizes sobriety and strengthening relationships with her children and grandchildren.

# How the farm fits into that path Healing Homes Farm offers immediate shelter, a community of peers, and connections to volunteers and organizational supports. For Quiana, the farm is a place to adjust to freedom, pursue practical steps toward independence, and participate in a community designed to reduce the social gaps that often make reentry difficult.

# What to watch next The project's next tangible step is expanding housing through tiny homes on the property to give residents choice in living arrangements. Observing how the farm scales and what wraparound services accompany housing will show whether it can meet the range of needs people face after long incarcerations.