A Real Meal

Nisha Ridgel enjoyed eating a “real meal.” After being paroled from the Wrightsville-Hawkins unit in December of 2009 she couldn’t wait to sit down and eat some “real food”. Eating prison food for the last 5 years made her hungry for a steak. The day she was released Nisha went to lunch with IFI Women’s Assistant Program Manager Patricia Shade and counselor Tena Hauk. “I like steak, with a real potato” was the longest sentence Nisha could put together while she enjoyed her meal at Applebees. “It’s been a real long time since I have enjoyed food” Nisha stated as her first free world meal concluded. “Now I’m ready to see my kids!” she stated with a big grin on her face.

 

Being away from her family and her children for the last 5 years has been tough on her entire family. Nisha’s mother-in-law has been taking care of the children, who have been anxiously awaiting her return home. “When they left for school today they both asked if today was still the day Momma was coming home,” Nisha’s mother-in-law stated. “I am so glad she’s home, we have all missed her so much”.

 

Thank you for your prayers and support of the IFI program. Because of you, many like Nisha will have a changed life.