Built from the inside out

My name is Deborah. I am the founder of Second Chance Mission, and I am currently living in a women’s shelter in the Tri-Cities, Washington.

I came here from Europe and started building this mission from nothing — because I looked around the shelter and saw something nobody else was talking about.

Very few women in shelters are able to maintain traditional jobs. Bus tickets, long rides across town, and limited schedules — no buses after 6pm on Sundays or after 10pm on weekdays — make getting to work a real challenge. Add appointments, case manager meetings, curfews, and community living requirements like shower schedules and meal attendance, and steady employment becomes nearly impossible.

I knew there had to be a better way.Second Chance Mission is that vision.

A curated resale boutique — not open yet, but in active development — where women will earn real wages, gain work experience, and build skills and savings that open doors to independence.

Shey will serve as Head of Boutique Operations, bringing lived experience and a deep connection to the women we plan to serve. She will help shape a supportive environment where every future employee feels seen, valued, and able to grow.

We also know that not every woman is ready for a traditional job right away. But that does not mean she has nothing to offer. So many women in this community are incredibly talented and creative.

That is why our Artisan Corner, part of our opening plan, will give women a space to sell their handmade work — turning creativity into income and confidence, at their own pace.

We are not open yet. But we are organized, incorporated, and moving forward with purpose.

Every donation right now goes directly toward making this real — filing fees, first inventory, and opening our doors.

Second Chance Mission is also supported by Lynette Low, our founding board member, whose vision and dedication help guide the mission forward.

Every donation, every share, every conversation brings this vision to life — creating real opportunities, real income, and real second chances.Not just for us. For every woman who comes after us.