Who We Are
Impact Lives is a community-centered, faith-based organization committed to restoring hope, rebuilding lives, and creating meaningful pathways toward stability and independence for individuals and families facing significant life challenges.
Impact Lives was formed from a shared belief that people should not be permanently defined by their past, their circumstances, incarceration, addiction, housing instability, mental-health challenges, or the barriers they encounter while trying to rebuild their lives. Instead, we believe people thrive when they are surrounded by the right combination of support, accountability, resources, opportunity, and community.
Our work is rooted in meeting people where they are while helping them develop a realistic pathway toward where they want to be. We recognize that successful reintegration and long-term stability require more than addressing one immediate need. Housing, employment, mental wellness, transportation, education, family relationships, life skills, and a strong support system are often interconnected.
For that reason, Impact Lives is building a comprehensive model of support that connects individuals with transitional housing, case management, workforce development, mentoring, behavioral-health resources, life-skills education, transportation and identification assistance, family reunification support, community resources, and optional faith-centered guidance.
Our initial work is focused in North Carolina, with a long-term vision of developing sustainable programs and partnerships that can create measurable and lasting change within the communities we serve.
Our History
Impact Lives grew from a desire to do more than simply acknowledge the challenges facing individuals returning home from incarceration or navigating difficult life transitions. Our leadership recognized the gaps that often exist between release, recovery, reintegration, and true independence.
Too often, people are told to rebuild their lives while facing the process without stable housing, adequate employment, transportation, identification, mental-health support, mentorship, or someone consistently helping them navigate the systems around them.
Impact Lives was created to help bridge those gaps.
What began as a vision for community outreach and reentry support has continued to develop into a broader model designed to address the whole person. Our organization combines immediate community assistance with long-term strategies that help participants establish stability, develop independence, reconnect with their families and communities, and create healthier futures.
As Impact Lives continues to grow, one of our major organizational priorities is establishing our first transitional housing residence serving approximately six to eight individuals. This home will provide more than a place to sleep. It is being developed as a structured environment where residents can receive individualized support, participate in case management, pursue employment and education, develop life skills, address behavioral-health needs, and prepare for successful independent living.
At the same time, Impact Lives continues working to build relationships with community organizations, employers, behavioral-health providers, faith communities, housing resources, volunteers, and other partners who share our commitment to reducing barriers and creating opportunities.
What We Aim to Accomplish
Our goal is not simply to provide temporary assistance.
We want to create pathways to lasting change.
Impact Lives aims to:
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Expand access to safe and supportive transitional housing.
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Help individuals successfully reintegrate into their communities following incarceration.
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Connect individuals and families with critical community resources.
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Strengthen access to employment, education, and workforce-development opportunities.
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Promote mental wellness and connect participants with appropriate behavioral-health services.
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Provide mentoring, peer support, accountability, and consistent encouragement.
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Help participants develop practical life skills necessary for independent living.
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Reduce barriers related to transportation, identification, employment, and housing.
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Support healthy family relationships and family reunification whenever appropriate.
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Create partnerships that strengthen the overall network of services available within our communities.
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Help individuals recognize that their past does not have to determine their future.
Ultimately, we want every person who encounters Impact Lives to leave with more than resources. We want them to leave with hope, direction, tools, support, and a realistic opportunity to build a different future.
Our commitment is reflected in the words that guide our work:
Restoring Hope. Rebuilding Lives. Creating Futures.
Our Leadership
Kevin Graham-Bey
Executive Director
Kevin Graham-Bey serves as Executive Director of Impact Lives, providing strategic leadership and helping guide the organization's vision, growth, community partnerships, and long-term sustainability.
As Executive Director, Kevin plays a central role in transforming the mission of Impact Lives into actionable programs that address the real challenges facing individuals and families in the community. His leadership responsibilities include organizational strategy, program and housing oversight, partnership development, fundraising and grant initiatives, budget oversight, and representing Impact Lives within the broader community.
Kevin's leadership philosophy reflects one of the central principles behind Impact Lives: sustainable change happens when people are given both an opportunity and the support necessary to maximize that opportunity.
He works to strengthen relationships with community organizations, service providers, businesses, faith communities, potential funders, and other stakeholders who can help expand the organization's ability to serve.
A significant focus of Kevin's leadership is the development of Impact Lives' transitional housing and reentry initiatives. He helps guide the organization's efforts to create structured, supportive environments where individuals can establish stability while preparing for long-term independence.
Kevin's vision extends beyond addressing immediate needs. He is committed to helping build an organization capable of creating lasting community impact by connecting housing, employment, mentoring, personal development, behavioral-health resources, and community support.
Through his leadership, Impact Lives continues working toward a future where individuals are given meaningful opportunities to rebuild, contribute, and create a new chapter for their lives.
Dr. Catina Bell
Associate Director
Dr. Catina Bell serves as Associate Director of Impact Lives, bringing a strong commitment to leadership, program development, mental wellness, community engagement, training, and advocacy.
In her role, Dr. Bell helps oversee organizational operations and program quality while supporting the development of initiatives that address the complex needs individuals may experience during reintegration and major life transitions.
Her responsibilities encompass workforce development, mental-health initiatives, case-management programming, volunteer engagement, training, grant development, community education, and program implementation.
Dr. Bell believes successful reintegration requires addressing more than housing or employment alone. Individuals must also have opportunities to strengthen their mental and emotional wellness, rebuild confidence, establish healthy support systems, develop practical life skills, and begin changing the narrative surrounding their future.
A central part of her work is helping Impact Lives develop programs that recognize the whole person. She advocates for environments where individuals can talk openly about mental wellness, trauma, addiction, incarceration, isolation, healthy boundaries, relationships, and the psychological challenges that can accompany returning to the community.
She is also passionate about the power of peer support, community connection, education, and storytelling. Through community presentations, outreach, training, and advocacy, Dr. Bell works to challenge stigma and remind individuals that their experiences can become part of their strength rather than the limit placed on their future.
Her leadership supports the broader Impact Lives mission of ensuring participants have access not only to resources, but also to people who will walk alongside them as they rebuild.
For Dr. Bell, impact is ultimately about helping individuals recognize their value, reclaim their voice, and develop the tools necessary to show up as the best version of themselves.
Everyone needs someone in their corner.
Through his service as Associate Director, Lacosta remains committed to helping individuals identify their strengths, build healthier futures, and understand that their story does not have to end where their struggle began.
Our Vision for the Future
Impact Lives is building toward something larger than a single program, event, or transitional home.
We envision a community where a person returning from incarceration can find support before a crisis begins.
Where someone battling addiction can encounter connection instead of isolation.
Where an individual experiencing housing instability can find not only shelter, but a plan.
Where mental health is discussed without shame.
Where employers are willing to recognize potential.
Where families have resources to rebuild relationships.
Where individuals can develop the confidence and skills necessary to become self-sufficient.
And where people who have successfully rebuilt their lives return to help the next person do the same.
That is the community Impact Lives is working to build.
Restoring Hope. Rebuilding Lives. Creating Futures.