From incarceration to restoration, Beloved Haven empowers women to overcome trauma, reclaim dignity, and thrive with purpose.
Advocacy Office Hours.
Our office is open Monday- Thursday from 9:00-4:00.
For general inquires call (252) 339-6304.
If you need emergency shelter, please call our 24/7 Help Line at (252) 455-5760 to speak with a trained advocate. If you are in an emergency and need immediate assistance, call 911.
Mission
Beloved Haven provides comprehensive support and resources to incarcerated and justice-involved women who have experienced sexual exploitation, trauma, or vulnerability to trafficking, guiding them toward stability, healing, and hope.
Vision
We envision a community where women survivors of exploitation can heal, rebuild, and flourish, living free from trauma, thriving in dignity, and leading lives of purpose.
History
In the early 2000’s, Tina Pennington traveled to South Africa, Ghana, and Rwanda, where she witnessed firsthand the devastation of human trafficking. She carried the faces and stories of those women and children home with her, forever changed and unsure how she could help.
In 2012, that calling became clear when a young girl in her North Carolina community asked Tina to help organize a sexual violence awareness event at her school. As their friendship grew, Tina learned this girl was herself a victim of trafficking—proof that the exploitation she had seen abroad was also present in her own backyard.
Determined to respond, Tina founded Beloved Haven in 2015 to help survivors reclaim and rebuild their lives. Supported by a dedicated board, staff, volunteers, community partners, and law enforcement, Beloved Haven has grown into a trusted resource for women affected by trafficking and sexual exploitation.
In 2019, Beloved Haven launched its outreach programs, quickly gaining recognition among law enforcement and referral agencies for serving women from detention centers and the streets—those most often overlooked. The cornerstone of this work is the G.R.A.C.E. (Guided Restoration and Collaborative Empowerment) Jail Program, a trauma-informed, research-based curriculum that empowers incarcerated women through education, personal growth, and continued support after release.
Building on this success, the Grace Mobile Outreach Program extends services directly into the community, providing vulnerable women with critical resources where they are. In addition, Beloved Haven hosts community events and training for civic groups, churches, and the wider public to build awareness and prevention.
Today, Beloved Haven is well-positioned to continue delivering vital, trauma-informed services to one of North Carolina’s most underserved populations, offering women the opportunity to heal, restore, and flourish.
Board of Directors
Tina Pennington- Founder/ Executive Director
Laurie Kondylis- Advocate, RN, Consultant, Fundraiser- Past Chair
Directors
Education Member- Cheryl Lacey- Perquimans Public Schools
Community Member- Stephanie Baker-Chesapeake Regional Healthcare
Lived Experienced- Tanya Gould- U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking
Staff Members
Tina Pennington - Founder/ Executive Director
Tina Pennington is a peer counselor, women’s empowerment speaker, and a human trafficking advocate. She has served in numerous areas of community outreach such as Moyock Women’s Club as a member, a Girl Scout leader, President of the PTA, I Will Stand International as a board member, also a member of the NCCASA and NCCAHT, Founder and Executive Director of Raised Hands for Africa, serving several countries across Africa, host and facilitator for Women Empowering Women retreats and conferences, Survivor Leader’s Retreat Facilitator, Founder and Executive Director of Beloved Haven and the Faith Based/Benefits Organization Senate appointed member with the North Carolina Human Commission.
Tina has served in women’s outreach for over 15 years locally and globally. She continues to support the work in other countries by partnering with several nonprofit organizations. Her love and passion for women has been the heart for her own organization. Tina has worked with local, state and federal law enforcement as well as Homeland Security. She has had training on the subject of human trafficking for over 6 years. She educates her community on the issue through awareness presentations, events and trainings.
Tina is the Founder and Executive Director of Beloved Haven, which was founded in 2015, with the mission to equip communities to know the signs and understand how to help those affected by exploitation like human trafficking, while assisting them in finding healing, restoration and hope. Tina is passionate about this work and consistently seeks opportunities to share love and hope with others. Tina and her husband Daniel live in Currituck, NC and have four beautiful adult children. In her free time, she loves the beach, camping and hanging out with friends.
Stephanie Benton - Program Facilitator/Resource Coordinator
Stephanie Benton joined the Beloved Haven team in January of 2020 as their Resource Coordinator. She has spent the past 12 years working in Juvenile Court Diversion Programs in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, Virginia. In these programs, her focus was on education and outreach. Her interest in Beloved Haven began after attending one of its awareness seminars and seeing connections between the young people she was reaching and those served by Beloved Haven. Stephanie is a 1996 alumna of The Citadel Graduate College. She lives in South Mills, North Carolina with her husband, daughter and three dogs. In her free time, she loves to read, travel and watch documentaries.
Janon Hughes Office Administrator/ Grant Manager
Janon Hughes joined the staff at Beloved Haven in April of 2024. She first learned about Beloved Haven in the early stages of the organization. Tina and Janon crossed path at a church afterschool program and this sparked Janon’s interest learning more. After hearing Tina speak about human trafficking, she began to follow Beloved Haven and support the organization’s mission. Supporting other women is something Janon is passionate about, and this work provides many opportunities to do so. She lives with her husband Tommy in Currituck, NC along with her 2 children. In her free time, she likes to spend time with her family and read.
Our Partners
Open Door Church Edenton
