Rhonda Aiden knows the obstacles many women experience when they are released from incarceration back into society.

“It’s an overwhelming feeling,” said Ms. Aiden.

The 44-year-old South Side resident said she spent a total of five years behind bars in three separate stints for writing bad checks, beginning in 2003. Her last time was from 2011 to 2012 at Deerfield Correctional Center in Southampton County.

“It makes you feel like you can’t get anywhere in life — like you’re stuck,” said Ms. Aiden of life after incarceration.

Undeterred since her release and her recommitment to her faith, she has launched a gospel music singing and writing career, is authoring an autobiography and is developing a nonprofit geared to help other women successfully transition back into the community after incarceration.

Ms. Aiden said she hopes to launch the nonprofit this summer with the aid of her church, Holy Ghost Living Tabernacle Ministries, led by Apostle Kenneth W. Johnson Jr. and First Lady Sharmane Johnson. The ministry has churches in South Richmond and Dinwiddie and Amelia counties.

Ms. Aiden said the nonprofit would offer services to ex-inmates such as housing assistance, ways to repair bad credit, legal advice, mental health counseling and job placement.

She said it also would help women identify “why they committed the crimes and identify specific barriers to help them not commit that crime again.”

Ms. Aiden, a divorced mother of three, said she began writing bad checks “to take care of my babies when I was broke. I went into a survival mode,” she said, and then it “became an addiction for me.”

Ms. Aiden is naming the nonprofit “Beautiful Ashes,” based on her life and the biblical message in Isaiah chapter 61, verse 3, which inspired her while she was behind bars.

“It comes from my life story — how everything looked like it was done and finished,” Ms. Aiden said. “I read that verse in the Bible constantly during this last round in prison that says, ‘I will give you beauty for your ashes and the oil of joy for your mourning.’ ’’

Ms. Aiden said when she was 5, her father killed her mother. She said he was a Vietnam veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome. Her grandparents then raised her in Chesterfield County.

“I have experienced abusive relationships, rape, divorce and my own experiences with PTSD,” she said.

Ms. Aiden writes gospel songs to share her message of faith and eternal hope. She plans to release her latest, “This Too Shall Pass,” on Monday, May 25, with a full project later this year. “They’re available on all digital outlets,” Ms. Aiden said of her song releases.

She performed her stirring song May 15 at the church, located at 1212 Westover Hills Blvd., in a ceremony to honor the church leaders. Ms. Aiden said she began writing it during her time at Deerfield Correctional Center.

“The message is, whatever mistakes you have made, it’s not too late to try to go back and fix it,” Ms. Aiden said.