Prison Ministry

Resourcing relationships that aid in recovery and reintegration
for incarcerated and previously incarcerated people

How Does This Work?

We Mobilize…

Our Prison Missionary mobilizes volunteers and connects them to existing ministries so that hope-giving and life-changing relationships can be formed.

We connect…

Incarcerated and previously incarcerated people need friends who can open up opportunities for them and will support them in their recovery and reintegration efforts.

Volunteers often find that making friends from the incarceration community changes their perspective and enriches their lives.

We Bridge Gaps.

By bringing people together who are usually separated by socio-economic barriers, our Prison Ministry is fostering connections that help our city flourish.

Why Does This Matter?

The United States imprisons more of its population than any other Western-democratic society. In Ohio, a majority of prisoners come from the Northeast corridor of Cleveland and Akron. Black people make up only 13% of Ohio’s population, but 45% of its prison population. Additionally, 72% of people released from prison eventually return, most within three years. These are broad and difficult issues that need to be addressed systematically and relationally.

Jesus once told a story where he said that those who cared for the poor, the overlooked, the sick and the prisoner would be blessed by him. In fact, he said that whatever we do for our brothers and sisters who are in these circumstances, we have done for him (Matthew 25:31-40). We learn from these words that each person is made in the image of God, that his presence is found in the hardest of places among the most marginalized of people and that he expects us to help such people.
This belief drives our work.