PRISON FELLOWSHIP MINISTRIES

PROGRAM MINISTRY:PRISON FELLOWSHIP STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ARE IN PRISONS EACH DAY BUILDING COMMUNITIES OF GOOD CITIZENS THROUGH THE PRISON FELLOWSHIP ACADEMY AND PRISON FELLOWSHIP GROW, PROGRAMS WHICH USE TARGETED CURRICULUM, COMPASSIONATE COACHES, AND RESTORATIVE COMMUNITY TO REPLACE PARTICIPANTS' CRIMINAL THINKING AND BEHAVIORS WITH RENEWED PURPOSE AND BIBLICALLY BASED LIFE PRINCIPLES. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2024, GRADUATES AT 188 ACADEMY SITES IN 41 STATES COMPLETED THE YEARLONG, EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS AS CHANGE AGENTS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF PRISON. AS A RESULT, WE ARE SEEING INCARCERATED PEOPLE USE THEIR SENTENCES AS TIME TO FIND NEW, POSITIVE LIFE PATHS WITH PRISON FELLOWSHIP STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS AS THEIR GUIDES. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)WITH THE HELP OF 8,153 VOLUNTEERS WHO SERVED WITH PRISON FELLOWSHIP DURING FY 2024, 7,755 INCARCERATED MEN AND WOMEN WERE IMPACTED BY PRISON FELLOWSHIP CLASSES, SEMINARS, OR INTENSIVE PROGRAMS. AT CHAPTERS INSIDE PRISONS IN 27 STATES, THE PRISON FELLOWSHIP PATHWAYS PROGRAM EMPOWERED 276 ACADEMY GRADUATES TO LIVE LIVES OF HUMAN FLOURISHING THROUGH THE VALUES OF GOOD CITIZENSHIP AND SERVANT LEADERSHIP WITHIN THEIR PRISON COMMUNITIES. THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR, 224,552 BIBLES WERE DISTRIBUTED TO PRISONERS. THE MINISTRY ALSO DELIVERED 1,031,247 COPIES OF INSIDE JOURNAL, AN INSPIRATIONAL NEWSPAPER FOR THE PRISON POPULATION. 114 OFFICIALS FROM VARIOUS STATE DEPARTMENTS OF CORRECTIONS HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE WARDEN EXCHANGE, A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO HELP CORRECTIONAL OFFICIALS MAKE THEIR PRISONS SAFER, MORE CONSTRUCTIVE, AND MORE SUPPORTIVE OF PRISONERS' REHABILITATION. IN NORTH DAKOTA THIS YEAR, PRISON FELLOWSHIP PILOTED THE PRISON CULTURE ASSESSMENT, A TOOL TO EVALUATE THE HEALTH OF A PRISON FACILITY'S CULTURE AND ITS CONDUCIVENESS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF GOOD CITIZENSHIP.PRISON FELLOWSHIP ANGEL TREE SERVES INCARCERATED PARENTS BY MOBILIZING THE CHURCH TO SERVE THEIR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. EVERY CHRISTMAS, ANGEL TREE EQUIPS LOCAL CONGREGATIONS AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO MINISTER TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN BY DELIVERING A GIFT AND THE GOSPEL MESSAGE ON BEHALF OF THEIR INCARCERATED PARENTS. IN ADDITION, MANY OF OUR PARTNER CHURCHES MEET THE PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF PRISONERS' FAMILIES THROUGH YEAR-ROUND MINISTRIES SUCH AS CAMPING, SPORTS CAMPS, AND THEIR OWN IN-CHURCH ACTIVITIES.THROUGH THESE PARTNERSHIPS, ANGEL TREE PROVIDES A PATHWAY FOR STRENGTHENING AND RESTORING PRISONERS' RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. IN FY 2024, 88,540 PARENTS SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS FOR ANGEL TREE CHRISTMAS, AND MORE THAN 254,000 CHILDREN WERE ASSIGNED TO LOCAL ANGEL TREE PARTNERS WHO SERVE THEM AT CHRISTMAS. THROUGH A SCHOLARSHIP FROM ANGEL TREE, 5,580 CHILDREN WITH AN INCARCERATED PARENT ATTENDED CHRISTIAN SUMMER CAMP. ANGEL TREE HOSTED SPORTS CAMPS WHERE 1,583 CHILDREN WITH AN INCARCERATED PARENT GAINED SKILLS IN VARIOUS SPORTS FROM SEASONED COLLEGE PLAYERS AND FORMER PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES AND LEARNED OF GOD'S LOVE. THIS YEAR, THROUGH PRISON FELLOWSHIP'S FIRST CHANCE NETWORK, A GROUP OF COMMUNITY NONPROFIT PARTNERS PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ANGEL TREE CHILDREN, WE CONNECTED PRISONERS' FAMILIES IN FIVE FOCUS CITIES TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE THE EXPERTISE AND THE HEART TO LEND A HAND. THIS VISION IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY THE FIRST AND SECOND CHANCES PHILANTHROPY COUNCIL, COMPOSED OF CORPORATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS SEEKING TO HOLISTICALLY SUPPORT CHILDREN WITH INCARCERATED PARENTS AND UNLOCK SECOND CHANCES FOR PEOPLE WITH A CRIMINAL RECORD. WITH THE SUPPORT OF ITS PARTNERS, THE FIRST CHANCE NETWORK MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR 125 ANGEL TREE CHILDREN TO ATTEND STEM CAMPS WHERE THEY HONED THEIR SKILLS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS.THROUGH OUR EVANGELISM EVENTS, WE INTRODUCE INCARCERATED MEN AND WOMEN TO A NEW FUTURE IN CHRIST AND NURTURE THEIR SPIRITUAL GROWTH, REACHING 13,912 PRISONERS AT 152 HOPE EVENTS THIS YEAR.FLOODLIGHT, OUR ONLINE RESOURCE PLATFORM THAT MAKES AVAILABLE FREE, ENCOURAGING, AND INSPIRING FAITH-BASED CONTENT FOR USE ON PRISON TELEVISIONS AND TABLETS, IS AVAILABLE IN 436 FACILITIES ACROSS 48 STATES, PROVIDING MORE THAN 236,500 INCARCERATED VIEWERS ACCESS IN THEIR CELLS AND DORMS TO THIS HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAMMING.THROUGH INDIVIDUAL AND COLLABORATIVE ARTWORK, 2,360 WOMEN PARTICIPATED IN CREATE: NEW BEGINNINGS, A RESTORATIVE ART PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INCARCERATED WOMEN TO ACKNOWLEDGE CRITICAL EMOTIONS AND DEVELOP SELF-AWARENESS THROUGH ARTISTIC EXPRESSION. THIS FISCAL YEAR, BECAUSE OF ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH TYNDALE HOUSE PUBLISHERS, PRISON FELLOWSHIP IS ABLE TO BRING CREATE NEW BEGINNINGS TO WOMEN EVERYWHERE.