Our 7th Annual "Golf for Freedom" Charity Tournament is coming up on Saturday, October 5th at Holston Hills Golf Club in Marion! Save the date and plan to join us!
In February 2018 we leased an apartment in Glade Spring to provide housing for men coming out of the TOP program at Abingdon Regional Jail; over the last year we’ve had 3 men live there, all have had children; one is still with us, has stayed the longest, done the best. We assisted him with employment at Utility in September; by the 1st of March, he is moving out and into a 2 bedroom with a roommate. While with us each man also gets wrap around services and mentoring from our volunteers
We continue our collaborations with the local and regional coalitions; the Lord continues to open doors and bring partnerships for us through speaking opportunities.
We partnered again w/Forgiven Ministry to do the “One Day with God” children’s camp at Northeast Correctional Complex in July; we had many volunteers serve as mentors for the children, did the food again for both days, and saw the Lord do amazing things in the hearts of the fathers, children, caretakers and volunteers alike!
We have increased our efforts to raise funds to provide even more educational programs inside the facilities, and provide more reentry assistance for those coming out of incarceration, including help with housing deposits, utilities, work clothes, tools and possibly finding a way to provide vehicles for ex-offenders; we have been able to assist 16 ex-offenders and bought for 5 kids so far this year!
Pen pals – we began a New Believer’s Class on February 1st, had 9 men participate with pen pals writing each of them. Once the new believer's class ended, we began a Purpose Driven Life class and have 11 men participating in that class.
We partnered with the Washington Co. Prevention Coalition to do some prevention work in the Washington County High Schools this year – Holston, Abingdon and John Battle invited us on their campuses to do John Maxwell’s Live2Lead. It was full of faith and great leadership teachings. We are also partnering with Mountain Movers - Damascus to co-sponsor the SADD Club at Holston High School and the Criminal Justice Club at Damascus Middle School. We will bring in programs; teaching workshops, etc.
In April, we partnered with the Concerned About Our Community Coalition in Lee, Scott, and Wise Counties and the City of Norton, to bring Jake Moore to Marion and Abingdon for a day. He spent the day working with ex-offenders and their loved ones, taught his 5 Bridges to Wellness program, and then went into Abingdon Regional to work with the men in the TOP pod.
Christmas Banquets – we partnered with 1st Baptist and Highlands Fellowship to do 2 Unit Parties in the compound; Lost Creek did 1 in the compound and 1 for the Christian Community Fellowship Church in the Annex; there were 42 salvations and 25 rededications there. We also did Christmas in June for the 221 men in the Annex on June 8th. There were another 4 salvations and 5 rededications in those services.
In 2018, we saw a total of 60 salvations and 33 rededication's; so far in 2019, 7 salvations and 9 rededication's!
We are so thankful for our 200+ volunteers and for the financial support we receive (from various churches and even various denominations)! We are the Body of Christ, doing the gospel together! We are so blessed to have so many amazing people who use their talents - preaching, singing, playing instruments, and just plain loving people - to minister behind the walls and beyond. God uses each of them in amazing ways and we are so thankful for them!