Providing Grace and Redemption through Christ

for Prisoners, Women in Recovery, and Military Veterans. 

Hello Stacey,

After completing a sentence of imprisonment, walking out of the prison gates is a powerful and emotional time for someone just released. Ideally, they reunite there with friends and loved ones to embrace their freedom after time spent apart. Perhaps cathartic and certainly meaningful, many believe this is when their new life begins.

Yet, the reentry process starts at the very time of someone’s incarceration, where the average length of stay in prison is 29 months (1). When provided the resources and guidance to put a plan into place, serving out their sentence presents an opportunity for an inmate to do the hard work of focusing on rehabilitation and making plans for a successful release. 

Additional attention is often needed for inmates who are parents of minor-aged children.  Of the 2 million women going to jail this year, 80% are mothers.  Increases in incarceration rates explain the 40% increase in foster care caseloads since 1985 (2). During their time of incarceration and reentry, fathers and mothers may work to improve their situation, hoping for reunification with their children who may be living temporarily with a family member or guardian, or have been placed in foster care.  

These high rates of parents behind bars require the critically needed resource of complimentary legal assistance for prisoners to navigate the complexities of the judicial system.  That is why we partner with organizations including Root and Rebound, and A New Way of Life, whose services include meeting their clients' legal needs in the most challenging of situations. 

From its inception, Serving USA has supported programs working to transform the lives of incarcerated inmates and those programs that continue to walk with them as they successfully reintegrate into their newfound freedom in the community as law-abiding citizens. 

America’s punitive system may be a source of contentious debate, but what cannot be mistaken is proof that holistic resources paying attention to inmates’ mental, physical, and spiritual health benefits everyone. 

Please assist us in these efforts by following Serving USA on social media or through a financial contribution, where you can be confident all funds will be distributed directly to the partners we support.

(1). Danielle Kaeble. Time Served in State Prison, 2018. March 2021, Bureau of Justice Statistics. NCJ 255662 https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/tssp18.pdf

(2). Elizabeth Swavola, Kristine Riley, Ram Subramanian. Overlooked: Women and Jails in an Era of Reform. New York: Vera Institute of Justice, 2016.  http://www.safetyandjusticechallenge.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/overlooked-women-in-jails-report-web.pdf

A New Way of Life Reentry Project (ANWOL) promotes healing, power, and opportunity for formerly incarcerated people by taking a multifaceted approach to mitigating the effect of, and ultimately eliminating, mass incarceration.

Among their Advocacy and Leadership staff is Stephanie Jeffcoat, a formerly incarcerated woman who has taken her past and turned it into a tool to guide others to a new path. 

Alongside her professional career, Jeffcoat navigates our broken system daily as she seeks reunification with her youngest daughter, Harmony Miracle Faith. Four years ago, Jeffcoat’s daughter was adopted by another family during her six-month stay in prison. Not having support at the time, Jeffcoat sought hope in Jesus. 

This past July, Stephanie Jeffcoat published a poetry book dedicated to her daughter. She credits Jesus for the poems, sharing He spoke these words to her in her dreams. She hopes the poetry will help others who have experienced incarceration, homelessness, addiction, and assault to feel seen and inspired to seek help in Christ.

“When we surrender and allow God to direct our steps is when we find out how great life truly can be. For years I wanted to live life my way, and it led me down to a path of destruction. Without God's grace and mercy, I wouldn't be here today.”

Jeffcoat hopes that when her daughter is old enough to come looking for her, she will find all the effort put into their reunification. Until then, Jeffcoat continues to advocate for herself, her daughter, and all other people who encounter this separation daily. From the Streets to Christ’s Feet: My Journey from Homelessness and Addiction to Success is available for purchase on Amazon. 

The Book of Acts in the Bible talks about God arranging the times and places of everyone’s lives in order that they might seek Him and find Him. (Acts 17:26-27) In some life stories, He’s found while serving a prison sentence. 

Lifeline Global Ministries works to equip incarcerated women and men to become the godly parents they are meant to be through the transforming power of the Gospel. More than once, we’ve heard, “When the judge sentenced me to ‘life,’ he had no idea I would be getting eternal life!”

The Returning Hearts Celebration is a one-day event at select facilities that allow families to be reunited and come together. It’s more than just a carnival; it's a day of fun, games, and celebration. It’s a day where inmates can reunite with their children and be real parents again, if even for a day. They also have the opportunity to put into practice what they’ve learned via their weekly curriculum studies.

It can be the catalyst that heals a family and breaks the cycle of sin and the intergenerational cycle of incarceration. It’s a day of restoration, that face-to-face chance to ask their children’s forgiveness and to invite them to know the love and salvation available to them through accepting Christ as their Savior.

Nine-year-old Matthew, Kyle Hebert’s son, who met his dad for the very first time at a Returning Hearts Celebration, is now a college senior. He recently wrote this:

“From the time I first saw him in 2009 at Returning Hearts I knew that this man was kind, caring and loving. My father has become an incredible role model in my life in his willingness and heart for helping others. This is not something that many people can say for their loved ones who have been incarcerated for this long. (22 years) To be able to raise me into the man I am today and am becoming…my father is one of the best men that I know and I am proud to be close with him and to have his guidance. He [has been] more involved in my life than fathers who are out [not in prison] are in their kids’ lives.”

You can be part of bringing restoration to incarcerated mothers and fathers and their families. Find out more about the work of Lifeline Global Ministries and join us at lifelineglobal.org.

Generate Hope

A Story of Freedom Fall Fundraiser

When:  September 22nd, 2022

Where: Birch Aquarium

2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, CA 92037

The Bridge Restoration Ministry

6th Annual Bridge Dinner

When:  September 23rd 6:00p.m.  

Where: 3001 Monterey-Salinas Hwy Monterey, CA 93940

Forgotten Children, Inc

7th Annual Charity Golf Tournament 

When:  October 31st, 2022

Where: 2655 S Citrus St, West Covina, CA 91791

1 Peter 5:7

"Cast all your anxieties on Him, because he cares for you."

Labor Day

September 5th, 2022

National Day of Service and Remembrance

September 11th, 2022

Maintain Your Social Media Presence

Community members love to see that your organization has an active social media presence. While posting is great, be sure to respond to comments and messages to stay engaged with your followers. 

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Questions?

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding information within this newsletter, please contact info@servingusa.org



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