2026 | February

Greetings!

As you may read in our 2025 Annual Report*, last year was a comeback year for Bridges To Life! Volunteer participation rose to 833, a level not seen since before the pandemic, and a record-breaking 311 of those volunteers were either new to us or returning from past involvement. In addition to that:

• 6,426 participants graduated from the BTL program
• 218 BTL projects were conducted in 108 facilities
• 833 volunteers contributed 70,964 hours of service valued at $2,383,681
• Our program cost remained low at $281 per graduate
• The recidivism rate of BTL graduates was only 11%!

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all of our supporters who made these achievements possible, whether as volunteers, donors, or prayer warriors. YOU are the reason Bridges To Life continues to change lives!

Gratefully,

John Sage, Founder & CEO

Jim Buffington, COO

*For a complete review of BTL in 2025, see our

2025 Annual Report.



BTL volunteers come to us from many places for a variety of reasons, and in some cases because their own lives have been touched by crime. In January, we asked our volunteers to share their stories: what brought them to Bridges To Life? How has their participation in BTL benefited them?

Meet Joe Henderson, who just came aboard in 2025 and has already completed two BTL projects:

"I heard of Bridges To Life when I volunteered for prison programs. My 47-year-old son has been locked up for the past 20 years and I have seen and felt firsthand the toll it takes on the whole family. The crimes of a family member overshadow the hurt and guilt the family feels as well as the offended victims, but they seldom have a voice. 

My first time through the BTL program, listening to the offenders was a real eye opener. I have learned to feel empathy for both the victims and the offenders themselves. I love the BTL program; my only regret is that I didn't learn of it until I was 67 years old."

If you are a BTL volunteer and want to share your story, email val@bridgestolife.org.

Last year held more good news than just great results--

get to know our 3 newest Regional Coordinators!

Maryann Griffin, Northeast Texas

With an Associate of Arts degree with Highest Honors and an Associate of Applied Science degree with a concentration in Substance Abuse Counseling, Maryann's career before joining BTL was rooted in education...



See Maryann's full bio here.

Brandi Lyons, Huntsville Area

Brandi had volunteered with Bridges To Life for 11 years in the roles of crime victim speaker, small group facilitator, and Project Coordinator before joining our staff...



See Brandi's full bio here.

Dr. Stanton Lawrence, Huntsville/East Texas

During his professional career, Stanton served over two decades in the public school system as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent of schools in Texas and Missouri...

See Stanton's full bio here.