Working to instill hope and rebuild lives
Who We Are
— OUR MISSION
To provide hope and basic needs, through Christ’s love and truth, to inmates of all faiths, during, and after incarceration.
— OUR VISION
To help formerly incarcerated individuals make a successful transition into the community.
— OUR STORY
We at Fresh Start Ministries believe all humans are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28). We also believe all humans can be renewed and put on a new self, a new start, through partnership with God as Colossians 3:10 says: And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
As we already see, the goodness in you, as a Child of God, born in His Image. It is enough that we believe. And it is for that reason, we chose to help those who are incarcerated or formerly incarcerated, find a new life, a new start at living a life in the community.
What We Do
Adult Jail Ministry
Jail Volunteer Program
RISE Program
Adult Mentoring Program
Juvenile Detention Center Ministry
The Impact We make
Since the year 2000 I’ve been blessed to volunteer through Fresh Start Ministries at the Linn County Correction Center.
I cannot tell you how blessed I have been by being able to share the gospel of Jesus Christ to men who know very little or nothing at all of the gospel.
There is a great need to minister to these men and I am blessed to be able to do so. Only a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will truly change a man’s life.
Fresh Start Ministries has given me the opportunity to minister this message countless numbers of times.
Don Williams, Linn County Correctional Center Volunteer
It is when we (as volunteers) are able to step out of our comfort zone and open our hearts … that we experience the most growth. We all need someone who listens with both their ears and heart. For many of our participants RISE is a safe
community to which they can belong. This has been … most gratifying … since my retirement. I feel I am making a real difference in the lives of individuals who have been marginalized in our community.
Kay Jahnel, Rise Navigator