Prison Ministry
How did Reveille’s Prison Ministry begin?
Inspired by our prison justice study, members of Reveille United Methodist Church and Koinonia Community Church are working together with local organizations that support prison ministry initiatives. This includes partnerships with AFOI (Assisting Families of Inmates), REAL LIFE, PATH Reentry, and letter writing to incarcerated inmates.
Contact Us
To learn more and join this ministry, contact Nadja Gutowski.
Prison Ministry Partners
Assisting Families of Inmates (AFOI)
Originally, AFOI started as a ministry of Second Presbyterian Church and is now an independent nonprofit organization. AFOI helps prevent the breakdown of relationships between the incarcerated and their families by providing meaningful visitation, family support, and children’s services. Reveille has worked with AFOI’s Milk & Cookies program at Swansboro Elementary.
Reveille provides quarterly meals for families taking AFOI’s free buses to visit their incarcerated loved ones in Virginia’s state prisons. We also hold periodic donation drives to provide supplies.
REAL LIFE
Founded by Dr. Sarah Scarbrough when she saw the reentry challenges inmates faced while working at the Richmond jail, REAL LIFE runs a reentry program for men and women who have substance abuse challenges. REAL LIFE provides a comprehensive program that helps former inmates with recovery, employment, education, and life skills. Clients live in one of their 11 houses during the 7 months it generally takes to complete the program.
Reveille supports REAL LIFE with volunteer events and periodic donation drives to provide supplies.
PATH Reentry
PATH Reentry was founded by Andrea Edmunds, a former parole officer, and Anthony Gomez. Andrea served as Anthony’s parole officer and advocated for him to receive a second chance after serving 24 years in prison. PATH Reentry’s mission is to help men like Anthony who have served lengthy prison sentences. They are committed to providing housing, peer mentoring, and transitional services to help returning citizens successfully reintegrate into the community.
Reveille holds periodic donation drives to provide supplies and other items for PATH Reentry’s three transition homes.
Letters of Encouragement
Rev. Jay Scruggs, pastor of our Swansboro partner, Koinonia Community Church, inspired all of us with his personal testimony at our prison justice study. Pastor Jay asked us to write letters of encouragement to three men he personally knows in the federal prison system. Learn more and sign up.