2023 IMPACT REPORT —— S O U T H
C A R O L I N A ——
Celebrating 15 Years of Hope, Grace, and Miracles JumpstartVision.org | 1
These signatures are those of current JUMPSTART SC participants and alumni who would like to say "thank you" for your prayers and generous gifts. Your contributions are not just dollars; they're little miracles, whispering hope and grace into the lives of those who desperately need it. You're not just donors; you're dreamers, believers, and co-conspirators of love in action. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Joe Burgess · Class of ’21 (Inside Program) · current participant of Outside Program | Rocky Cox · Class of ’21 | Daniel Dempsey · Class of ’19 (Inside Program) · JUMPSTART Operations and IT Coordinator, current participant of Outside Program | Justin Durrell · Class of ’12 · husband, father, JUMPSTART Director of Operations | James Fowler · Class of ’11 · systems designs engineer | Thomas Kwilos · Class of ’19 (Inside Program) · father, current participant of Outside Program | Kacie Lawson · Class of ’23 (Inside Program) · mother, grandmother, current participant of Outside Program | Kaitlin Lucas · mother, student, current participant of Outside Program | Jimmy MacPhee · Class of ’21 · husband | Bobby Miller · Class of ’22 (Inside Program) · student, current participant of Outside Program | George Miller · Class of ’22 (Outside Program) · husband, father, grandfather | Tim Murray · Class of ’19 (Outside Program) · husband, father, pastor, JUMPSTART Inside Program Director | Angel Parada · Class of ’16 (Inside Program) · student, current participant of Outside Program | William Scarpitti · Class of ’22 (Inside Program) · current participant of Outside Program | Cary Sanders · Class of ’13 · husband, father, JUMPSTART CEO | Matthew Smith · Class of ’21 (Outside Program) · father, JUMPSTART Big House manager | Phillip Shaw · Class of ’22 (Inside Program) | Frederick Sheppard · Class of ’19 (Outside Program) | Melissa Robbins · Class of ’19 (Outside Program) · mother, grandmother | Teresa Turner · Class of ’23 (Inside Program) · student, mother, current participant of Outside Program | Terri Williams · Class of ’23 · wife | Jeremy Walker · Class of ’10 · husband, father, JUMPSTART Chief of Staff | Rob Whitner · Class of ’16 (Outside Program) · husband, father, staff of JUMPSTART NC | Don Williams · husband, father, JUMPSTART co-founder
15 Years of Hope, Grace, 2005
2010
DON WILLIAMS BEGINS THE EMPLOYMENT READINESS PROGRAM, working with SCWORKS and Federal probation.
THE INSIDE PROGRAM expands to 10 of 26 South Carolina prisons. JUMPSTART receives its first $15,000 grant from the South Carolina Christian Foundation.
2009 2011
JUMPSTART PURCHASES ITS FIRST TRANSITIONAL HOME, and the outside program begins.
2014 SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN SPARTANBURG DONATES THE USE OF “OUR FATHER’S HOUSE,” and with help from Carpenters for Christ and Hope Point Church renovate it as a 16-bed facility.
SECOND PRESBYTERIAN DONATES the use of another 6-bedroom house for office space. JUMPSTART purchases its second multi-family property, adding ten beds.
DON WILLIAMS AND OTHERS COMBINE FORCES, putting together the Employment Readiness Program and the “Start” program while working vocational jobs at night to support their families. Volunteers begin ministering to inmates at Tyger River Correctional.
JUMPSTART IS RECOGNIZED AS A SOUTH CAROLINA SECRETARY OF STATE ANGEL - a designation given to South Carolina’s most impactful non-profits.
THE FOUNDERS MEET TO DISCUSS THE OFFICIAL FORMATION OF JUMPSTART. THE JUMPSTART BOARD is established and a 501(c)(3) is filed.
THE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM BEGINS with one employment partner and four participants.
JUMPSTART’S FIRST INSIDE CLASSES are launched in four South Carolina prisons.
A multi-family property on ten acres is purchased adding 20 beds.
2017
2008
2011
2007
Table of Contents
4
Beyond “The Wall” - The Inside Program
8
Count It All Joy - William Harrison
6 10
Count It All Joy - The Transitional / Outside Program Count It All Joy - Restoration Village
& Miracles 2018 2023
WORLD MAGAZINE names JUMPSTART top four out of over 2,000 entries for the annual HOPE award for effective compassion. JUMPSTART LAUNCHES THE “VISION FOR TOMORROW” CAMPAIGN to consolidate ten properties into one campus called “Restoration Village.”
RECONGIZED AS A TOP SC NON-PROFIT BY TRUIST BANK. Received awards from Spartanburg County Foundation, Mary Black Foundation, South Carolina Christian Foundation, and more.
2021
2019
RESTORATION VILLAGE GROUNDBREAKING is held and site development begins.
Since JUMPSTART began in 2008, I’ve had a front row seat to God’s unparalleled ability to rescue and restore. In my own life, I went from
an atheist facing a life sentence and on the verge of suicide, to one who is redeemed by Christ and committed to His purpose in the world. God’s ability to transform
lives and families is undeniable — we have
thousands of people who are living proof. For fifteen years, the JUMPSTART family
has watched God heal the broken, break addiction, provide for the destitute, and
JUMPSTART PURCHASES 26 ACRES FOR RESTORATION VILLAGE.
RESTORATION VILLAGE RECEIVES 100% BOARD PLEDGES AND A MATCHING CAMPAIGN TO INITIATE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HOUSING CAMPUS.
set people who were once despised on
inspiring missions to make a difference in the lives of others. THE FIRST HOUSES FOR RESTORATION VILLAGE ARE COMPLETED and plans are revealed for the next phase. JUMPSTART launches “My New Journey” — transitional programming that combines the best of social science research with theological scholarship.
In this impact report, we rejoice at
the growth of JUMPSTART and the
awe-inspiring impact made possible
through the boundless generosity and service of our incredible communities.
Yet, above all, our hearts soar in celebration of the truth that Jesus Changes
Everything, and we recognize that
many of you reading these pages have
2020 2022
12
Love At Work - The Employment Program
16
Impact In Numbers
14 19
A Shared Journey - Our Faithful Partners Looking Ahead
been His hands and feet in making this transformative journey possible.
Cary Sanders
Chief Executive Officer, JUMPSTART SC
Beyond “The Wall” Our Work on the Inside Inside discipleship coupled with tangible re-entry services upon release — this is JUMPSTART, and Rob
Whitner was part of the original “think tank” that helped develop this model.
As he served time for his own crimes, Rob observed the revolving doors of the prison. He and his fellow cellmates saw released men often end up right back in the same place they had worked so hard to leave.
“We would say, ‘Hey man, why did you come back? What did you forget?’ We started hearing a common thread—problems with housing and they could not get jobs because they were ‘the next felon.’” Rob served 20 years behind the wall, nine of which were spent as an inside leader with JUMPSTART. In 2014, he made parole, and his journey with JUMPSTART continued as he went on to become the assistant program director for the next two years. In the year to follow,
4 | JUMPSTART SC 2023 Impact Report
he met the love of his life, Helen, who soon became Mrs. Whitner. Today, Rob is on the JUMPSTART North Carolina Leadership Team and is the lead volunteer at Columbus Correctional Institution near Brunswick, NC. In addition to these roles, Rob is also the lead pastor at No Limits Ministry in Goldsboro, NC, where he and Helen live with their youngest of three children. Now on the other side of the wall and living proof of the JUMPSTART model, Rob lives each day to see lives connected to God and His purposes through a relationship with Jesus.
South Carolina now has the lowest level of recidivism in the nation. When I visit with other national criminal justice leaders, and they ask me about our success, I encourage them to take a look and learn from the work of JUMPSTART. Bryan Stirling, Director of the S.C. Department of Corrections
Today, JUMPSTART is in 19 of South Carolina’s 21 prisons, and in prisons in Georgia, North Carolina, and Ohio.
Rob Whitner ‘14 Secretary and Lead Volunteer, JUMPSTART NC
54% of current JUMPSTART employees are JUMPSTART graduates
Beyond “The Wall”
Count It All Joy
Love at Work
A Shared Journey
Impact in Numbers
Looking Ahead
Count It All Joy!
6 | JUMPSTART SC 2023 Impact Report
Annie Spratt / Unsplash
Our Journey From One Home To A Village
“Residents said “no way” to a proposed halfway house in Spartanburg’s South Converse neighborhood Thursday night.” This sentence greeted the readers of the Spartanburg Herald Journal on the morning of June 28, 2012. The accompanying photo verified the news as faces of disgruntled residents were shown filling Spartanburg’s City Hall. Despite our best efforts to purchase and renovate the house in the South Converse neighborhood, the opposing voices were loud. Yet, while we were mourning and frustrated with this loss, God was up to something greater. The folks at Second Presbyterian Church in Spartanburg saw the story and wanted to help. They graciously offered to lease their two-story house to us for $1. With help from Carpenters for Christ and Hope Point Church, the house was renovated into a 16-bed facility and was soon bustling with men who were finding hope among those sharing similar journeys. They found hope and community in the house they affectionately called, “The Big House.” Before “The Big House”, the first official JUMPSTART transitional house was on Spartanburg’s Forest Avenue. The residents lived on one side and renovated the other, thus earning it the nickname, “Flippin’ It.” No doubt the transitional housing program has been challenging these last 15 years, but. . .the challenges are outweighed by the countless miracles surrounding the outcomes. Today, as we complete the fifth home of Restoration Village (pg. 10), we count it all joy! Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4 ESV)
We believe in JUMPSTART because it works. We have seen it transform lives, impact prisons, and enable former offenders to live productive, God-honoring lives both inside fences and beyond. Jon Ozmint, Former Director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections
554 people have been a part of JUMPSTART’s transitional program
Only with the power of Christ, have we risen above numerous challenges to create a beacon of hope through the transitional housing program. Through your unwavering dedication and the tireless efforts of our team, lives are being transformed. Together, we’ve turned adversity into opportunity, proving that with compassion and a shared commitment to progress, even the most formidable challenges can be overcome, one life at a time.
Beyond “The Wall”
Count It All Joy
Love at Work
A Shared Journey
Impact in Numbers
Looking Ahead
<4%
of JUMPSTART participants have returned to prison.
William Harrison
Retired JUMPSTART Transitional Program Director, 2010 — 2022
8 | JUMPSTART SC 2023 Impact Report
William Harrison’s vision for helping formerly incarcerated individuals was inspired by his own experiences of forgiveness and restoration during his time behind bars. He was equally driven by the desire to see these individuals not just reintegrate, but to thrive post-incarceration. The catalyst for this vision came from a close friend of William’s who, upon being released from prison, was an outcast in his own community in virtue of his having to register as a sex offender. When door after door of opportunity was closed to his friend, and with nowhere to turn, this young man robbed a convenience store with only his finger behind his coat. He then sat down and waited for the authorities to arrive. William ended up seeing his friend sometime later back in prison and asked him what had happened. The reply, “I live better in here than I did on the streets”, broke William’s heart and inspired him to do something about it. After his release from prison, William answered God’s calling to partner with others already involved in God’s work in
Beyond “The Wall”
Count It All Joy
Love at Work
transitional ministry. This path eventually led him to JUMPSTART where he saw first-hand God’s miraculous provision of transitional housing through the partnership of Second Presbyterian of Spartanburg. William’s commitment was such that he moved into “The Big House” as the house manager, ensuring the program’s terms were met and offering continuous support to participants in their daily journey towards rebuilding their lives. He wholeheartedly walked alongside them, providing guidance and encouragement. One participant of the program thrived so brilliantly that he was able to step into the role of house manager upon William’s promotion to Program Director. As we celebrate 15 years of transforming lives from the inside out, William Harrison is among the many who has faithfully answered the call of God on his life. Through his “in the trenches” style of leadership, JUMPSTART participants have indeed thrived instead of merely survived.
A Shared Journey
Impact in Numbers
Looking Ahead
E S T .
2 0 2 2
Restoration - V I L L A G E -
Thanks to the incredible success of the transitional program, we found ourselves in need of space! Enter Restoration Village — it’s not a “halfway house” community; it’s a thoughtfully designed haven. It’s a master-planned community crafted with
precision, tailor-made to guide men and women
on a Jesus-filled journey from prisoner to proud homeowner, all in the span of just two years.
It’s not merely about transitional phases; it’s about turning dreams into reality and reshaping lives. Restoration Village isn’t just a neighborhood; it’s a hope-filled promise that says,
“You belong here, and your future is
greater than your past, and brighter than you could have ever imagined!”
10 | JUMPSTART SC 2023 Impact Report
You don’t have to hang around the village long to hear and see men and women thriving in community. The energy is
Fi v e o homef 22 h av e b s c o mp l e e n Re storete d in a Villag tion e!
infectious, the stories are raw, the smiles are abundant, and the laughter is loud. Located in Wellford, SC, this 26-acre campus serves as a beacon of hope, love, and opportunity for men and women returning to our community from incarceration. It also serves as the national model for cities and states who want to help returning citizens have a future greater than their past. Our 2024-25 plans for Restoration Village include completing construction of the 17 remaining homes along with an opportunity center that will have classrooms, a commercial kitchen for teaching culinary arts, and event space for community events and worship. Find out how you can be a part of these projects and more on page 22.
$4,035,540 donor investment in Restoration Village (as of Oct. ‘23)
Beyond “The Wall”
Count It All Joy
Love at Work
A Shared Journey
Impact in Numbers
Looking Ahead
Love at Work Employers Changing the Narrative In the early days, Don Williams, our co-founder, led the charge in pursuing partners for the employment program and it was no easy task. We had to educate employers, dispel misconceptions, and address past, negative experiences. From one business, Custom Forest Products, representing the Employment Program in 2011, to over 40 employers today – love is at work. It’s not just about finding jobs for our participants and graduates; it’s about strengthening company workforces with grateful hearts and hard workers. We’re tipping our hats to these companies, these partners in hope, who open their doors and hearts. They’re not just providing jobs; they’re creating opportunities for new beginnings. (Since 2016, when we began keeping employment records, 346 men and women have been helped to find full-time employment post-incarceration.)
12 | JUMPSTART SC 2023 Impact Report
Beyond Bottom Lines In 2009, Chris Phillips, owner of Sun Surveillance (pictured left), had a deep conviction that God was nudging him to open the doors of his company to an ex-offender needing a fresh start. Chris hired James Fowler (pictured right). Fourteen years later, James continues to thrive with the company as a Systems Design Engineer. To date, Sun Surveillance has given 25 ex-offenders a second-chance employment opportunity after incarceration. Chris, James, and the whole Sun Surveillance crew are crafting stories of transformation through their obedience to God’s call, and their huge hearts for those in need of a second chance.
$17/hr
the average starting hourly wage earned by JUMPSTART graduates
Beyond “The Wall”
Count It All Joy
Love at Work
A Shared Journey
Impact in Numbers
Looking Ahead
A Shared Journey Our Faithful Partners
14 | JUMPSTART SC 2023 Impact Report
The logos you see here represent the incredible crew of faithful partners who have hitched their wagons to our mission. These churches and local and national organizations aren’t just supporters; they’re dreamers and arm-in-arm partners in this wild adventure of restoration. Their love isn’t just on paper and in dollars; it’s in the way they stand by us, cheering us on every step of the journey. It’s like having a band of hope-filled friends joining the parade, making sure that JUMPSTART isn’t just another program, but a community of hope, grace and second chances! Together, we’re writing stories of redemption, one chapter at a time.
To our partners — we extend the biggest “thank you” for your dedication to transforming lives and giving JUMPSTART participants a future that is greater than their past. To those who assume that with such a large showing of support, your partnership isn’t needed — rest assured, we have a long way to go and we need YOU!
Beyond “The Wall”
Count It All Joy
Love at Work
A Shared Journey
Impact in Numbers
Looking Ahead
Impact in Numbers 15 Years of Lives Transformed
$32,000
6,756
men and women have participated in JUMPSTART programs
3500+
the amount of dollars saved by SC taxpayers annually for every JUMPSTART graduate not returning to prison
$17/hr
men and women have graduated from JUMPSTART
average starting wage for JUMPSTART graduates today (up from $8.50 in 2008)
<4%
54%
of JUMPSTART graduates have returned to prison
of JUMPSTART employees are JUMPSTART graduates
554
25
men and women have utilized the transitional program
current JUMPSTART volunteers are JUMPSTART graduates
What has this meant for
South Carolina taxpayers?
$4,526,300
3500 JUMPSTART graduates
donor investment
$32,000 16 | JUMPSTART SC 2023 Impact Report
annual number of tax dollars saved per grad
$112M in savings each year!
A Look Back at
2023
420
rides provided weekly for transitional program participants
1000+ participants, volunteers, and mentors involved monthly
$4,035,540
donor investment in Restoration Village
1000+ men and women participated in JUMPSTART programs
100% Beyond “The Wall”
Count It All Joy
515
hours invested weekly by volunteers
We are building transformational opportunities for the incarcerated and those coming out of incarceration because when lives that are off track experience restoration, we ALL win.
4,500 immediate family members impacted
65%
employment for transitional program participants who are physically able to work
Love at Work
A Shared Journey
of the incarcerated have children – an opportunity for generational change
Impact in Numbers
Looking Ahead
Financial Integrity Breakdown of 2023 Income & Expenses Income PPP Revenue
$14,500
Program Fees
$127,600
Donations
$572,200
Grants
$125,400
Other
$22,500
Employee Leasing
$42,700
JUMPSTART Landscaping
$315,000
Total:
$1,219,900
Expenses Transitional Program
$304,300
Inside Prison Program
$146,900
Management & Operations
$185,500
Employee Leasing
$43,500
JUMPSTART Landscaping
$300,100
(including equipment)
Total: Numbers based on activity through October 2023.
18 | JUMPSTART SC 2023 Impact Report
$981,300
Thank You! As you have witnessed through the entirety of this report, we can’t do this alone.We’re celebrating your generous gifts and the countless ways you answered the call to be a beacon of hope, grace, and miracles — this year, and over the past
years!
Beyond “The Wall”
Count It All Joy
Love at Work
A Shared Journey
Impact in Numbers
Looking Ahead
17 homes and the Opportunity Center remain to be completed in Restoration Village.
Jon Ozmint
Former Director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections
20 | JUMPSTART SC 2023 Impact Report
Restoration Society The Restoration Society represents a group of loyal supporters who have provided a cash gift or pledge of $5,000 toward the development of Restoration Village. Thank you to each of these generous donors! Individuals Jeff Bauer Clarence and Harriet Bauknight Mr. and Mrs. Bauknight, Jr. Anderson and Laura Baxley Dr. John and Laura Beard Jay and Ali Beeson Timothy A. Brett Robert E. and Sylvia Caldwell, Sr. John and Jerry Carlisle Mike and Cindy Chibbaro Dr. Chad and Dr. Jill Colson Chris Condon Steve and Mary Crawford James and Corie Culp Brian and Marian Dameier Senator James and Debbie DeMint Dr. Bunty and Chrissy Desor Stephen and Louise Dickson Dr. Mitchell and Paige Ellett Mark and Kristie Ells Mark and Karen Essex Charles W. and Lynn Fields III Steve and Clare Ford Jim and Lee Foster Eric and Lyssa Foust Meredith Fowler Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Fulk, Jr. Paul and Patty Gaeto Randall and Athena Gay Keri Geary John and Laura Gramling Dr. Paul and Joyce Gunter Tom and Fran Hallam Nancy Harrison Joshua M. and Amy Henderson
Rick and Mary Higgins Joe E. and Katheryn Hines Tommy and Lynne Holt Todd and Gina Hyneman Debbie and Mike Kiriakides Zak Kuder David and Nan Lake Wesley and Jayne Lehrer Paul Lister Will and Sarah Lucas John and Mary Jane Martin William McCauley III Paul and Sissy Melotte Kip and Kim Miller Tommy and Linda Moore Jason and Melanie Moore Vince Moore and Deb Richardson-Moore Lynn Morrow Jon and Luanne Ozmint Stan Parker Daryl and Charrise Price Chris and Jennifer Prichard Doug Ray Cary and Ashley Sanders Matt and Sarah Shingleton Mary-Hannah Smith Brett and Winton Swanson Grover and Darla Todd Chris and Lisa Urban David and Laura Watson Bill and Rachel White Barry and Debra Wilson Don Wilson
Businesses Dentistry at Pelham Pointe Genetech, Inc. Mar-Mac, Inc. Steve Crawford Trucking, Inc. Sun Surveillance, Inc Churches and Nonprofits Advent United Methodist Church The Estate of Bernard Klamer Character Restoration Initative Church of the Advent Episcopal Church of the Advent Fellowship Greenville The Four Bees Foundation Grace Church Greenville Circle 555 Harry H. Gibson Family Foundation New Life Deliverance Church Radius Church (Columbia) Sharon United Methodist Church Spartanburg County Foundation Symmes Foundation Truist Foundation The Vine Church Westminister Presbyterian Church Memorials and Honorariums In Memory of Travis Cromer In Memory of Jerry Frady In Memory of Sand and Dorothy Gaeto In Honor of Rich Richardson In Honor of Harry and Thelma Rowland
How You Can Help If your heart has been stirred by what God has done over the past fifteen years, and and you’re itching to join hands with us to bring transformation to lives through Christ, drop us a line at info@jumpstartvision.org. We’re all ears and can’t wait to embark on this adventure with you!
Donate
Online: Visit JumpstartVision.org, click "Get Involved", "Donate" - OR - scan the code below. By phone: 888.403.3815 By mail: JUMPSTART PO Box 1050 Spartanburg, SC 29304-1050 Donations are not only transformational investments, they are also tax-deductible.
Pray
Always be joyful. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in everything for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Volunteer
Volunteers are key components of our ongoing operations. Visit JumpstartVision.org, click "Get Involved", "Volunteer", "Apply".
Join the Conversation @JumpStartMinistry @jumpstartsc @JumpStartMinistrySpartanburg @JumpStartMinistry
22 | JUMPSTART SC 2023 Impact Report
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dr. Michael Scharff Chair Limestone University Mike Kiriakides Vice Chair MK Property Advisors Thomas Holt Secretary Hardwood Bridge, LLC Sharon McDowell Board Treasurer Independent CPA Robert E. Caldwell, Sr Grace Management Group Chuck Fields Paradigm Appraisal Services Dr. Gwen Johnson University of South Carolina Donald Spann Grace Church Jon Ozmint Ozmint Law Firm
STAFF Dr. Cary Sanders CEO Jeremy Walker Chief of Staff Don Williams Director of Community Relations Justin Durrell Director of Operations Karen Underwood Transitional Program Director Tim Murray Inside Program Director Jordan Durham Director of Advancement Toby Fleming Director of Pastoral Care Amanda Balint Director of Creative Design & Events Daniel Dempsey IT & Operations Coordinator
Perry Correctional Institution Pelzer, SC Livesay Correctional Institution A&B Spartanburg, SC Trenton Correctional Institution Trenton, SC
Tyger River Correctional Institution Enoree, SC
Leath Correctional Institution Greenwood, SC Kershaw Correctional Institution Kershaw, SC Evans Correctional Institution Bennettsville, SC
Manning Correctional Institution Columbia, SC Wateree River Correctional Institution Rembert, SC Lee Correctional Institution Bishopville, SC Turbeville Correctional Institution Turbeville, SC
—— S O U T H
C A R O L I N A ——
TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF PRISONERS FROM THE INSIDE OUT
PO Box 1050, Spartanburg, SC 29304-1050 888.403.3815 | JumpstartVision.org
MacDougall Correctional Institution Ridgeville, SC Ridgeland Correctional Institution Ridgeland, SC Allendale Correctional Institution Allendale, SC
Map represents current facilities with active JUMPSTART inside programs.
