OUR MISSION TOWARDS RESTORATION
2025 Impact Report
Behind every stat you’ll see in these pages is a life restored.
A man or woman who was once bound in shame and guilt without much of a future, now full of purpose and making a difference in the life of another because the JUMPSTART SC family of volunteers and donors didn’t give up on them. What we witness through JUMPSTART SC isn’t just successful re-entry; it’s redemption in motion.
This year, we’ve seen God’s faithfulness in extraordinary ways. More lives changed. More families reunited. More communities strengthened by the ripple effect of restoration. Each milestone has been made possible through the generosity, prayers, and partnership of people like you.
At JUMPSTART SC, we believe that true change starts within. It begins inside the heart, inside the prison, and extends outward into homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods across South Carolina and beyond. Our vision is to see the back of recidivism broken: one transformed life at a time.
As you read this report, I hope you’ll see what I see: not just programs, but people. Not just outcomes, but stories of grace and grit.
Thank you for believing with us that no life is beyond repair. Together, we’re building a movement toward restoration.
Let’s Keep Working,
Cary Sanders, CEO
Our Mission
In partnership with donors, churches, and community partners, we are discipling the incarcerated and assisting returning citizens with re-entry services. Our Vision Powered by the gospel of Jesus Christ and with men and women serving as His hands and feet, we imagine a day when the back of recidivism is broken in South Carolina, our nation, and beyond.
Photo taken inside Manning Correctional Institution Columbia, SC
MakingDisciples
Many prison transition programs try to take an outside-in approach. They focus on behavioral modification, not the heart. But true transformation can never happen from the outside-in, so JUMPSTART SC starts everything on the inside—both inside the prison and inside the heart. More than “just another Bible study,” participants are challenged by mentors to dig into their heart issues. Through our 40-week curriculum, they learn to transform by the renewing of their minds (Romans 12:2) and to expose the lies (Ephesians 5:11) that are holding them back from the life God wants for them.
Our Inside Program is unique in that our participants are not measured by their mentors, but by their peers. This level of accountability helps them learn the value of true Christian community.
Making disciples is the greatest calling for believers.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 NIV
We want those we serve clinging to God’s purpose for their life and be growing in their love for the Lord and God’s people.
“ It’s a great thing to be part of a dedicated group of volunteers and staff who want to make a difference in the lives of people both inside and outside of prison who want to make the most of a second chance in life.
Dave, JUMPSTART SC Inside Program Volunteer
10,580 115 96% estimated volunteer hours for all inside classes
volunteers serving the Inside Program of Inside Program graduates do not return to prison
Release Day
58 46
99.3% participants joined our Transitional Program this year our Transitional Program serves men and women from every SC county of participants who stay 3+ months do not return to prison within 3 years
Ask any of our staff, volunteers, or participants, and they’ll tell you: Release day is always unpredictable. Yes, it’s a day filled with excitement and hope, but far more complicated than simply walking out the prison door. No two release days are exactly the same. So much depends on factors outside our control, from last-minute paperwork to transportation issues, on top of the emotional challenges that our participants face.
Release day requires everyone involved to adapt quickly and think on their feet. Without our incredible village of volunteers and staff, providing release day services across 19 institutions would be impossible. To meet the needs of those transitioning back into their communities requires extra measures of dedication, flexibility, and compassion.
Inside, we started addressing their spiritual needs. Release day signals it’s time to build on that foundation by meeting their physical and social needs. On release day, every participant is provided with a ride to Restoration Village by either a staff member or volunteer. Once they arrive, we make sure they get their first meal and settle them into their new home.
That includes showing them their bedroom, which can be an emotional and surreal moment for many participants. But just as Christ met people’s spiritual and physical needs in his ministry, we want participants to have tangible reminders that they are not prisoners anymore. They have been called and chosen to start a new chapter of their lives.
A Prisoner No More
“
Being able to come to Restoration Village after release meant knowing that God has a plan for me far greater than anything I had in store for myself. Stephen,
JUMPSTART SC Participant
A Fresh Start
24 100% 143K
participants obtained their driver’s license
of our participants are employed if they are physically able to work miles were driven this year so participants could make it to work and appointments
Foundations Stage
When we say that JUMPSTART SC participants are starting a new life, it’s not just a platitude—it’s reality. When residents first arrive at Restoration Village, they come with a full checklist of transition activities: starting with any requirements for Probation, Parole, and Pardon, going to doctors’ appointments, and obtaining their birth certificate, social security card, and state ID.
But also, they are having to acclimate to the outside world. That can mean reconnecting with family members, learning new technology, and unlearning some of the habits picked up as part of life in prison. For the first month, they are given ways to help out around Restoration Village, including with our two social enterprises—JUMPSTART Landscaping and JUMPSTART Catering & Events.
In addition to meeting their physical and spiritual needs, we proactively meet their professional needs, too. This includes workplace development training, for everything from interview prep, emotional intelligence, ethics, to leadership skills. Over 50 organizations have chosen to become employer partners with us, resulting in a 100% employment rate for our participants.
Thank You to our new employers who partnered with us this year!
God is Faithful
Housing instability is a major factor in recidivism, yet many former prisoners have difficulty renting because of their record and credit. Buying a house usually seems impossible.
But we serve a God for whom nothing is impossible! The time spent at Restoration Village provides participants with the margin needed to become truly healthy—spiritually, physically, socially, and financially. And God continually uses the generosity of our donors and partners to help participants build a future that is greater than their past.
“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
For our participants, buying a house is a giant step of faith. Becoming a homeowner doesn’t fully add up from a purely financial perspective, but God often calls us to put our beliefs into practice. Through following our 360-degree programming, working, saving, and maintaining their walk with Christ, 8 participants purchased a home this year!
Building Stage
13 participants purchased their own car this year
8 participants purchased their first home this year
Scan to read Jeremy’s story on the blog.
Free Indeed
The term “graduation” comes from the Latin word gradus, which means “step.” And it’s a fitting word for when our participants leave Restoration Village to step into their new lives. In 2025, we had 19 men and women who graduated the Transitional Program. We’ve seen graduates buy houses, earn promotions, reunite with family, and even had two former participants who married each other.
Graduation officially announces that a participant has successfully completed the transition program and is capable of living on their own, without our team’s daily guidance. To understand how huge this is, let’s zoom out for a moment:
“
I thank God for JUMPSTART and how He has used it to bless me, challenge me, and give me great joy. Daniel, JUMPSTART SC Graduate
For every 100 people who leave prison in the US, 70 will reoffend. Meanwhile, those who complete JUMPSTART SC’s transitional programs:
• Hold jobs that pay a living wage and offer opportunities for professional growth.
• Belong to a local church body.
• Exercise sound financial habits to live within their means.
• Find stable housing, often purchasing their own home in the process.
All of which adds up to a 96% success rate and has directly contributed to South Carolina having the lowest rates of recidivism in the nation. Behind each statistic is the story of God’s grace, setting free the captives to walk in new life.
God didn’t call us to just run a housing program. He didn’t call us just for job recruitment. He has called us to shepherd people into transformation through the power of the Gospel. The greatest outcome is when we see men and women actively living out God’s will in their life, surrendered to Jesus Christ. Every participant comes to JUMPSTART SC with their own unique set of struggles, challenges, and strengths.
But they all share three things in common:
1. They have been saved and redeemed by the Lord.
2. They have found a community of grace, truth, and support.
3. They leave with a testimony of transformation and true freedom.
Each graduation is another page in the story of freedom in Christ, and we invite you to be a part of helping write the next chapter.
Graduation
19
65%
80 participants successfully graduated the Transitional Program this year of the men and women we serve have children (Our mission is breaking generational cycles.) volunteers serve currently serve our Transitional Program
Purpose Meets Profit
Our Social Enterprises
One of the biggest ways JUMPSTART SC differs from other transitional ministries is we have started three social enterprises, which help fulfill our mission by providing employment for participants, helping them integrate back into the community and offset costs within our programs. Through all three enterprises, we’re teaching participants valuable skills that they can carry over into the workplace, from communication to leadership.
Through JUMPSTART Employment Placement, we’re partnered with over 50 local employment partners to find well-paying positions. When one of our participants is placed with an employment partner, they have the confidence in knowing that we have already conducted necessary pre-screening and work skills training, plus will make sure they have reliable transportation. This makes hiring a JUMPSTART SC participant a safer bet for an employer, on top of the tax credits that benefit the business for employing a former prisoner.
Our two other enterprises also provide a tangible way for the community to invest in the lives of our participants while also having their everyday needs met. For instance, a business can hire JUMPSTART Landscaping to provide premium-level services to keep their property looking pristine for employees, customers, and visitors. Or, perhaps their building is too small for hosting an all-staff lunch. They can rent a space at the Indigo Hope Center, fully catered by our JUMPSTART Catering & Events team.
We believe that social enterprises can be used by God to meaningfully support our mission. Our social enterprises create an intersection where purpose meets profit for both the community and our residents, helping JUMPSTART SC become more self-sustaining. (You can learn more about each enterprise on our website.)
“Being a part of JUMPSTART Landscaping has provided me with a great Christcentered environment and opportunities to reveal my leadership skills.
Chris, JUMPSTART Landscaping
Become a Member!
Become part of Restoration Society to help finish Restoration Village and join an incredible community of believers who believe that Christ’s future is greater than our past.
The best part?
We will be hosting an exciting event in 2026 only for those who are a part of Restoration Society! Plus, give a gift of $5,000 or more to join Restoration Society, and we will mail you a welcome gift.
Restoration Society
Restoration Society represents our loyal supporters who have provided a gift of $5,000 or more toward the development of Restoration Village.
Thank you to each of these donors!
Individuals
Jeff Bauer
Clarence & Harriet Bauknight
Mr. & Mrs. Bauknight, Jr.
Anderson & Laura Baxley
Dr. John & Laura Beard
Jay & Ali Beeson
Ken & Doris Bickel
Timothy A. Brett
Randy and Alison Burris
Robert E. & Sylvia Caldwell, Sr.
Robert & Sarah Caldwell, Jr.
John & Jerry Carlisle
Tom Carter
Mike & Cindy Chibbaro
Dr. Chad & Dr. Jill Colson
Chris Condon
Steve & Mary Crawford
James & Corie Culp
Brian and Marian Dameier
Senator James & Debbie DeMint
Dr. Bunty & Chrissy Desor
Stephen & Louise Dickson
Bill Donovan
Pat Duncan
Dr. Mitchell & Paige Ellett
Mark & Kristie Ells
Bonnie Essex
Mark & Karen Essex
Charles W. & Lynn Fields III
Jim & Rosemary Fields
Gary & Cheryl Fine
Steve & Clare Ford
Jim & Lee Foster
Eric & Lyssa Foust
James Fowler
Meredith Fowler
Suzanne Freed
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas W. Fulk, Jr.
Paul & Patty Gaeto
Randall & Athena Gay
Keri Geary
Harry Gibson, Jr.
John & Laura Gramling
Dr. Paul & Joyce Gunter
Tom & Fran Hallam
Amy Harley
Nancy Harrison
Joshua M. & Amy Henderson
Rick & Mary Higgins
Joe E. & Katheryn Hines
Tommy & Lynne Holt
Joyce Holly
Todd & Gina Hyneman
Gwen Johnson
Debbie & Mike Kiriakides
Zak Kuder
David & Nan Lake
Wesley & Jayne Lehrer
Paul Lister
Will & Sarah Lucas
John & Julie Maloy
John & Mary Jane Martin
William McCauley III
Sharon & Darrell McDowell
Paul & Sissy Melotte
Kip & Kim Miller
Charlotte Moore
Tommy & Linda Moore
Jason & Melanie Moore
Vance Moore & Deb Richardson-Moore
Lynn Morrow
Robert & Zora Motsinger
Louis Mullikin
Andre Nougaret
Craig & Kim Nowokunski
Jon & Luanne Ozmint
Stan Parker
Daryl & Charrise Price
Chris & Jennifer Prichard
Doug Ray
William & Judy Ripberger
Ron & Patricia Rountree
Cary & Ashley Sanders
Donald Schacher
Matt & Sarah Shingleton
Mary-Hannah Smith
Bryan Stirling
Brett & Winton Swanson
Eric Swofford
Our Prayer for 2026
Finish Restoration Village
Our biggest prayer for 2026, as always, is the Lord will continue to use us as a vessel for Gospel transformation. And for us, that includes finishing Restoration Village so that we can accept more men and women into the program.
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.
We plan to add another 8 homes by the end of 2026, which will accommodate up to 32 more residents, more stories of transformation.
Finishing those homes will cost $4.5 million, which is an investment on two fronts. First, as an investment in eternity itself. Each changed life has a ripple effect that can’t be quantified on this side of heaven.
But on the other front, it’s an investment in our community. For every person in our program who doesn’t reoffend, South Carolina taxpayers save $32,000 a year. Filling up those 8 homes means taxpayers will recoup the $4.5 million investment in under 7 years. So, here’s how you can be praying in 2026:
Pray for our current participants. Pray they will meet their goals, fight temptation, heal from their past, and secure their future. Pray for our future participants. Pray for the men and women who will be moving into Restoration Village in 2026, including the 8 new homes we will be building. Pray for us to have the resources needed to advance our mission spiritually, physically, mentally, creatively, and financially. Pray for our team and volunteers. Ask the Lord to provide us with the wisdom we need to serve well and to be faithful stewards of all that He has given to us. And finally, pray for your part in our mission. Pray for God to reveal how YOU can help. See page 21 for some specific options to consider.
Our mission truly does not exist without prayer. And it cannot operate without people. God answers prayers, but He loves to use people as part of His answer.
Financial Integrity
Income
Program Fees
Donations - Individuals
Donations - Churches
Donations - Businesses & Foundations
Grants
JUMPSTART Employment Placement
JUMPSTART Catering & Events
JUMPSTART Landscaping
Expenses
Partner With Us
Donate Towards Our Mission
Online: Visit www.jumpstartvision.org, click “Give”OR - scan the code below.
By phone: 888.403.3815
By mail: JUMPSTART SC PO Box 1050 Spartanburg, SC 29304-1050
Donations are not only transformational investments, they are also tax-deductible.
$538,544
$39,863
Other $250,569
Total: $3,622,121
Transitional Program
Inside Program
Homes at Restoration Village
* Includes $585k estimate to complete.
Indigo Hope Center
Restoration Village Grounds/Other
JUMPSTART Employment Placement
JUMPSTART Catering & Events
JUMPSTART Landscaping
Supporting Services
Total: $3,527,736
* Numbers
$496,055
$178,294
$1,433,754
$122,466
$109,767
$84,055
$90,029 $490,620
$522,696
Stocks, Assets, or Qualified Charitable Contributions Please reach out to Cary Sanders to discuss.
Pray for Us
Please pray for our staff, volunteers, and participants as we continue our work in making disciples.
Volunteer with Us
Volunteers play an essential role in driving our ongoing operations. If you are seeking meaning and fulfillment in your life, we offer a variety of opportunities for you to get involved.
Fuel our Mission
Are you a business owner or organization needing high quality commercial landscaping services or catering needs? Fuel our mission by supporting our social enterprises.
