INSIDE THE IMPACT
JUMPSTART South Carolina • February 2026 Newsletter
WHEN FAITH SHOWS UP
Last year, volunteers gave more than 10,000 hours to the work happening through JUMPSTART SC. God continues to chase down rebels in prisons across South Carolina, and we are witnessing lives transformed through faith, consistency, and community.
At the end of last year, we celebrated the largest graduation Ridgeland Correctional Institution has ever seen. We are also looking ahead with gratitude and anticipation as Trenton Correctional and our Outside Program prepare for upcoming graduations! God is moving, inside and out. If you have ever wanted to serve in a community committed to showing up, this is it. We are deeply grateful for the men and women willing to step into the trenches of ministry together. This year, especially, is a meaningful time to join the work.
As our volunteer base continues to grow, we identified an important need for additional training and support for inside leaders and volunteers. Last month, we held our first volunteer training of the year, and it was a wonderful time of connection, encouragement, and preparation. We are continuing to work toward ongoing training for our volunteers and inside leaders. This is a significant undertaking serving 19 prisons across South Carolina, but a vital investment in collaborative, Christ-centered ministry.
Restoration Village continues to grow as well. There are 14 out of 22 homes purchased, and 8 still needed to finish the village. More homes mean more participants stepping into stability and purpose, and a growing need for mentors, especially men willing to walk alongside young men rebuilding their lives. If you are looking for a place where your time truly matters, we invite you to step in. The need is real. The impact is lasting. The work is worth it.
When lives that are off track experience restoration, we ALL win.
THE PATHS WE LEAVE
Why is creating distance from a familiar environment so critical after incarceration? It’s the cycle, and we’ve talked about it before. Every one of us knows we are never as strong as we want to be when it comes to sin and destructive habits.
Paul said it himself, “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”
Is it wise for a man struggling with sobriety to return to a city filled with bars and old triggers? Is it prudent for a mom battling anger and anxiety to step immediately back into single parenting four kids without support? The answer feels obvious, yet the other side of that decision is costly.
More than half of our participants never graduated high school, entering freedom without education or confidence. At the same time, nearly two thirds are parents. The pressure is not just personal. It is generational. Children are watching. Families are depending on them to get this right.
Distance often means leaving family. Starting life over somewhere else. Choosing the uncomfortable over the familiar. But this distance is not forever. They are stepping away long enough to gain stability, healing, and direction.
Life looks different. Life looks better. But it is not effortless to leave these paths behind. We see it in the wrestling faces of those who are here. Growth requires space. Healing requires time. And sometimes faith requires trusting that stepping back now makes it possible to step forward later.
INVESTING IN SECOND CHANCES
John Martin does not describe himself as self-made. “I’ve been given second chances over and over,” he says. In marriage. In business. In life.
That belief is what led John into prison ministry with JUMPSTART SC. Every week, he goes inside, walking with men who are searching for hope and a future they never thought possible.
One story captures it for them. A man named Lee once told them, “I was 53 years old in prison with no hope. I thought I was too old to start over. But now I have hope. I understand there is a future I can look forward to.”
If you’ve attended any of our recent events, you’re aware that Lee is thriving in the program. He helped in the kitchen during numerous events last year, as well as with projects around Restoration Village. He now works with one of our employment partners.
For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
Romans 7:18
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Sitting in a cell at 53, Lee saw a path forward with Christ and community that is now a reality as he lives at Restoration Village.
MEALS WITH PURPOSE
At JUMPSTART SC, our Community Meals are about so much more than sharing a meal—they are about building community, developing skills, and growing together in faith. Each meal provides hands-on learning opportunities for participants through our Culinary Program. Under the guidance of our talented chef, participants gain real-world kitchen experience as they assist with every aspect of the meal, including food preparation, setup, and cleanup.
But the impact doesn’t stop in the kitchen. Our Community Meals are a space where relationships are formed and stories are shared. Every week offers something new, with rotating activities that may include personal testimonies, Scripture-based conversations, games, and other opportunities to connect and encourage one another.
We warmly invite our JUMPSTART SC family to join us at the table. Your presence supports our participants, strengthens our community, and helps make each gathering meaningful.
Interested in bringing a group? We’d love to have you! Please reach out to us ahead of time to let us know you’re coming so we can prepare to welcome you well.
For Bob Hayes, prayer has always been the foundation of his years serving inside prison walls. Week after week in JUMPSTART SC classrooms, Bob watched men arrive burdened by fear, regret, and uncertainty. He believed prayer could reach places that no program or plan ever could.
Together, men learned to ask God for help, sometimes for the first time in their lives. Bob saw prayers answered in unexpected ways: softened hearts, restored relationships, and doors opening that once felt permanently closed. Not every prayer looked the way they imagined, but each one built trust in a God who listens.
Through his faithful presence, Bob reminded participants that prayer is not a last resort. It is the starting point for transformation. Inside those walls, prayer became the bridge between broken pasts and restored futures.
THE POWER OF PRAYER
We’re excited to welcome 3 new participants joining us this month! Would you prayerfully consider supporting them in their transition here at Restoration Village?
Become a personal mentor for a graduate released from prison to help them reintegrate into society. Discover impactful ways to engage with JUMPSTART SC or volunteer inside prisons to share, engage, and inspire participants during our 40-week discipleship program. Your involvement can make a profound difference in the lives of those seeking a fresh start.
Not everyone can volunteer, but everyone can make an impact. Will you give a gift today to help the men and women we serve take their next step toward a future greater than their past?
MEET TERRY
Terry describes a childhood shaped by work and responsibility. His parents divorced when he was young, and by the time he was nine years old, he was already working alongside his father, learning carpentry. Later in life, Terry moved to South Carolina. “As quick as you blink your eyes, my life changed one day and I found myself in prison.”
Terry is honest about the seriousness of his charges and the reality he faced at 60 facing 40 years. He noticed a book cart while walking to see his attorney, “I stole three books off of it to have something to read,” he said. Though he didn’t know much about religion, the books had a deep impact. “It caused me to get down on my knees and ask God to forgive me for what I had done and to for Him to take control of my life.”
While at Manning Correctional Facility, Terry first heard about JUMPSTART. He joined the program hoping for parole, but stayed because of the people, the workbook, and the community. Terry completed JUMPSTART twice, finishing the 40-week program and continuing into leadership training.
Through JUMPSTART, Terry’s understanding of faith began to change. “Happiness for me has always been materialistic,” he said. “But what God is bringing me is joy. And joy can’t be bought.” Today, Terry continues his journey at Restoration Village, learning to trust God’s leading one step at a time.
