• “ONE TIME in December, I went to Elmwood for some visits. I had to use the visitor phones since contact visiting was still not an option due to COVID. Men would tell me their hurts, some would tell me their joys, some would only be emotional. I listened, watched and tried to let them know that they can keep doing what they feel they need to while I am there. If it's more tears, cry, if it's more story, share. Because of limited access, some people were only seen, one time.

  A few weeks ago, I received a request to visit an individual. He walked into the room and sat down. He was winded. As he began to talk, he began to weep and stutter. I let him know that there was no hurry, catch your breath. He said, “ONE TIME in December, you came and saw me.” He said that “You came in and stayed as I shared about my life, my hurts, my current situation and my dreams.” He continued “I cried and you stayed, I yelled and you stayed, I laughed and you stayed”. He said, “I would have left, but you stayed and I was able to keep sharing and started believing in myself.”. He wanted to say thank you. He also insisted, “Don't stop coming in. There are many people like me who need people like you to come and sit with us, to hear us, to lift us up, to empower us, to bring us back”.

Thank you for showing up in many ways throughout this weird year. Thank you for sharing your resources. Thank you for giving your time and finances, so we can keep getting inside. Thank you for your partnership in jail ministry!

Please don't stop! Keep giving, keep volunteering, keep sharing, keep promoting, keep praying, keep believing, keep expecting, keep doing! We can't do this work without YOU!

Chaplain Angel Hernandez, Associate Director and Facility Chaplain Elmwood Men's

Your ONE TIME gift can change the life of an individual incarcerated in our county!

$100 gives 50 individuals Bibles created for those who are incarcerated

$250 comforts the bereaved in jail with a grief book, journal and chaplain support

$500 trains, insures and supports staff mentorship for a volunteer chaplain to sit with, listen to and share hope with incarcerated individuals every week for a year

Please consider making a monthly gift!

$100 per month funds grief materials for 10 incarcerated individuals who have lost loved ones

$75 per month sponsors a hybrid online/in-person class for 20 incarcerated individuals for a whole year

$50 per month equips one volunteer to return to weekly ministry with those inside

$20 per month provides 120 bibles each year that are specially produced for people incarcerated in jails and prisons