Supporting and guiding individuals to a second chance at a positive and productive life takes dedication from entire communities. That’s why our organization partners with non-profits, ministries, companies and more to not just help our clients get the support they need to succeed, but also to reach more individuals.
One such organization is Kairos Prison Ministry International. Did you know that Cleveland Bell III, the executive director of Riverside House, is also one of the nine founding members of Kairos? He is one of the original “nine old men” that founded the ministry right here in Miami, which today has a full time staff of 9 people who support over 36,000 volunteers going into 450+ penal institutions and reaching 25,000+ offenders located in 35 states and 9 countries.
For more than 30 years, trained volunteers from Kairos Prison Ministry have been transforming the lives of inmates at more than 400 prisons with one-on-one mentoring, uplifting sermons, and love. Furthermore, according to the Kairos website, society spends over $60 billion per year to keep more than 2.1 million inmates incarcerated where as the Kairos program is offered at no cost to State and Federal Institutions.
Partnering with Kairos is a no-brainer for Riverside House not just because of Mr. Bell’s involvement, but also because our mission is to guide men and women convicted of crime into becoming productive citizens through a nondenominational, faith-based approach. Together, we change lives.
Click here to watch a brief video on how Kairos is changing lives inside of prisons. Hint: It starts with the heart. The volunteers present a weekend program that puts an emphasis on each person and why they matter. The program goes beyond treating them as a DOC number to get to the very heart of each individual.
