About us
Who we are
A small, volunteer-run nonprofit founded on Christian faith and a belief in second chances.
In short: Street Re-Entry Program of Maryland, Inc. is a volunteer-run Christian nonprofit in Finksburg, Maryland. It mentors men and women returning from incarceration who engaged with prison ministry before release, and it maintains a free statewide reentry directory.
Returning citizen?
Are you recently released from incarceration? Have you participated in a Christian prison ministry program on a continuing basis while incarcerated? Do you wish to be mentored and receive spiritual support in your successful, Godly journey as a disciple of Jesus Christ? Are you willing to be held accountable to keeping your commitments?
If your answer to these questions is consistently yes, it may be useful for us to talk. Please read about us first so you understand who we are and what we do, then contact us. God bless you.
Why Street Re-Entry exists
Most Street volunteers come with years of experience as volunteers with Kairos Prison Ministry. We know those in prison are God's children too. Many are good people who made poor choices in life. Many also want to turn their lives over to Christ, return to society, and never go back to prison.
But we noticed that some of those we worked with through prison ministry were returning to prison after only a brief period "back on the street." As one man told us:
"If I go back to where I was, to who I was with, how could I not be what I was?"
As much as we did for those in prison, we weren't there to help them after release. So we created Street Re-Entry Program of Maryland as an entity separate from Kairos Prison Ministry, devoted to preparing for and supporting life after prison.
The need
What feeds Maryland's prison population?
- Impoverished neighborhoods
- Chronic unemployment
- Single or no parent households
- Homelessness
- The drug trade
- Failing schools
- Lack of role models and mentors
- Chaos and violence in the streets
- PTSD
- Self-medication and addictions
- Lack of mental healthcare
- Mandatory sentencing
- Racial disparities in sentencing
- Too few well-qualified public defenders
- A culture of "out of sight, out of mind"
Society makes it hard to stay out once you've been in.
Factors that contribute to recidivism:
- Lack of transitional housing for those who cannot or should not go home
- Employer reluctance to hire
- Untreated mental health issues
- Financial responsibilities beyond earnings
- Lack of education and social skills
Walk with someone through their first year home.
Your gift funds life planning workshops, trained mentors and practical reentry support. Every penny counts.