Whereas Prison Fellowship was founded in 1976 by the late Charles Colson, after his conversion to Christianity and the strengthening of his faith during incarceration;

Whereas, in 2026, Prison Fellowship celebrates its 50th anniversary as the largest Christian nonprofit serving prisoners, former prisoners, and their families in the United States, continuing its mission to encounter Jesus with those impacted by incarceration and annually reaching more than 600,000 individuals with the support of more than 200,000 volunteers nationwide;

Whereas Prison Fellowship envisions a revival of the church both inside and outside prison that brings justice, mercy, and hope to communities in the United States, and through the efforts of its staff and volunteers, shares the Gospel in hundreds of correctional facilities each year;

Whereas the Prison Fellowship Academy is a yearlong, intensive program that invites incarcerated individuals to engage in personal transformation, character development, and spiritual growth;

Whereas more than 16,000 individuals have participated in the Prison Fellowship Academy, with approximately 6,000 graduates;

Whereas evaluations, conducted by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the Minnesota Department of Corrections, have demonstrated significant reductions in recidivism among participants of the Prison Fellowship Academy;

Whereas Prison Fellowship Grow fosters faith formation, mentorship, and community engagement for individuals exploring life through the Gospel;

Whereas more than 350,000 individuals have participated in a Prison Fellowship Grow Bible study or related course;

Whereas the Prison Fellowship Academy has been approved by the Federal Bureau of Prisons as an evidence-based recidivism reduction program under the First Step Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–391; 132 Stat. 5194), making Prison Fellowship the first nonprofit organization to have a program receive this designation, and Prison Fellowship Grow has likewise been approved by the Federal Bureau of Prisons as a productive activity under the First Step Act of 2018;

Whereas, to strengthen relationships between incarcerated parents and their children, the Prison Fellowship Angel Tree equips local churches with Christmas gifts, summer camps, and year-round family support;

Whereas more than 13,000,000 children have been served through Angel Tree Christmas and more than 120,000 children have attended an Angel Tree camp;

Whereas, using education, reflection, planning, and implementation, Warden Exchange equips correctional leaders with the tools needed to create safer, more restorative prison environments for incarcerated individuals and correctional staff;

Whereas, since 2014, Warden Exchange has equipped more than 820 State correctional leaders nationwide to reimagine prisons, and in 2026, the program admitted its first Federal warden; and

Whereas, since launching Second Chance Month in 2017, Prison Fellowship has raised national awareness of barriers facing people with criminal records and expanded opportunities for brighter futures, with more than 1,000 partners and recognition from the White House, the United States Senate, and more than 40 jurisdictions: Now, therefore, be it