On August 9, 1976—two years to the day that President Richard Nixon resigned from as President of the United States—Charles Colson founded Prison Fellowship. The former Nixon adviser, who spent seven months in a federal correctional facility after pleading guilty to Watergate-related charges, left prison a changed man, committed to “remembering the prisoner” and honoring the God-given value and potential of every person affected by crime and incarceration.
Today, Prison Fellowship commemorates the 40th anniversary of its founding by announcing the first recipients of the Charles Colson Hope Awards. The five honorees of the Hope Awards have modeled Colson in their efforts to bring restoration to prisoners and their families in their specific spheres of influence.
The 2016 honorees are:
- Servant of Hope (presented to a person who has brought a message of hope, redemption, and restoration into correctional environments): Former Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola warden Burl Cain.
- Champion of Hope (presented to a person whose life has been directly impacted by incarceration—either as a former prisoner or as a child of an incarcerated parent): Danny Croce
- Legacy of Hope (presented to a person or foundation that has invested faithfully and generously in the restoration of those affected by crime and incarceration): David and Charlotte Cauwels
- Advocate of Hope (presented to a person with a record of faithful, unswerving, and winsome advocacy for restorative criminal justice reform): United States Senator John Cornyn
- Restorer of Hope (presented to a person who has come alongside families of the incarcerated to share God’s love and offer hope for restoration): Angel Tree founder Mary Kay Beard
To learn more about this years recipients, visit www.prisonfellowship.org/hopeawards.