Prison ministry volunteers Dave and Judy McElyea reflect on decades of volunteer experience and how faith-based organizations can make a positive impact on prisons.
It looked like a typical 5K, the same as any you might see in cities across America. But for those who ran, the Second Chances 5K meant far more than a brisk run and a medal at the finish line.
At Stillwater Correctional Facility in Minnesota, prisoners gathered together to run for the second chances they hope to have one day.
"I was certified as an adult when I was 17 years old and have been locked up for the last 15 years," Robert writes from the Minnesota Correctional Facility at Lino Lakes.
In some ways, the races seemed like any other 5K competitions that take place every weekend across the country. The runners laced up their shoes and stretched in preparation for the run, affixing their bib numbers and hoping for fast times.
Part of New Prison Fellowship Campaign to Expose and Eliminate “Second Prison” for 65 Million Americans with Criminal Records
ST. PAUL, Minn., April 26, 2016—Hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans with a criminal record continually face significant legal, social and other barriers that inhibit them from fully contributing to society.