Along Side Ministries

68% of people released from prison return within three years. Nearly 7 out of 10.

Not because they don't want better. Not because they aren't capable of more. But because the system they walked out of wasn't built to actually reach them — to walk alongside them through the hardest stretch of their lives.

That's what Along Side Ministries exists to do.

We are an Arizona-based, faith-centered prison ministry focused on both incarceration outreach and post-release discipleship. And what makes us different is this: we don't just show up at one point in someone's journey. We stay for all of it.

Inside prison — Gospel outreach, Bible study, and mentoring for incarcerated men and women who want to go deeper in their faith and prepare for what comes next.

Through the transition — Structured discipleship and support as someone moves from incarceration toward release. This is where the commitment is made and the foundation is built.

After release — Reentry assistance, accountability, and community rebuilding for men and women stepping into Phase II of the program. Safe housing. Real relationships. A place to belong.

This is what we call a continuum of transformation. Programs that combine spiritual transformation and practical reentry support produce outcomes that outreach alone simply cannot. They address identity, stability, community connection, and the deep-rooted patterns that lead back to prison.
97% of Along Side graduates get out and stay out.

That number has a reason. Faith that holds when everything else lets go. Community that refuses to walk away. And people — volunteers, donors, prayer partners — who believed the 97% was worth fighting for.
Your support doesn't just reach someone in prison. It walks alongside them all the way to restoration.

👉 Two ways to be part of the 97%:
🤝 Volunteer your time — alongside-ministries.com/volunteer
💛 Donate to the mission — alongside-ministries.com/social-donations

💬 What made you first believe that restoration was possible for someone? We'd love to hear it in the comments.

"Carry each other's burdens." — Galatians 6:2

We asked our ministry leaders one question: what is a need you want people to know about? These are their answers. Real needs. Right now. From people inside this ministry who show up every single day.
If you love to feed people — Every Wednesday evening, men at our Men's Discipleship Training Center share a meal together before Bible study. Sometimes one person cooks. Sometimes a small group each brings a dish. Sometimes it's catered. Come in as an individual, as a pair, in a small group, or as a church. However it comes together — it feels like home. And it needs someone to make it happen.

If you love to teach the Word — Women at our Women's Discipleship Training Center are on fire for Christ. Their love for Jesus surpasses anything in their past. They need a consistent Bible study teacher — someone who can commit to every or every other Wednesday and simply show up for them.

If you love to write — Through our Barnabas Program, we're looking for men and women who want to write email letters to people who are incarcerated. You don't have to go inside prison. You can do this from your phone or computer. There's a brief training involved, and then you get to be the person who reminds someone that they are seen and they are not forgotten.

If you have something to give — Men and women live at our Discipleship Training Centers. Right now, across both centers, we have real and immediate needs for bike locks, plastic plates and utensils, comforters, sheets, twin mattresses, dressers, and professional-grade tools and appliances. Whether you're an individual or a small group looking for a tangible way to serve — these items make a sacred difference in the daily lives of the people we walk alongside.

If your group wants to serve together — When someone is accepted into our Phase II program and released from prison, they may arrive with very little — sometimes nothing at all. A Grace Bag meets them right there. Filled with essentials, toiletries, and personal care items, it's often the first signal that someone knew they were coming and cared enough to prepare. This is a beautiful project for small groups, Sunday school classes, and women's ministries. Reach out to learn how to build one.

If you know how to pray — Pray for the men and women living at our Discipleship Training Centers. Pray for those still inside, waiting for what comes next. Pray for our staff walking alongside them every single day. Anyone can carry this one.

None of these requires you to be extraordinary. Just willing.
👉 Start here: www.alongside-ministries.com/volunteer

💬 Which of these feels like your lane? Drop a comment or share this post — you might know someone who's been looking for exactly this.

What if you've been overcomplicating it?

Somewhere along the way, a lot of us picked up the idea that following God requires more sophistication than it actually does. More programs. More performance. More having it figured out before we show up.
Then Micah 6:8 cuts through all of it.

Act justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly with your God.

Three things. Not a whole list.

We get to watch this verse walk around in real life every single week — in men and women stepping out of prison with no resources, no clean record, nothing the world calls impressive. And what we keep finding is that God was never waiting for impressive. He was waiting for willing.

That's what Along Side exists to do — walk alongside people in that moment. When willing is all they have.

And remind them that willing has always been enough.

That same invitation is yours this Monday.

Not to have it all together. Not to have the past cleaned up. Just to show up.

Which of the three feels most out of reach for you right now — acting justly, loving mercy, or walking humbly? Be honest. This is a safe place to say it.