Washington State Penitentiary Hope Event Marks 50 Years of Prison Fellowship’s Ministry
Celebration to feature worship, prayer and keynote speaker Jermaine Wilson as Prison Fellowship commemorates its 50th anniversary
WALLA WALLA, Wash., Sept. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prison Fellowship, the nation's largest Christian nonprofit serving currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families, and a leading advocate for criminal justice reform, will continue to commemorate its 50th anniversary with a special Hope Event today at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, Washington, a community that holds significance in the ministry's story.
Washington State Penitentiary is the location where Prison Fellowship’s advocacy efforts first began. As Prison Fellowship’s late founder, Chuck Colson, walked cell to cell, he was asked by the men inside to advocate on their behalf. His response laid the foundation for the ministry’s commitment to advancing justice that restores. The Hope Event will bring together incarcerated individuals for a day of worship, prayer and encouragement, celebrating God's faithfulness.
The event will feature a keynote address from Jermaine Wilson, Prison Fellowship mission ambassador. Having experienced incarceration himself, Jermaine will share his story of redemption and transformation, encouraging attendees with the message that no life is beyond God's reach and that second chances are possible through Christ.
"This anniversary is a celebration of God’s calling to the Church to seek justice for those impacted by crime and incarceration," said Heather Rice-Minus, Prison Fellowship president and CEO. "We are grateful to have spent the last 50 years bringing the hope of the Gospel to men and women behind bars while ensuring the values of redemption, justice and human dignity are reflected in the public square.”
For 50 years, Prison Fellowship has worked to restore lives affected by incarceration by sharing the hope of Jesus Christ, advocating for restorative criminal justice reform and equipping churches to serve incarcerated people and their families. As the ministry celebrates this milestone anniversary, the Hope Event at Washington State Penitentiary serves as both a reflection of God's faithfulness and a continued commitment to bringing hope and restoration to communities across the country.
Prison Fellowship Advocacy for Prison Reform
Since its founding, Prison Fellowship has played a prominent role in our nation’s capital, helping to pass groundbreaking federal legislation and launch initiatives that make the criminal justice system more restorative, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (1993), the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (2000), the Prison Rape Elimination Act (2003), the Second Chance Act (2008), the Fair Sentencing Act (2010), the establishment of the Charles Colson Task Force on Federal Corrections (2014), the Second Chance Month Senate resolution (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026) and presidential proclamation and message (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026), the FIRST STEP Act (2018), the Fair Chance Act (2019), Pell Grant Restoration (2020), the Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act (2022) and the Federal Prison Oversight Act (2024), among others.
At Prison Fellowship Hope Events, local churches partner with the Church inside to share the hope of Jesus Christ in prison yards. Through worship music and inspirational speakers, incarcerated men and women—along with correctional staff—have a chance to encounter Jesus.
Celebrating 50 years of prison ministry, Prison Fellowship is the nation's largest Christian nonprofit equipping the Church to serve currently and formerly incarcerated people and their families, and to advocate for justice and human dignity. Prison Fellowship and its church partners encounter Jesus with those behind bars, breaking cycles of crime and prayerfully anticipating a revival of justice, mercy and hope in our culture.
Susan Merriman Prison Fellowship 703-554-8698 Susan_merriman@pfm.org
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