Hear from Our Participants
At Chicagoland Prison Outreach, we love what we do—working with inmates is an incredibly rewarding experience, as we get to see God bring redemption and transformation to individuals one by one. Hear firsthand how our services have helped inmates rebuild their lives and relationships below!
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February 28th, 1997 was my first day of incarceration at Cook County Jail. I was in a place that I didn’t want to be, I felt abandoned and alone. Even when I was in the streets, I would always pray and ask God to let me see another day, another week...
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Calvin Yoder was born and raised in an Amish family and made the choice to leave the community at age 16. He was arrested after robbing his parents at a young age and found himself in prison. While incarcerated in Westville, Indiana, he received a...
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Johnathon entered Cook County Jail in 2014 and after four years of carrying the weight of his situation his life was changed, "I ended up going to some place I didn’t want to be which was the Life Learning Program.” Watch Johnathon’s story of hope...
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"It was a great help to me as a single mom to have someone show they cared for my daughter and I by taking time to bring Christmas gifts to us." Juanita Buie grew up on the west side of Chicago and came to know Chicagoland Prison Outreach through...
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A 2019 graduate of the Outreach Career Center's welding program, Walter Harris first heard of CPO through a counselor at his daughters school. Before attending the welding classes, Harris ran a small lawn care service, but needed something more...
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Jordan Coley says she was just in the right place at the right time. She had spent a brief time with Safer Foundation, a non-profit focused on development of those with a criminal record, when her mother saw a Facebook post advertising free...
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Henry Black had set a goal for himself while incarcerated to redirect his career after he was released. He knew he enjoyed working with his hands and was ready to set his life straight, when his sister saw an advertisement for the Outreach Career...
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Before Chicagoland Prison Outreach, Steven Riggs was involved in selling drugs and retail theft. He later was convicted of murder and landed in Cook County Jail. While in Cook County, Steven says " I was fighting hard to get to the Chapel. I went...
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When I was younger up until I was 10 yrs. old, I went to church every week and was for the most part a good kid. But by the time I turned 12 yrs. old, I had stopped going to church and to be completely honest, I stopped even thinking about God. I...
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I attended the carpentry apprenticeship class held at a facility in Chicago hosted by The Chicagoland Prison Outreach upon my release from the Cook County Department of Corrections and my desire to gain employment. As I attended these classes I...
How Can You Help?
Your financial support of Chicago Prison Outreach empowers us to make a real difference. Help us minister to incarcerated individuals and their families throughout the Chicagoland region by donating to CPO!
Life Learning Program
Watch our videos to hear firsthand testimonials from former inmates, see how our ministries work and learn more about CPO!