1 out of every 28 school-aged children in America has a parent in jail or prison.  That’s over 2.7 million children.

Since 1982, Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program has been working to provide Christmas gifts for these kids, and we have the opportunity to explore what drives this remarkable effort with dedicated Angel Tree volunteers Jennifer Lowrey and Sharon Denham.

Hear powerful stories and discover that you can make a tangible impact on a child’s life this Christmas on our latest edition of Connecting Faith. Here’s where our conversation takes us:

We spend the first half of our program with Jennifer Lowrey. She is the Work Field Director for Prison Fellowship, and has been serving in that role since 2005.

Jennifer notes that what you give through the ministry isn’t just an item. It represents a young life in your community. She explains the connection that is made possible between an inmate and their child.

“Kids really need to know that their mom or dad loves them.”

We look at the significance of training volunteers to carry out this vast ministry each year.

Then for the second half of the broadcast we welcome alongside Sharon Denham, the women’s coordinator for Angel Tree. She’s been volunteering with the ministry for over ten years.

For many people, there can be some trepidation involved with approaching a prison ministry, but Sharon explains how she knew that was exactly the work God wanted her to be doing.

“We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and this is a real way we can do just that this Christmas.”

The statistics are definitive – the children of inmates are far more likely than their peers to someday become inmates themselves someday. But Sharon passionately explains that we can fight this through Angel Tree, and the love and faith behind the gift that is given.

Highlight: Meeting the need

Angel Tree recipients