The Journey to Successful and Sustainable Re-entry Begins Here
Men who have been imprisoned face tremendous challenges as they try to reintegrate back into society.
Returning citizens need advocates, guides, and encouraging re-entry coaches to walk alongside them upon release from prison and as they re-enter, transitioning to live out their faith in freedom.
CrossWalk Center bridges critical social services and ministry between prison life and freedom - Seamless Re-entry Discipleship from the Inside Out.
We offer hope and a future apart from broken prison life to whole-hearted intentional living as the unique individuals God originally created and intended them to be.
The Regional Realities of Re-entry. Every day, five days a week, 245 days a year, at around 2 pm, 50 or more of the 16,300 plus individuals released annually from Texas Department of Criminal Justice prisons, arrive by bus at Houston's Midtown bus terminal.
Isolated from society and our rapidly changing world for a number of years, most ex-offenders lack the basic knowledge of what to do after release. They do not know who to trust or who to turn to for help.
They do not know how to access, much less how to find and navigate, all the regional service providers and ministries that could assist and enable them to transition and reintegrate successfully back into Houston communities and neighborhoods.
Logistically, Houston is a challenging city for anyone to navigate. The city is not only initially overwhelming and frightening to get around in, but it can be nearly impossible because these men return to Houston with little or no money, no job prospects, and basically no means of financial support - just the $50 to $100 issued by the state upon release. It becomes more difficult when they have no identification, no means of transportation, and often no family willing to help them, nor a safe home.
Recent Facebook Posts
welcoming • serving • coaching • mentoring • giving hope for the future
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was homeless and you gave me a room,
I was shivering and you gave me clothes,
I was sick and you stopped to visit,
I was in prison and you came to me.
- Matthew 25:35-36
Think about the word you'd use to describe someone coming home from prison. For many of us, that label arrives before we ever meet the person. And in Houston, that label can quietly decide who gets an interview, who gets an apartment, and who gets a seat at the table.
We've seen it up close. A returning citizen with a steady work history and real skills gets passed over the moment an application checks a box that says "ex-offender." The label doesn't measure ability or character. It just closes a door before anyone opens it.
That's why we're intentional about our language at CrossWalk. We say "disciple" because we walk alongside people as they grow, not as clients on a file. We say "discipleship home" because a home is where someone is known by name, not number.
Words shape how people are seen, and how people are seen shapes what doors stay open. Changing our language is a small step, but it's one every employer, landlord, and neighbor can take.
Want to see how that works from the inside out? Learn more about how we walk alongside returning citizens at crosswalkcenter.org, or join our mailing list to stay connected to the work.
#ReentryMatters #Houston #CrossWalkCenter ...
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
The slides name the problem. Here's what we see on the ground: when a returning citizen walks out with no one waiting, the old network doesn't just look familiar. It looks like the only place where someone knows their name.
That isn't a character failure. It's an isolation problem, and it's one we can address.
At CrossWalk, we start building those relationships inside the walls, years before the gate opens. By release day, our people aren't meeting strangers. They already know who is waiting for them.
If you work with returning citizens, in social services, community advocacy, or ministry, we'd love to hear what belonging has looked like in your work. Learn more about the discipleship model at crosswalkcenter.org or join our mailing list.
#reentry #discipleship #returningcitizens ...
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
“They’re met with a welcome home, not ‘Here’s your room.’ They’re met with a hug. They’re met with family.”
Walking out of prison is scary. Most people don’t know what to expect, and the word “halfway house” brings up all the wrong pictures. Then they walk through the doors of a CrossWalk discipleship home and realize they’re not in this alone.
That’s the heart of Seamless Re-Entry Discipleship: men and women are welcomed home, surrounded by support, and learning how to build a new life before they ever walk out the front door.
“I knew what I needed to do. I just didn’t know how to do it.”
We get to help with the how. 💛
Want to help welcome the next man or woman home? Learn more at crosswalkcenter.org.
#CrossWalkCenter #Reentry #Discipleship #WelcomeHome #SecondChances #HoustonNonprofit #FaithInAction #Restoration #YouAreNotAlone ...
Visit Profile
1 CommentsComment on Facebook
“The way we help each other out, it’s like family there.” 💛
Jesse talks about what fellowship at CrossWalk looks like: getting to know the guys, getting advice from men who’ve walked the same road, and growing together.
Coming home is hard to do alone. That’s why community sits at the heart of Seamless Re-Entry Discipleship. Our disciples don’t just find a place to live. They find brothers and sisters who show up for them, speak truth, and help carry the load.
Thank you for sharing, Jesse. We love you too!
Want to help more men and women find family on the other side of the gate? Learn more at crosswalkcenter.org. ...
3 CommentsComment on Facebook