Hobby Lobby Joins Prison Fellowship in Effort to Improve Justice Outcomes in Oklahoma

March 10, 2021

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Washington, D.C.— Prison Fellowship®, the nation’s largest Christian nonprofit serving prisoners, former prisoners, and their families, has received a multimillion dollar investment from ‘Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.—an American Arts & Craft retail giant.  The investment will help Prison Fellowship continue a multi-pronged, holistic approach to achieve more successful justice outcomes in the state of Oklahoma with a particular focus on the rising rates of women’s incarceration.

“Hobby Lobby’s generous and continued support helps Prison Fellowship in a number of programs—from arrest to reintegration—as we journey with the incarcerated men and women of Oklahoma on their pathway to restoration,” said James Ackerman, President and CEO of Prison Fellowship.  “Through our criminal justice policy campaigns, we are an active voice for comprehensive reform packages in the Sooner State.  We also serve Oklahoma’s youth by restoring and strengthening the relationships between incarcerated moms and dads and their children with our Angel Tree® program.”

“Hobby Lobby values our partnership with Prison Fellowship and deeply respects their ongoing commitment to seeing God’s restorative justice lovingly impact all those individuals and communities affected by crime and incarceration,” said Tyler Green, Ministries Coordinator of Hobby Lobby.

“We believe corporate and public partnerships possess enormous potential to help transform the criminal justice system,” said Natika Washington, VP of Corporate Partnerships of Prison Fellowship. “Prison Fellowship has launched a public-private partnership between the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, philanthropy, and frontline reentry service providers to ensure that women in Oklahoma involved in the criminal justice system have the support they need for a safe, healthy, and successful integration into society.  Together, we can help rebuild families, empower youth, and prepare men and women to return to communities as good citizens.”

“By developing rehabilitative communities in prison through our biblically-based Prison Fellowship Academy® program and empowering transformational corrections leaders through our Warden Exchange® program, we prepare good citizens who not only demonstrate the ability to live crime-free upon release but also contribute positively to their communities,” added Ackerman.  “Generous funding from Hobby Lobby and other partners in Oklahoma has allowed for the creation and sustainment of seven Prison Fellowship Academy sites, impacting the lives of hundreds throughout the state.”

Prison Fellowship is the nation’s largest nonprofit serving prisoners, former prisoners, and their families, and a leading advocate for justice reform. We seek to share the real, living hope of the Gospel with people who long for its power to make them new. Real restoration begins by addressing the cycle of crime on all fronts, in prison and out, and engaging in a cycle of renewal.