Reach the Forgotten Jail Ministry

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Reach the Forgotten Jail Ministry Bringing the Good News to the Forgotten. Providing hope and salvation in Michigan county jails.

Founded in 1966 to be the hand of the Lord in 34 MI county jails by providing chaplains, a comprehensive spiritual program, and enlisting the strength of an army of over 2,000 volunteers to reach the incarcerated. Our hope and prayer would be that every departing inmate starts a new life that honors our Savior, Jesus Christ and never returns to jail. We have a long journey and much work to do but with God as our leader and your support, we will make great strides. Reach the Forgotten Jail Ministry is a 501c3 organization, meaning that all donations are tax-deductible.

10/12/2026

Archie Porter – the chaplain who shows up because someone showed up for him.

Thank you for supporting Reach the Forgotten Jail Ministry and making it possible for us to be the people who show up and say, “Hey, you’re not forgotten, and God can still use you.”

Today is World Mental Health Day. ❤️‍🩹At Reach the Forgotten, we serve people who often carry deep trauma, and we know t...
10/10/2026

Today is World Mental Health Day. ❤️‍🩹

At Reach the Forgotten, we serve people who often carry deep trauma, and we know those wounds can have a lasting impact on mental health, relationships, addiction, and the way a person sees their future. That is why we’re committed to becoming more trauma-informed in the way we serve.

Recently, RTF was represented at the North American Community of Practice for the Trauma Healing Institute, where we were recognized among the top 15 leaders in several trauma-healing metrics.

We’re continuing to learn because caring for people well means understanding the wounds they carry, and because “If we don’t deal with our trauma, someone else will have to. What is not transformed is transferred.”

It has been two weeks since our chaplains from across the state joined together for our annual Chaplain Retreat, hosted ...
10/07/2026

It has been two weeks since our chaplains from across the state joined together for our annual Chaplain Retreat, hosted at Maranatha Bible & Missionary Conference.

We look forward to sharing more about our incredible time together, but for now, we want to pause for a moment to take in the many smiling faces who joined us this year and help make Reach the Forgotten the ministry it is today.

We love our chaplains. We love the people we serve. We love our faithful supporters & volunteers. But, most of all, we love Jesus.

Blessings to you, from your Reach the Forgotten Jail Ministry chaplains & staff. ❤️

When we talk about jail ministry, we may often talk in numbers...An inmate number. The number of beds in a jail. The num...
10/05/2026

When we talk about jail ministry, we may often talk in numbers...

An inmate number. The number of beds in a jail. The number of dollars needed to fund a program.

But behind every number is a person. A real life. A real story. A real opportunity for impact.

Jay (far right) was one of those people. After an injury ended his hockey career, addiction began to take hold of his life. Eventually, he found himself in a county jail, where God began to open his heart to the hope found in Jesus.

Jay’s life was changed. His relationships began to heal. And he began sharing that hope with the men around him. Now, Jay is home with the Lord.

But, Jay was never just a number. And neither is the person sitting in a jail cell today.

Read Jay’s full story at the link below and remember the many people behind the numbers.

👉 https://jailministry.org/jay/

For 60 years, God has worked through ordinary people willing to say yes, often without knowing how far that yes would re...
10/02/2026

For 60 years, God has worked through ordinary people willing to say yes, often without knowing how far that yes would reach.

Our Summer Newsletter is filled with stories of that faithfulness through generations…

• What does a promise made to God in a World War II foxhole have to do with Reach the Forgotten today?
For Gordon Geurink, it became a promise that shaped the rest of his life, including four decades of jail ministry. Now 101 years old, his legacy is still being carried forward.

• What happens when your hobby becomes part of God's plan?
Some people knit. Some fish. Cathie Brasser writes Bible studies for fun! Now, that passion is becoming a new library of resources created specifically for incarcerated men and women across Michigan

Read more about these stories in our Summer Newsletter:https://jailministry.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Summer-Newsletter-website.pdf

Photo of Lee D**e & Gordon Geurink ❤️

We had a great day at Recovery Fest in Port Huron! 🎉As we celebrate National Recovery Month, we’re grateful for opportun...
09/30/2026

We had a great day at Recovery Fest in Port Huron! 🎉

As we celebrate National Recovery Month, we’re grateful for opportunities to connect with our community, break the stigma surrounding addiction, and celebrate the hope found in recovery.

At Reach the Forgotten, much of our work happens inside Michigan county jails, but the journey toward healing and a healthy future continues beyond the jail doors. We’re thankful to be part of events like this that bring our community together!

And we loved cheering on one of our volunteers in the Recovery Fest 5K who was proudly wearing the Reach the Forgotten hat! 🏃‍♀️

We’re off to a great start to our Fall 2026 Banquet Season! 🙌Our first stop was Mecosta County, where we had a wonderful...
09/28/2026

We’re off to a great start to our Fall 2026 Banquet Season! 🙌

Our first stop was Mecosta County, where we had a wonderful evening of fellowship and celebration. Several members of our Ministry Leadership Team joined us, and we were grateful to hear from the Sheriff and listen to some amazing testimonies of God’s work through jail ministry.

As we look ahead to the rest of our Fall Banquet Season, we’re excited for more opportunities to gather with communities across Michigan, celebrate 60 years of Reach the Forgotten, and give thanks for God’s faithfulness through it all. Here’s to a great season ahead! ❤️

Then vs Now…Through changing seasons, changing faces, and changing times, one thing has always remained at the heart of ...
09/26/2026

Then vs Now…

Through changing seasons, changing faces, and changing times, one thing has always remained at the heart of Reach the Forgotten: we are a biblically-based, chaplain-led ministry walking alongside men and women experiencing incarceration in Michigan county jails.

Decades apart, these two photos tell the same story. A chaplain standing before a group of inmates with a Bible in hand, ready to share God’s Word, listen, and walk alongside those in need of hope.

Today, we are continuing that same mission while working to put Bibles into the hands of more chaplains and more inmates across Michigan. Sixty years later, the Bible is still in our hands, and God’s Word is still at the center of what we do. 📖✝️

When Oliver entered a facility without a chaplain or spiritual programs, he didn’t let that stop him. He started them hi...
09/22/2026

When Oliver entered a facility without a chaplain or spiritual programs, he didn’t let that stop him. He started them himself.

His story, along with that of another former inmate who did the same, is a powerful picture of what can happen when someone is equipped and discipled behind jail walls. Their ministries continued even after they left - praise God!

Read “Full of Faith” to hear how God multiplied the investment made in these men and the lasting fruit that followed.

👉 Read the full blog: https://jailministry.org/fulloffaith/

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” - Acts 2:...
09/20/2026

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” - Acts 2:42

Please join us in praying for our RTF Chaplains as they gather for the 2026 Chaplain Retreat. 🙏

This year, we continue our conversation around Sabbath rhythms by turning our eyes upon Jesus. Chaplains will spend time together in sessions and group conversations, while also making space for rest, renewal, creativity, and developing new friendships.

Please lift our chaplains up in prayer as they gather, connect, and seek the Lord together. Pray that this would be a meaningful time as they continue serving in Michigan county jails.

Address

1480 Buchanan Avenue SW
Grand Rapids, MI
49507

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+16167844620

Website

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