Stand in the Gap is based on the foundational belief that it is through relationships with God and with other people that we find healing, growth, and the fullness of life.
We believe that is true for the people we serve, for the volunteers who serve with us, and for our staff as well. But did you know that we believe the same is true for our organization as a whole?
There are things we do really well at Stand in the Gap. We form small group “family” relationships that can have a lifelong impact. We provide education and hope to women before they are released from prison or jail. We advocate on behalf of mothers and their children.
But there are necessary things that we do not and can not provide for the people we serve. So we’ve formed relationships to fill those gaps.
Our partner organizations are the best at what they do. Instead of “recreating the wheel” and trying to offer these services as well, why not join forces to the exponential benefit of the people we serve?!
Our partnerships mean that the orphans, widows, and prisoners we serve have access to a fuller continuum of care, which means more opportunities, more resources, and more hope.
We will take a little time over the next year to highlight some of our wonderful partners on our blog, starting with Branch 15 transitional living home.
Branch 15 is an awesome example of our ideal partnership. We were introduced shortly after Branch 15 was founded in 2013 by a mutual board member. Over the years, we have formed a great bond that we even got an award for! (Read about our Flourish Award here.)
Here’s an example of how our partnership works:
- While a woman is incarcerated, she takes our Women in Transition course.
- As she prepares for release, our WIT program staff make recommendations and help connect her with transitional living facilities (like Branch 15) based on bed availability and where she’d like to live.
- When a woman is released and accepted to Branch 15, she moves in and finds a home that provides individualized care and support, a community of like-minded “sisters”, and a network for on-going growth.
- After living at Branch 15 for a while, she may express interest in a Stand in the Gap small group. Branch 15 recommends her to us and we work with our network of church partnerships and interested volunteers to form a small group of mentors to walk closely alongside her as she pursues her path to stability and independence.
Partnerships are an acknowledgment that we can’t do life alone. It’s just as true for the ministry of Stand in the Gap as it is for individual people. Branch 15 is one of the greats! We are thankful to be on this journey with them!
