Fresh Start Ministry Kits
A Project of Heart River Bridges of Hope, Ministry on the Margins, and Trinity Lutheran of Bismarck
You are invited to join the Fresh Start Kit Ministry! A Fresh Start Ministry Kit is a backpack that is given to everyone leaving the Youth Correction Center in Mandan and the ND State Penitentiary in Bismarck. Many of the men leaving these facilities have nothing to carry their things in when they leave, and certainly don’t have toiletries or the ability to go buy new underwear. These kits help ease the stress of reentry.
A partnership project of Heart River Bridges of Hope, Ministry on the Margins, and Trinity Lutheran of Bismarck, backpacks are assembled, stored, and distributed to where they need to go. Also included in the backpacks is information about our organizations, and if you help, we would be more than happy to put your information in the backpack as well. Also, you will not be responsible for getting the backpacks to the facilities. Trinity Lutheran of Bismarck will take care of that. You just need to get them to us or arrange for us to pick them up. One way you can choose to help is to choose a month that you would like to do this project and continue with the project that month in the future. Maybe you would want to share a month with another church instead of trying to put 40 bags together by yourself or maybe you just want to gather the supplies, and we will put the bags together. Individuals in your congregations are also welcome to do this project or order off of the registry if you don’t want to do this as a congregational project.
It takes approximately 40 backpacks per month to pull this off. We hope you will be willing to help. You can put backpacks together – you can just collect the items, and we will put the bags together – you can financially donate. The list is attached. One note: If you decide to purchase backpacks, please only purchase the ones suggested on the list and only in black.
If you have any questions or if you decide to use this project on any level for your God’s work. Our hands. project or for another project, please contact Pastor Martha HarriSon at harrison@trinitybismarck.com or download this flyer.
