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2023 | November

25 YEARS OF BLESSINGS

Dear John,


This month, Bridges To Life celebrated a special and significant milestone. Established in 1998, the BTL program has now offered hope and healing to victims of crime and the incarcerated for 25 years!


At our annual Houston Vision Luncheon on November 9th, I was surprised and honored to be presented with a Certificate of Recognition from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) by Timothy Jones, Director of Volunteer Services (pictured above).


I want to take this opportunity to thank TDCJ for their unwavering support and partnership over these 25 years of helping Bridges To Life impact thousands of lives. When we first started our program, most prison wardens were skeptical of the idea of having crime victim speakers meet with inmates to discuss the topics in our curriculum and admit to their crimes. Yet over the years, we became more and more welcomed and embraced by prison management and correctional officers as the positive effects of the program became evident. Today, we deliver our program in 94 TDCJ prison units, and over 7,500 TDCJ inmates will successfully complete BTL in 2023!


As we count our blessings at this time, we hope that you and your families join us in knowing God's abundance at Thanksgiving and all through the year.


Gratefully,


John Sage, Founder & CEO

Jim Buffington, COO

GRATEFUL TOGETHER

At the Houston Vision Luncheon on November 9th,

BTL staff, graduates, volunteers, and supporters came together

to help us celebrate 25 years of life-changing impact!


Photos above: Guests (top left); BTL Graduate Speaker Chris Lewis (top center);

Salvation Army ARC* Program Director John Romaka with Major Carol Nickell (top right); Guest Speaker Carmella Jones, TDCJ Parole Board Member,

seated with Director Timothy Jones (center left); BTL Graduates from

Angela House (bottom left); BTL Staff attending (bottom right)


Thank you to everyone who attended the 2023 Houston Luncheon

to show their support and share in the vision for BTL's future.

We appreciate you!


*Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center

THE GIFT OF SERVICE

BTL Volunteer Service awards were presented at the DFW Vision Dinner in Arlington on November 11th.


The 2023 Victim Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Terrie Reagan, a volunteer since 2004 who has participated as both a crime victim speaker and program facilitator in our program. In her nearly 20 years of service, Terrie has donated over 2,500 hours to BTL!


(Photo L to R: BTL COO Jim Buffington, CEO John Sage, Terrie Reagan, Program Director Joel Lightfoot)

The Hero Award, recognizing active BTL volunteers aged 85 and older, was given to Betty Graves, shown here with her daughter DeAnna Graves Johnson, who is also a BTL volunteer!


(Photo L to R: DeAnna Graves Johnson, Joel Lightfoot, Betty Graves, Jim Buffington)


Thank you to all BTL volunteers who give of yourselves, your passion, and your time to those we serve!


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