Gentleman says he never stopped believing in God, even when his life didn’t reflect it. “It wasn’t in my heart to reject God,” he explains. His return to faith wasn’t dramatic. It was gradual. Sermons. Conversations. Wrestling with hard truths. Eventually, Bible studies and church attendance on the inside became part of his life again. “God did it for my good.” he says simply. 

“My primary focus for getting into JUMPSTART at that time was parole. That was my motivation. That’s all I wanted. But when I was denied, I had a choice to make. I said, do I quit? No. So I stayed.”

Meet Battalion Chief and JUMPSTART Volunteer Lindsay McDade. Alongside her therapy horse, Muffin, they are on a unique mission: to raise awareness around substance misuse and mental health. Instead of waiting for another overdose call, Lindsay and her team are stepping in earlier. They are meeting people where they are with prevention, education, and compassion.