JUMPSTART was dreamed up on Chuck Fields’s back porch during a conversation between him, Don Williams, and Tim Terry, so he’s been there since before the beginning. Having experienced incarceration firsthand, Chuck knows what it’s like to lose everything and how vital the transition process is to restoring both individuals and families.    He earned a degree in finance from Wofford College and has worked in real estate during his entire career, including owning an appraisal company, Paradigm Appraisal Service, Inc. Throughout his service to JUMPSTART, he’s also hosted nearly fifty men at his home to mentor them on their path to recovery.    “JUMPSTART matters because people get confused about life… What I’ve found is life is hard for everyone and we all get lots of grace in life and sometimes we need hard things to get our attention to get us to where we need to be, where God has a plan for our lives.”    Chuck met Lynn, the love of his life, in 1990 and they were married three months later. They raised their daughter Stevie together and were married for thirty-three years before her passing. He is a member of Hope Point Church in Spartanburg and stresses that God is the true founder of JUMPSTART—and he can’t wait to see what God does next.

A lifelong resident of Spartanburg, Tommy Holt began working at the age of eleven before going off to earn his degree from Clemson. From there, he spent some time working in the medical field, working in corporate, and has spent the last thirty years as an entrepreneur, investor, and consultant, including founding Hardwood Bridge, LLC.    Tommy’s involvement in homeless ministries led to him learning about JUMPSTART, especially when he saw how many people had been incarcerated and ended up homeless due to the obstacles they faced after release. Where most see problems, Tommy sees opportunities.    “I like to work on the hard problems. I like the things where people say, ‘Well, that’s just not possible…’ That just motivates me and energizes me … Jumpstart graciously offered me an opportunity to get involved, and I haven’t looked back since.”    With this energy, Tommy is passionate about helping people overcome the everyday challenges when they’re returning to society and learning how to be successful. He’s an avid believer in the power of social enterprise to provide our residents with a future and loves how JUMPSTART is “in the business of destroying recidivism.” He and his wife Lynn attend Hope Point Church, have raised a son and daughter together, and are proud grandparents.

Originally hailing from New Jersey, Dr. Michael Scharff served as a decorated officer in the US Army from 1983 to 1994, ending his military career as Comptroller for a Special Ops organization. He earned his bachelor’s in Business Administration from the Citadel and went on to earn his MBA at the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. He earned his doctorate in Management and Organizational Leadership from the University of Phoenix in 2006, where he also won Dissertation of the Year.    Since 2006, he has been on the faculty of Limestone University, where he is a professor of Business Administration and Dean of the College of Business. He also chairs the Global Experience Committee, which allows students the opportunity to study abroad.    “It’s not surprising that people end up right back where they started because we didn’t really set them up for success… And that’s really what JUMPSTART is about—to jumpstart their success.”    Dr. Scharff has written for numerous educational publications and led academic presentations, as well as served in a number of children’s ministries. He lives in Spartanburg with his wife Deb, with whom he just celebrated thirty years of marriage, and enjoys following football—which the rest of the US calls “soccer.”

Bob Caldwell, Sr. is a graduate of The Citadel and served the US in Vietnam as part of the 5th Special Forces Group. In 1975, he founded Grace Management Group, a family-held collection of businesses headquartered in Spartanburg, and includes one of the largest home fragrance manufacturers in the country.    In addition to serving with JUMPSTART, he has also been instrumental in working with other nonprofits, including Rice Bowls, which feeds orphaned children in developing nations, the South Carolina Christian Foundation, and Upward Sports.    He and his wife Sylvia are active members at Hope Point Church in Spartanburg and have four grown children, nineteen grandchildren, and a great-grandchild. Outside of his extensive ministry work, you’ll find him spending time with all the grandchildren, including leading book clubs with them.

Donald Spann earned a degree in Physical Education and Health from the College of Charleston with an emphasis in Sports Medicine. Afterward, he spent nearly a decade working in athletics, including with the Tampa Bay Rays, New York Knicks, St. Louis Cardinals, and Western Kentucky University. He then returned to South Carolina when he transitioned into pharmaceutical sales. Today, you can find him serving as a Campus Pastor for Grace Church in Greenville.    Since 2007, he has served on numerous school improvement councils and nonprofit boards, including as a current board member for JUMPSTART SC. Donald and his wife Mary Beth have four children and one grandchild, and he has helped lead over fifteen international mission trips from Kenya to Puerto Rico.

Born and raised in Greenville, SC, Mike Kirakides graduated from Clemson University in 1988 before going into his family’s business to hone his operations and management skills. Afterwards, he went into commercial real estate with the Furman Company before co-founding KDS Commercial Properties, a brokerage and development firm.    In 2016, he was contacted by Bill White to serve with JUMPSTART where Mike’s talents for real estate proved instrumental in the development of Restoration Village. Once he learned about the challenges facing men and women coming out of prison, he was moved to help remove those hurdles and officially joined the board in 2017.    “As a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, we’re all called to serve… We all have a gift. Everybody has something to offer.”    As a firm believer in second chances, Mike’s vision for JUMPSTART is to see more lives changed through the Gospel. And because he doesn’t believe we should put God in a box, he hopes to see the ministry grow into a thriving community that can be replicated for greater impact. He’s been married to his wife Debbie for thirty years and they have three daughters together. Since 2009, they have been faithful members of Grace Church.

Sharon McDowell grew up in Spartanburg and majored in both accounting and music. Working in accounting for twenty years, she currently runs her own private practice as a CPA, focused on serving nonprofits.    Not long after JUMPSTART was formed, she was invited to assist with the necessary accounting tasks for a few hours a week. While she was still homeschooling her two sons at the time, she was compelled by the vision of the ministry. As a self-proclaimed “numbers person,” she was won over by the numbers proving JUMPSTART’s success.    “The mission matters: broken lives, families, and communities are rebuilt, reconciled, and restored. Generational cycles of abuse, neglect, and violence are ended and we indeed see God bring beauty from ashes, joy from mourning, and hope from despair.”    Outside of her work as JUMPSTART’s Treasurer, Sharon also volunteers by tutoring kindergarteners at a local school and serving in her church. She still lives in Spartanburg along with her husband and spends her free time hiking, reading, and playing the piano.

Raised in Tennessee, Jon Jamison attended New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary where he earned a Master of Divinity in Christian Education, with a specialization in Social Work. For eighteen years, he ran an inner-city community center for the North American Mission Board, which included working directly with individuals transitioning out of prison.    In 2017, he became Team Leader for the South Carolina Baptist Convention’s SERVE Team. In this role, he has helped equip churches to better serve their communities, which led to him crossing paths with JUMPSTART. After hearing firsthand testimonies of the work happening at the Big House, he was moved to become more involved.    “I serve with JUMPSTART because I believe in the mission … The organization is making a tangible difference and provides local churches with tangible opportunities to make a difference in the community.”    Now residing in Columbia, Jon has been married to his wife Mindy since 1996 and together they have one daughter. As a board member, he hopes to see JUMPSTART’s success multiplied in other states so more imprisoned individuals can be introduced to the freedom offered in Christ.

Hailing from Aiken, SC, Dr. Gwendolyn Johnson spent forty-five years in education, teaching everyone from public school kindergarteners to graduate students at the University of South Carolina. Among her many accolades, she was the 2014 recipient of the Pickens-Salley Southern Woman of Distinction Award in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.     As an advocate for her community, she has participated in environmental research, implemented grants for underprivileged students, and was a co-founder of the African American Community Achievement Network. She also launched her own consulting company, Unleashing Potential (UP), to help adolescents and young adults pursue their God-given purpose—including participants in JUMPSTART’s prison program.     “Prisons are filled with people harboring great potential given by our Great Creator, God. It brings great joy to be a part of a mission like JUMPSTART that awakens the Holy Spirit in each of us (inmates and volunteers) as Jesus reveals the way, the truth, and the life.”     Dr. Johnson’s faith has also inspired her to take part in JUMPSTART’s programs by volunteering at the Trenton and Allendale Correctional Institutions. The rest of her time is spent with her family, especially her four grandchildren, serving at her church, and enjoying her many hobbies.

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What kind of people do you celebrate? Kindness, helpfulness, and humility are qualities that attract people to one another. Those who make a difference in the lives of others deserve to be celebrated for their generosity and kindness. One of those people is Matthew. Matthew’s journey with JUMPSTART SC began while he was incarcerated at Perry. After completing our prison ministry program, he came back the next year to serve as an inside leader. He grew into one who gave hope. Who helped others discover the purpose in Christ. Upon his release in October 2020, he knew JUMPSTART’s transitional program was where the Lord was leading him. Immediately, he began serving others. He began taking on more responsibility than he had to because he wanted to love those around him well. When he graduated two years ago, he could have moved back to his hometown to be closer to family, but he chose to join our team as a housing manager. In this role, he lives as a missionary in our intake home ensuring those in the program have the daily encouragement, support, and accountability they need to thrive. Matthew has had a difficult few weeks. He has been in and out of the hospital. His doctors are still uncertain what is wrong with him. Yet, even in difficulty he remains steadfast and eager to serve others. In the midst of difficulty, he lives as a Christ follower should. We ask you to pause for a moment and pray that, if it is His will, Matthew's health will be restored fully. JUMPSTART is committed to breaking the cycles of addiction and crime. We love seeing people secure their own transportation, become employed, and save for their future. We are full of awe as we witness God give them beauty from ashes. When we see one transform from a prisoner to a homeowner we literally cheer with joy. However, these results are a by-product of what the JUMPSTART family prizes most. We believe freedom from addiction, making responsible choices, and serving others are natural outcomes of discipleship. When men and women are taught to follow the Lord, cycles of crime and addiction are replaced a lifestyle serving others, taking responsibility for one’s future, serving in church, and being wise and diligent with the opportunities one is afforded. Matthew may never be a homeowner. He may never marry again. But these aren't the things most important to him. Matthew’s hope is in Christ and whatever He has for him. He knows he is getting closer to his eternal reward every day. Matthew understands his purpose is to make a difference in the world for God’s glory. Matthew is rich in the things that matter most. JUMPSTART SC exists to teach incarcerated individuals about God's purpose for their lives, how to live as a disciple, and to provide tangible support to people coming out of prisons so they can flourish and live passionately for God's glory above all else. God uses the JUMPSTART family to make redemption stories like Matthew’s possible. Many have served and given to ensure discipleship and transformational opportunities are available. There are many other stories like Matthew’s that we’ve all witnessed over the years. And there are more stories like theirs that will occur as we each do our part to ensure more men and women have access to discipleship and transitional services. If you are able and want to become more involved than you are currently, please reach out. Together, as we continue to join the Lord in His work, more will come to know and love Him as King. Give Now to Support Life Transformation

When approaching this story on second chance employment, I imagined I would speak with employers and see their point of view. But, what I quickly failed to realize is the power that programs like JUMPSTART hold when they transform the lives of those who are formerly incarcerated. When I reached out to Jordan Durham to work on this story, she was immediately helpful and set something up for me to come and speak with Jeremy Walker, the Chief of Staff, and Justin Durrell, the Director of Operations. I did not know that when I walked in to meet Jordan, I would be intruding on a morning meeting where they were discussing their group read of Atomic Habits and quickly invited me to join the meeting and listen to their discussion that ended with a prayer. I quickly noticed that this program is hands-on and that it is so successful because of the people behind it. When I spoke to Jeremy, he was so open and honest about his past and how he ended up at JUMPSTART. From serving time in Allendale to working at UPS to becoming the Inside Program Administrator, it was apparent that he wanted to help others the way the inside program of JUMPSTART helped him. He shared with me how JUMPSTART helps people learn how to develop a budget; apply for job interviews; and provide them with housing and transportation. That is what stuck with me - for many of these people, the hurdle does not just stop at getting a job; it also is being able to get to and from the job and to and from the interview. When I sat at that morning meeting, the team pulled up the schedule, which was filled with different colors and time blocks of when participants had interviews or work and which person would be taking them to their destination. Following my conversation with Jeremy, I knew my story of how this program is successful is rooted in his own story. His willingness to tell me his past and the ways that he grew from JUMPSTART and aims to do the same for others was inspiring, and I felt like a representation of everything this organization strives to be. When I walked over to the housing complex right outside of the office, I instantly noticed the multitude of prayers lining the walls. There was a bible verse right over the entryway, along with posters of different verses and a constant reminder of the faith-driven motive behind JUMPSTART. Second-chance employment gives people a chance to start over and adjust back to a society that kept moving while they served time. But, it is programs like JUMPSTART that do much more than just find people a job, they help them create a new life. Employees like Jeremy and Justin work to give back the help they once received. As Jeremy put it, “It is a labor of love.” Gracie Rorie, Senior Broadcast and Journalism Major at USC