United Way of Greater Kansas City is proud to partner with Growth Ministries, a 2023 Nonprofit Catalyst Grantee and 2025 Impact 100 organization dedicated to helping formerly incarcerated individuals successfully reenter society and thrive. Through faith-based mentorship, resources, and community support, Growth Ministries is helping individuals build new chapters filled with purpose, stability, and hope. Meet Shawn and Curtis, two inspiring individuals whose journeys reflect the powerful impact of the organization’s efforts:
Shawn’s Story:
Some people say they are a product of their environment. I would like to think I am a product of Growth Ministries. I say this because my environment was a prison: a place where it’s very easy to get lost, comfortable, caught up in the negative, or even in the addiction that landed you there. That was where I met Lonnie Johnson from Growth Ministries.
Before we met, I never succeeded. I thought I was nobody. I had no family, was raised in the streets, and that’s all I knew. I’ve heard people say that building a support team is important, but I had never experienced what that was. Before Growth Ministries became a part of my life, I had never paid a bill on my own, held a job, or ever thought I would be able to face and handle a problem without using aggression. I never thought further than how I would come out of a situation, because it had always been just me.
I never thought anyone loved me or anyone cared. Then I met Lonnie, and he told me that in those times where I felt alone and like no one cared, that I could always count on God and that God will always listen and guide me no matter the situation. Through Growth Ministries, I have learned how to build my relationship with the people around me starting with God, how not to think about just each situation but what happens after the situation, and simple everyday things like work, education, equitable pay, and money management.
After my release from prison in Topeka, Kan. on January 12, 2024, I knew no one in Topeka—Growth Ministries helped me get work clothes, bus passes to get around and look for work, and a phone card so I could communicate with employers. With the help and support of Lonnie Johnson and Growth Ministries, I have gained employment, have work clothes suitable for my work conditions, haven’t been late or missed a day because of the bus support, have learned to manage my funds so my rent has been paid every week, and in a tough difficult situation, my mind instantly goes to W.W.L.D (What Would Lonnie Do).
Through Growth Ministries, I believe I have grown into a man—a man my children love being around, a man where when I talk to people I used to know, they give me compliments–but really they have to get to know me, because I’m now in totally different and in a better head space. For that, I will forever love and be grateful for Growth Ministries.
Curtis’s Story:
I began this journey a few years ago when I was in a very dark place. I had made a lot of mistakes and had returned to prison for the third time. At that point, I knew it was time for a change.
While in prison, I started working on building my relationship with Christ. I knew that making this change would require a lot of support. When in prison, I met another inmate who had just received a letter from Growth Ministries. He was excited because his friend had an article published in their newsletter. Out of curiosity, I asked if I could read it.
Eventually I had the honor of having one of my own articles published in the Growth Ministries Journal. That experience is something I will always be grateful for. This reignited my passion for writing—something I always knew I had within me.
Since my release, I’ve written my own book—a collection of poems. The first article I submitted to Growth Ministries was a poem, and the encouragement I received from them gave me the faith and confidence to believe I could become a published author. And now I am.
I want to thank Growth Ministries for what they are doing for inmates like me. I’m deeply grateful for the staff members and for Lonnie Johnson, whose leadership and vision have changed so many lives, including mine.
Thank you, and God bless.
To learn more about the difference you can make for local organizations serving the justice involved population, visit here.