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The first hints of Christian Formation Ministries appeared as the Stonefingers Music Ministry.
The Johnson family hit the road full-time in 1995 to travel the country, visiting prisons, churches, and wherever the family could "get away with it." In this 1997 photo, Richard, Dawn, Suzanna, and Jimmy are standing in front of the 36-foot travel trailer the family called home. |
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The Johnsons would visit thirty-eight states and four Canadian provinces, ending the long road trip in 2005, and returning to their home state of Indiana.
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In 2005, Richard and Dawn bought a house in Southern Indiana. They invited friends to sit around their table to share their vision of bringing recovery support to the Kentuckiana region.
What started as a group of friends has transformed into the Community Chaplaincy program, now serving thousands of men and women in the justice system. |
Programs have been implemented in correctional facilities, including Floyd County Jail, Clark County Jail, Branchville Correctional, Madison Women's Corrections, and Henryville Corrections.
Bishop Johnson served as the head chaplain at Henryville Correctional until its closure.
We are honored that the Community Chaplaincy remains active today. Many of those original volunteers remain active and working with us today, 19 years later.
Bishop Johnson served as the head chaplain at Henryville Correctional until its closure.
We are honored that the Community Chaplaincy remains active today. Many of those original volunteers remain active and working with us today, 19 years later.
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During our tenth anniversary of servicing the community as Christian Formation Ministries, INC, CFM added a new wing to the mission: child prevention.
In the summer of 2015, a group of volunteers and five children met in an undisclosed space to create one of the very first mentoring groups for children who have experienced incarceration and substance addiction in the home. We called it My Club. |
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Since its creation almost nine years ago, My Club has actively served and mentored over 200 children in the Floyd County area, and has been actively engaged with most of the children who have gone through the program, including our original five.
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In 2015, during the early months of the administration transition, Executive Director Suzanna Jacobson met a couple who would transform the organization.
In 2017, after careful prayer and planning, Suzanna went for training in Rolla, Missouri, to learn about camps for children of prisoners, serving under Ben and Grace Smith, and to learn from their experience. |
In the summer of 2018, a band of volunteers gathered to start Camp Kerith of Southern Indiana. Over the course of two weeks, Camp Kerith served 32 campers.
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Since its first year, Camp Kerith of Southern Indiana, renamed in 2020, has operated a summer season of 5 public weeks, serving 154 children of prisoners in the Southern Indiana community.
Camp Kerith has become known as the flagship program of Christian Formation Ministries, caring for kids who have experienced parental incarceration, substance addiction in the home, and high levels of adverse childhood experiences. |
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Camp Kerith has now had eight successful seasons, serving 963 children in the Kentuckiana region and becoming a critical part of prevention in our region.
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On January 31st, 2024, Christian Formation Ministries, Inc. announced its rebranding as Kerith Family Recovery. The renaming of the Southern Indiana non-profit follows a multi-year review of its impact on the Kentuckiana Region.
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“Recovery and Prevention has come a long way since our founding in 2005,” remarked Executive Director Suzanna Jacobson, “it has been our desire for our name to better identify with our Mission and Goals.
DROP US A LINE
Let us know how to best serve you
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info@noonerecoversalone.org
camp@noonerecoversalone.org |
phone |
(812) 945 - 0886
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address |
PO Box 1575
New Albany, IN 47151 |