God’s Jail Ministry, a faith-based initiative for Putnam County Jail inmates, will be holding classes for new volunteers Saturday.
God’s Jail Ministry Treasurer Annis Talley has been with the organization for over 20 years. She said members have to take a four-hour class to be allowed to interact with inmates.
“Each year it’s state requirement,” Talley said. “We have to have it once a year. We get a picture ID badge, and we have to have that to be able to go in, and he gives us the rules, what we can do, what we can’t do.”
Talley said veteran members will have their yearly required course in February. New volunteers have to go through an application process that includes getting a background check.
“They’re suppose to be a good Christian and go to a church and when we take an application they have to get a letter of recommendation from their pastor,” Talley said.
Talley said she believes the work her organization does is changing people’s lives.
“They are real excited about us going in,” Talley said. “It’s like they’re hungry for somebody to love them and help them when they’re in that situation. They’re like young children sometimes, like they’re just hungry to hear the word.”
Talley said the jail population has grown significantly since the organization started in 1986. She said they need more volunteers to help keep up with the growing number of inmates.
“Right now the women have three pods we go into, and they are overcrowded big time, and the men are to,” Talley said. “It’s not their individual cells, they have their own individual cells, but it’s a huge room and during the day they come out.”
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