The mission of Chapel of Hope Ministries (COH) is to build chapels inside the fences of every Texas prison; thereby providing every inmate with an opportunity for spiritual renewal. The presence of God brings about internal changes in inmates, which results in a reduction in recidivism and a safer Texas for all its citizens.
In 1994, the vision and dream for building chapels in Texas prisons was birth in Frank E. Graham, Jr. Frank is an ordained minister of the Gospel of Christ, a deacon and lay leader at Prestonwood Baptist Church. During 1994, a Board of Directors was formed and COH became a legal non profit entity operating in the State of Texas.
In 1995, COH received approval as a IRS 501-c-3 Non-Profit Corporation and all contributions to COH are tax deductible.
In May 1995, the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, which oversees the Texas Department of Criminal Justice prison system (TDCJ), based on the chapel construction plans of COH, passed the first of its kind policy to accept funds from the public to construct COH prison chapels. During this time, COH set in motion construction on its first two chapels at Hutchins State Jail, Dallas; and Hughes Unit in Gatesville. The Hillcrest Foundation, TDCJ, Prestonwood Baptist Church and the Kenneth Copeland Ministries primarily funded these projects.
In 1995 COH was uniquely involved in helping to start the first female parenting center in female prisons located in Gatesville. The parenting centers center secured operating funds from the Buckner Family & Children Services.
In November 1996, the third chapel, Mark Stiles Unit in Beaumont was underway and the Meadows Foundation, TDCJ & Mr. John Phares, a Beaumont supporters, funded the chapel construction. Also in 1996, Habitat for Humanity, in Dallas, encouraged COH to donate buses to the Plane, Hutchins and Cole State Jails. These buses were used for transporting inmates to community residential construction projects.
In January 1997, COH, in partnership with Mrs. Virginia Hutto, President of Angels Unaware, helped raise $38,000 to provide constructiohn funding for the re-furbishing of a women's half-house in Fort Worth. This house became a Christian transitional home for newly released female inmates.
In 1997, Frank received the Governor's Criminal Justice Volunteer Service award for COH's contribution to Texas state prisons and the very prestigious TDCJ Director's Citation for the improvement of Chaplaincy programs in Texas prisons.
In 1998, a special group of Austin businessmen approached COH about building its fourth chap el at the John Connally Unit in Kenedy. To God's praise the funding was raised for this project and we are able to begin construction. The John Connally Unit chapel ground-breaking was August 19, 1998, and Mrs. Nellie Connally attended the ground-breaking ceremony. The chapel was completed in August, 2001.
In 2001, the fifth COH chapel located at Plane State Jail, a female unit in Dayton incarcerating 2,144 inmates. The vision for the chapel was birthed in October, 1995, when Frank Graham spoke to the Tyron Evergreen Baptist Association’s Women’s Missionary Union. The ladies raised the initial seed money and gained the support of Mr. Tom Baker, Director of the TDCJ Jail Division. Mr. Baker join forces with the ladies and provided the remaining funding required to start construction. Mr. Baker was inspired by the chapel COH had previously constructed at the Hutchins State Jail, a male state jail and Mr. Baker wanted a similar chapel in a female jail. The chapel was completed in November 2001,
In 2001, Frank Graham completed the fund-raising of $550,000 required to build the sixth COH prison chapel which at the TDCJ Lane Murray unit, in Gatesville, which incarcerate 1,334 female. Chapel Ground-breaking occurred on January 19, 2002.
On Easter Sunday, April, 2003 the first service was held in the TDCJ Lane Murray Unit. That day, over 900 inmates, in two services, heard the Gospel message in songs, dances, Scripture verses and the Pastors sermon. It was a glorious day!
Woodman State Jail - Gatesville
|
In 2005, COH Began raising funds for an offender chapel at Woodman State Jail (WSJ) in Gatesville.
WSJ is the intake unit for all women sent to TDCJ from counties in north & west Texas. Approximate 8,000 women processed into the unit each year. These 8,000 women have an estimated 24,000 children.
|
.jpg) |
TDCJ Wynne Unit Chapel - Huntsville
|
In 2007, COH began raising $300,000 to
restore the chapel roof at the Wynne Unit in Huntsville. THe roof is severely damaged and will soon collapse if not repaired. Birds and bats are nesting inside the and further causing damage. When bats are present the chapel can not be used.
|
 |
 |
|
